Frequently Asked Question's (FAQ's) Regarding NAS Data Release

1. What is the process for non-Federal entities to request access to FAA radar/surveillance data?

• FAA Order 1200.22, External Release of National Airspace System (NAS) Data, outlines the request process.  Generally, requestors obtain an FAA sponsor that submits an FAA Form 1200-5, NAS Data Release Request, in accordance with instructions included with the form, then the FAA sponsor initiates coordination on behalf of the requestor.

2. Are there any limiting factors for non-Federal entities to request access to FAA radar/surveillance data feeds for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration efforts?

• Yes.  Currently, there are significant technical/physical capacity constraints at the FAA’s National Airspace System (NAS) Enterprise Security Gateway (NESG), which is where connections between FAA NAS systems and outside entities are made.  Even if a data connection can be supported, there would be no service level assurance regarding the latency of the data and it could only be provisioned on an “as is, best effort, no guarantee” arrangement.  Additionally, the FAA’s NAS surveillance data feeds contain Sensitive Flight Data (SFD), which is a type of Sensitive Unclassified Information (SUI) which requires robust physical, cyber, and personnel security control measures to be in place by an external requestor to ensure requisite data protection.

3. Does the FAA already make some data available to the public?

• Yes.  The FAA provides a clearinghouse for non-sensitive publicly available FAA data that may satisfy your needs, without making an additional request for NAS data.  This open data catalog is continually expanding and includes access to select FAA aeronautical data, System Wide Information Management (SWIM) data, and a Developers Portal that can integrate FAA datasets into software applications via Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

https://www.faa.gov/data

4. What is an “FAA Sponsor” for non-Federal entities requesting access to FAA radar/surveillance data?

• An FAA Sponsor is a representative from an FAA office that will assist the non-Federal entity and facilitate coordination and actions associated with the FAA radar data request.  The FAA Sponsor is responsible for working with both the non-Federal entity and the appropriate FAA offices to compile the appropriate pre-requisite artifacts and requirements for consideration in an FAA board evaluation.

5. What are some requirements and restrictions for non-Federal entities to access FAA radar data?

• Depending on the use case, the FAA will determine a requestors qualification to receive NAS radar data using FAA policy guidance.  This will include an evaluation of a bona fide "need-to-know" as required by FAA policy for protecting Sensitive Unclassified Information (SUI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and the ability to meet the “duty to protect” requirement criteria for the data. This includes a specific set of physical, cyber, and personnel security control measures to be implemented and validated prior to provisioning FAA radar data.  See FAA Order 1200.22, External Requests for National Airspace System (NAS) Data, for more information.

6. Are there any security compliance processes for non-Federal entities to obtain FAA radar/surveillance data?

• Yes.  FAA radar data, both real-time and historical, includes Sensitive Unclassified Information that must be protected.  Requests must be processed in accordance with FAA Order 1200.22, External Requests for National Airspace System (NAS) Data and undergo a third-party assessment organization’s evaluation process to ensure compliance with all required physical, cyber, and personnel security control measures.    This evaluation process will determine what specific data elements are necessary to include in the radar/surveillance data feed and any conditions or protection measures required.

7. Are there costs or fees associated with obtaining FAA radar/surveillance data for non-Federal entities?

• Yes.  Non-Federal entities will be responsible for funding costs to implement, validate compliance with, and sustain all required physical, cyber, and personnel security control measures and other data protections for the duration of the proposed FAA radar/surveillance data provisioning.  The extent of these costs is situationally dependent on the particular use case and/or data connection (e.g., Costs associated with a third-party assessment of security control measures compliance).

8. Does the “NAS Data Release Board” establish the physical data connection(s) and “release” the data?

• No.  The “NAS Data Release Board” is an FAA agency cross-functional group of subject matter experts that “review” proposals by FAA systems and FAA sponsors of external NAS data requestors to ensure those requests for NAS/non-public data are compliant with Sensitive Unclassified Information (SUI) data protection policy.  If a request is approved by the NAS Data Release Board, that request is then directed to the appropriate FAA System Owner to establish the physical connection and perform “release” of the NAS data following validation that sensitive data filtering algorithms and/or protection mechanisms are properly implemented.

9. What are the exceptions to the NAS Data Release Board (NDRB) review and evaluation process?

Exceptions to the formal NDRB review and evaluation process includes external release of FAA NAS data:

• to other Federal Departments or Agencies
• to State, Local, Territorial, and Tribal Law Enforcement
• specified as Government Furnished Information (GFI) in an FAA contract or grant agreement with an external entity, which is necessary for the performance of that contract or agreement
• in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request
• under international agreements between the FAA, other Federal Departments and Agencies, and foreign entities
• to contracted Third-Party Flight Information Services that are necessary for flight operations
• to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Still can’t find what you’re looking for?  Please feel free to visit the NAS Data Release Board (NDRB) site for more information.
 

Dan Hicok

Dan Hicok is the Vice President of the Program Management Organization (PMO) in the Air Traffic Organization. In this role, he oversees program and acquisition management for the FAA infrastructure programs that transform, modernize and sustain the National Airspace System.

Dan served in a number of leadership roles prior to assuming the role of Acting Vice President for the PMO. He served as the director of Strategy in Mission Support. He also served as the director of Surveillance Services in the PMO, a directorate he launched in 2019. In this role, he was responsible for all surveillance acquisition programs including sustainment programs for radar systems and Surveillance and Broadcast Services (SBS).

Dan also served as the chief systems engineer for the FAA’s Air Traffic Systems directorate. In this role, he acted as an advisor to the director, and as an integrator of new technologies envisioned by the NextGen organization as they transition into acquisition. He ensured strategic alignment with the FAA’s enterprise architecture roadmaps and programs in the directorate.

Prior to his executive level positions, Dan spent the majority of his career as a systems engineering lead for key FAA acquisition programs including Airport Surveillance Radar Model 11, Runway Status Lights, SBS Interval Management, and Terminal Sequencing and Spacing.
He has over 25 years of experience in industry and the Federal Government in systems engineering, program management and technical leadership with air traffic control systems.

Dan earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech. He is a member of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the International Council on Systems Engineering and the FAA Managers Association.

Randa Hayes

Randa Hayes is the Vice President of Flight Program Operations (AJF) for the FAA Air Traffic Organization, which administers the FAA Flight Program. AJF is responsible for the safe and efficient execution of a mission set including flight inspection; aviation safety training; research, development, test and evaluation support; and critical event response/transportation. The FAA Flight Program is certificated as a part 135 air operator and a part 145 repair station and is the only major government flight program that elects to operate under civilian regulations. It was one of the first organizations to implement a corporate SMS, incorporating multiple FAA certificates.

Randa joined the FAA in 2014 and played key roles in projects such as the consolidation of the legacy flight programs that established AJF and the Boeing 737 MAX ungrounding effort. During her time with the agency, she served as Senior Technical Advisor and Director of Flight Program Administration with AJF and as the acting Executive Director of the Office of Quality, Integration & Executive Services and the Chief of Staff in Aviation Safety.

Prior to joining the FAA, Randa was a consultant specializing in regulatory compliance for airlines, 135 certificate holders, and 125 operators. Starting in 2006, she also supported multiple FAA aviation rulemaking committees and legacy FAA flight programs. 

State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPO) Consultations

Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) instructs federal agencies to consider the effect of any proposed federal undertaking—such as an activity, program, or project—on historic properties. Section 106 review is designed to make federal agencies aware of how their actions might affect historic properties by integrating preservation into project planning in much the same way that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), enacted in 1969, requires federal agencies to consider impacts to the environment.

Joshua Pepper

Joshua (Josh) Pepper is currently serving as the Vice President of Management Services, which provides people management and business support for the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).

Professional Knowledge & Experience:
Josh most recently served as the Acting Deputy Vice President of Management Services. Prior to that, Josh served as the Director of Investment Planning and Analysis (AFI) where he was responsible for the leadership, evaluation, and quality assurance of business cases, benefits estimates, and life cycle cost estimates in support of all FAA Lines of Business and Staff Offices. Josh previously served as the manager of the Lifecycle Cost Estimating Division (AFI-200) within Investment Planning and Analysis (AFI) and as a cost analyst with that same division prior to that role. Before joining the FAA, Josh worked for the Operations Analysis Division within the Marine Corps Combat Development Command where he led investment analyses for major Marine Corps programs. Prior to that, Josh worked for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, serving as both a systems engineer as well as a cost and investment analyst.

Education, Certifications and Awards:
Josh received his BA in Mathematics from Randolph-Macon College in 1996 and his MA from the University of Maryland, College Park in Applied Mathematics in 1999. Josh also received a MS from the Naval Postgraduate School in Engineering Systems in 2008.

Daniel Murphy

Dan Murphy currently serves as the Vice President for System Operations Services. 

Mr. Murphy previously served as Vice President of Technical Operations Services where he oversaw the effective management of Air Navigation Services and Infrastructure with a workforce of approximately 10,000 employees who ensured that more than 65,0000 pieces of equipment and systems operate 24 hours, 365 days a year at more than 6,000 facilities.

Prior to his role in Technical Operations, Mr. Murphy served as Deputy Vice President of System Operations Services and provided national and authoritative guidance on all aspects of national air traffic flow management initiatives, system performance analysis, policy and concept development for airport surface flow management programs, weather observation and reporting standards requirements, and operational oversight for all National Airspace System (NAS) security issues.  

His other roles in System Operations Services include Director NAS Operations where he oversaw the David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), which balances system capacity and air traffic demand to ensure the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the entire NAS without compromising safety.

Mr. Murphy also managed a number of NAS-wide functions, including Space Operations, Collaborative Decision Making (CDM), and coordination of NAS-wide efficiency initiatives. Prior to his role as Director of NAS Operations, he served as the Director of Performance Analysis and was responsible for evaluating the operational performance of the NAS, determining the underlying factors affecting that performance, and making recommendations on how to improve operational outcomes for all NAS users and stakeholders.

Mr. Murphy holds an A.B. from Washington University in St. Louis and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Duke University, all in Physics.

NAS Data Release Board (NDRB)

The FAA Air Traffic Organization's System Operations Security Directorate is the point of contact for the FAA's National Airspace System (NAS) Data Release Board (NDRB) and the associated policies and processes for facilitating, adjudicating, and managing the external release of NAS data to entities outside the FAA.

Links

• NDRB Policy:  FAA Order 1200.22, External Requests for NAS Data
• NAS Data Release Request form:  FAA Form 1200-5
• Frequently Asked Question's (FAQ's)
• Contact NDRB Secretariat for more information.

Filing Operational Authorizations in a Flight Plan

GSP ATCT Supplemental NEPA EA Dec2023

Katrina Hall

Katrina Hall is the Chief Technology Officer of the Air Traffic Organization. Ms. Hall oversees and provides guidance to the Program Management Organization, Mission Support Services, Safety and Technical Training, and Management Services of the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).  

She oversees the framework of these organizations; harmonizes support of the operation; assures modernization of NAS operations; directs the establishment of policies, standards, and procedures; realigns programs and priorities; optimizes hiring and placement efforts; and leads the ATO’s budget and program activities.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Hall served as the Deputy Vice President of Technical Operations.  As Deputy Vice President of Technical Operations, Ms. Hall was responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient National Airspace System (NAS) by effectively managing air navigation services and infrastructure.  Previously she served as the Director of Capital Budgets within the Office of Budgets and Programs, Office of Finance and Management.

Her division was responsible for: (1) establishing short and long-term capital and research program financial plans for the ATO to support acquisition goals, (2) establishing reviews, priorities, and reports on NAS requirements, investments, reprograms, schedules, and performance baselines and (3) providing analysis and responses to inquiries from the FAA CFO, the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, the Office of Management and Budget, Congress and others.

Ms. Hall also served as the Director, Investment Planning and Analysis. The Office of Investment Planning & Analysis supports strategic investment decision-making at the FAA by ensuring major capital investments are supported by robust business cases.  

Ms. Hall began her federal government career with the Department of Defense as an operations research analyst for the Navy.  She has more than 30 years of acquisition, financial, and business case analysis experience on large-scale government procurements. Ms. Hall holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Morgan State University. She is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institutes Leadership for a Democratic Society.