A STUDY WAS MADE OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM (FAIRS), WHICH SERVES DIVERSE INFORMATION NEEDS OF THE AGENCY'S TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL. FAIRS WAS DEVELOPED TO OPERATIONAL CAPACITY BY (1) ASSIGNING DESCRIPTORS AND IDENTIFIERS TO REPORTS TO PREPARE THEM FOR SUBSEQUENT RETRIEVAL, (2) EXPANDING, DEVELOPING, AND UPDATING THE SYSTEM'S VOCABULARY--THE THESAURUS OF FAA DESCRIPTORS, AND (3) ENTERING THE TECHNICAL REPORTS INTO THE SYSTEM. THE RETRIEVAL EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM WAS THEN TESTED BY SEARCHING THE ENTIRE 10,000 DOCUMENT COLLECTION WITH TEN TEST QUESTIONS SELECTED FROM ACTUAL REQUESTS FROM FAA PERSONNEL. THE RESULTS OF THIS TEST AND THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE ENCOUNTERED ARE DISCUSSED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE FOR FUTURE PROCEDURES. APPENDIXES INCLUDE DETAILS ON PROCESSING LEGAL MEMORANDA AND CONGRESSIONAL MATERIALS, PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTS OF THE SYSTEM, PLANS FOR TESTING THE SYSTEM, DETAILED RESULTS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS TEST, DESCRIPTORS ADDED TO THE THESAURUS, AND DESCRIPTORS DELETED FROM THE THESAURUS. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS AD-659-681 FROM THE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR FEDERAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION, SPRINGFIELD, VIRGINIA 22151, $3.00 FOR HARD COPY, $0.65 FOR MICROFICHE, 124 PAGES. (AUTHOR/JB)