US air traffic control enters the 21st century, starts to abandon floppy disks

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States is finally phasing out its outdated computer systems that have relied on floppy disks for decades. The agency announced on Thursday that four legacy systems, dating back to the 1980s, are being replaced by a new Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS) by 2028. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hailed the move as a step towards a 21st-century air traffic control system.

E-IDS will consolidate data from various sources into a digital platform, allowing controllers to access crucial information to manage flights more efficiently. The system is expected to improve the collection and distribution of Pilot Reports and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs). The FAA currently has five facilities lined up for E-IDS upgrades, with plans to install the system at 435 sites by the end of 2028.

However, the agency has acknowledged that it is still $10.2 billion short of the financial resources needed for the second phase of upgrades, with an additional $20 billion budget request still pending. Despite the challenges, the FAA is pushing for the passage of the Modern Skies Act, which would allocate $30 billion for air traffic control modernization efforts, including infrastructure upgrades and the construction of new state-of-the-art airports.