It appears that FAA is bringing the independent office created to oversee ATC modernization back into the agency fold.

According to an agency Web site, FAA has established a new position that will be responsible for modernization planning — including the efforts of the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO). Vicki Cox will take on the new role of FAA’s senior VP for NextGen and operations planning.

JPDO was created in 2003 as an independent office to coordinate ATC modernization among several government agencies, including FAA, the Defense Dept., Commerce, and NASA. Its current director is Charles Leader. JPDO has been responsible for drafting various ATC roadmap documents, working closely with industry representatives.

The notice on the FAA Web site stresses that JPDO will still have a distinct role, as it “continues its focus on long-term R&D and cross-agency cooperation.” But it will now be linked more closely under a “combined structure” with FAA’s near- and medium-term modernization efforts.

Photo: FAA