Dale Olpin, vice president of operational support services in Tetra Tech’s Federal IT Group, discusses how aviation organizations can modernize National Airspace System (NAS) operations while maintaining continuity and integrating new technologies with legacy infrastructure.
How have NAS operations and site support evolved in recent years?
NAS operations have evolved from largely reactive maintenance to a more predictive, risk-based support model. Today, aviation organizations place greater emphasis on anticipating system failures, managing asset lifecycles, and building redundancy into both legacy and modern systems. This shift helps reduce the operational impact of outages across an increasingly interconnected NAS. Coordination has also become more structured and interconnected through technology-enabled systems. With thousands of facilities and systems linked together, even routine work can have downstream effects. Improved processes and automation now help teams plan, communicate, and execute work in a way that protects backup systems and minimizes delays, while keeping the NAS available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
How do you design and implement new systems while ensuring legacy infrastructure remains effective?
Designing new systems within the NAS requires a deep understanding of both modern technologies and decades-old legacy infrastructure. New solutions need to be backward compatible, compliant, and able to operate alongside existing systems without introducing risk. In many cases, Tetra Tech leverages proven commercial technologies that bridge legacy and modern communications, with careful configuration and testing. At the same time, modernization occurs while legacy systems remain operational. This means managing end-of-life equipment, sourcing scarce spare parts, and maintaining a workforce skilled in both old and new technologies. Successful implementation depends on disciplined planning, strong vendor partnerships, and experienced teams who understand how changes in one system can affect the broader NAS.
What innovations are improving field operations and legacy integration?
One of the most impactful innovations has been the expansion of remote monitoring, diagnostics, and automation across legacy and modern systems. These tools allow teams to assess issues remotely, identify required parts before traveling, and in some cases resolve problems without a site visit. This significantly reduces response times and improves efficiency. Standardized configuration management, updated procedures, and mobile response capabilities have also strengthened field operations. As systems age and skilled labor becomes more limited, these innovations enable consistent performance, support faster recovery from outages, and make the best use of available resources across geographically dispersed FAA sites.
What future trends should aviation clients prepare for in operational support?
Clients should expect continued convergence of legacy and modern systems as modernization progresses. Cloud-enabled services, remote diagnostics, and centralized management will play a larger role in reducing obsolescence and improving maintainability, while introducing new risk considerations that require careful management. Modern aviation systems are becoming more resilient because newer technologies enable built-in redundancy and automated failover, often in smaller footprints than traditional backup systems. The challenge moving forward will be balancing efficiency, cybersecurity, and operational reliability while maintaining uninterrupted service in a safety-critical environment like the NAS.
How is Tetra Tech helping clients maintain operational continuity as aviation systems evolve?
We support clients by combining deep FAA domain knowledge with hands-on experience sustaining and modernizing complex operational systems. Our teams provide 24/7 operational support, emergency response, and field engineering services that help maintain continuity during both planned modernization and unplanned outages. With more than two decades supporting FAA programs, Tetra Tech teams understand how legacy systems function and how new technologies must be introduced without disrupting operations. That experience allows us to help clients plan transitions, manage risk, and keep critical systems available nationwide, while preparing for the next generation of aviation infrastructure.
About the expert
Dale Olpin
Dale Olpin is vice president of operational support services in the Tetra Tech Federal IT Group.
He has more than 30 years of experience supporting National Airspace System (NAS) operations and field engineering programs for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He leads nationwide operational support, maintenance, and field engineering activities across FAA facilities. Dale supports clients in modernizing complex operational environments while maintaining uninterrupted service across critical NAS infrastructure.
Dale’s expertise includes contingency planning, emergency response, and workforce readiness, helping FAA systems remain available, resilient, and compliant as technology and operational demands evolve. His work requires close coordination with FAA stakeholders to manage outages, mitigate operational risk, and support the safe integration of new technologies into existing environments.