US air traffic control systems will finally start dropping floppy disks — but it'll take until 2028 to finish
The FAA plans to finally eliminate floppy disks by 2028, replacing outdated information systems across more than 400 American air traffic facilities.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States plans to retire floppy disks from over 400 air traffic control facilities by the end of 2028, as part of a broader modernization program. This transition is necessary due to the technology's age and the numerous technical failures it has caused. The FAA has received $12.5 billion from Congress to fund this modernization effort, which includes replacing outdated systems with the Enterprise Information Display System.
This new system will consolidate four separate platforms introduced in the 1980s, providing controllers with essential operational information through a single interface. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford emphasized the agency's goal of eliminating manual procedures and improving the flow of critical flight alerts, restricted airspace schedules, and pilot reports.
Despite floppy disks becoming obsolete over 25 years ago, they have persisted in aviation facilities due to their continued production until 2010. Additional funding of $30 billion, proposed by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, would further support the FAA's modernization efforts. The transition to the new system is just one aspect of the FAA's modernization challenge, as communication failures and aging infrastructure continue to pose risks to air traffic management.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
