The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS agreed the establishment of an independent enquiry following the disruption caused by the failure in air traffic management systems on the afternoon of Friday 12 December 2014.
Led by an independent chair, the panel consisted of NATS technical experts, a board member from the CAA and independent experts on information technology, air traffic management and operational resilience.
The CAA response to the report on 21 May 2015:
"The CAA welcomes the final report of the independent enquiry into the NATS air traffic control system failure of December 2014. The CAA and NATS jointly set up the enquiry to look into the incident and investigate measures to avoid future failures and reduce disruption to passengers. We are now studying the comprehensive report and its recommendations in detail and are committed to taking any steps necessary and to work with NATS to minimise any future disruption."
Implementation of recommendations
Correspondence from Dame Deirdre to Martin Rolf on 7 September 2016 acknowledges receipt of NATS' Final Report on the implementation of the NATS-only recommendations, and notes that the CAA will be reviewing the report and considering the conclusions of Sir Robert Walmsley's review of the report.
Correspondence on 2 November 2016 confirms that the CAA is satisfied that NATS have appropriately addressed the 21 recommendations directed to it, and that the CAA now regards the issues covered by the Enquiry as part of its ongoing regulation of NATS' activities. The letter also notes that the CAA will revisit the recommendations in twelve months time to ensure that NATS have embedded the learning in their business as usual.
This report (CAP 1480) provides a summary of actions taken by the CAA to respond to each of the recommendations addressed to the CAA and to the CAA and NATS jointly.
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