The Federal Aviation Administration still uses computers that require floppy disks and is replacing four legacy air traffic control systems dating to the 1980s with a digital platform called the Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS), the agency announced Thursday. The agency plans to install E-IDS at 435 sites by the end of 2028.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the move would bring in 21st-century tech. “Good news America: floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in,” Duffy said in the FAA announcement.
The new system is designed to consolidate data from various systems into a common digital platform, allowing air traffic controllers to access operational information and alerts needed to manage flights. The FAA said it will also improve how Pilot Reports and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) are collected and distributed.
The FAA has already lined up five facilities to receive E-IDS upgrades: airports in Atlantic City, Nashville, and Rochester, New York, along with data processing hubs in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The agency plans to install the system at 435 sites by the end of 2028.
The FAA has other outdated technology beyond the four systems E-IDS will replace. The Government Accountability Office reported in 2024 that 51 of the agency's 138 ATC systems were unsustainable due to a lack of parts and funding. A 2023 incident temporarily halted domestic flight departures across the country after someone accidentally deleted a file from the NOTAM system.
Trump's “Big Beautiful Bill” allocated $12.5 billion for the FAA's overhaul efforts. In December last year, the FAA said it needed an additional $20 billion to handle upgrade costs, and that appears still to be the case. An FAA spokesperson said Transportation Secretary Duffy and FAA Administrator Bedford are calling on Congress to pass the Modern Skies Act, which asks for $30 billion to get ATC modernization across the finish line. “It will modernize our air traffic control system, replace crumbling aviation infrastructure, and build world-class airports across the country,” the spokesperson said.
The GAO said in September that the FAA is still well short of its financial needs, with an additional $10.2 billion needed for the second phase of upgrades, which has yet to receive a completion date. The 2028 deadline echoes the ambitious three-year timetable Duffy laid out last year for overhauling the nation's air traffic control system. As with so many government ambitions, budgets often get in the way, and the wider modernization effort still seems more ambitious on paper than the FAA may be able to deliver.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The FAA's reliance on floppy disks underscores the age of critical aviation infrastructure and the risks of system failures.
- Modernization could reduce the chance of disruptions like the 2023 NOTAM outage that grounded flights nationwide.
- The funding gap means the timeline may slip, affecting airline operations and passenger confidence.
Background
The FAA oversees US civil aviation safety and operates one of the world's busiest air traffic control networks. Many of its systems date back to the 1980s and have become difficult to maintain. The 2023 NOTAM system failure highlighted the vulnerabilities of aging technology. The new E-IDS platform is intended to consolidate data from multiple legacy systems into a single digital interface.
Key Perspectives
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy: Announced that floppy disks are being replaced with modern technology.
FAA spokesperson: Said the Modern Skies Act would modernize the air traffic control system, replace crumbling infrastructure, and build world-class airports.
Government Accountability Office: Reported that the FAA is well short of its financial needs, with 51 of 138 ATC systems unsustainable and an additional $10.2 billion needed for the second upgrade phase.
What to Watch
- Whether Congress passes the Modern Skies Act to provide the requested $30 billion.
- Progress at the first five E-IDS installation sites and whether the 2028 deadline for 435 sites is feasible.
- The status of the second phase of upgrades, which has no completion date and a $10.2 billion shortfall.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- Partly supportedThe FAA is replacing floppy-disk-based air traffic control systems by 2028.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The Federal Aviation Administration still uses computers that require floppy disks. But those are finally on the way out within the next few years. ... getting rid of four systems dating back to the 1980s”
- SupportedDuffy said, “Good news America: floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in,” in the FAA announcement.www.theregister.com - Articles: ““Good news America: floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in the FAA’s announcement.”
- SupportedAn FAA spokesperson said, “It will modernize our air traffic control system, replace crumbling aviation infrastructure, and build world-class airports across the country.”www.theregister.com - Articles: “"It will modernize our air traffic control system, replace crumbling aviation infrastructure, and build world-class airports across the country," they said.”
- SupportedThe Modern Skies Act seeks $30 billion for ATC modernization.www.theregister.com - Articles: “That bill is asking for $30 billion to get ATC modernization across the finish line, the spokesperson added.”
- SupportedThe FAA still uses computers that require floppy disks.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The Federal Aviation Administration still uses computers that require floppy disks.”
- SupportedThe FAA is replacing four legacy systems dating to the 1980s with E-IDS.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The FAA ... is finally getting rid of four systems dating back to the 1980s ... The new system, known as Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS)”
- SupportedThe FAA plans to install E-IDS at 435 sites by the end of 2028.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The agency plans to install the system at 435 sites by the end of 2028.”
- SupportedA 2023 incident temporarily halted domestic flight departures nationwide after someone accidentally deleted a NOTAM-system file.www.theregister.com - Articles: “one in 2023 that temporarily halted domestic flight departures nationwide after someone accidentally deleted a file from the NOTAM system.”
- SupportedThe GAO reported in 2024 that 51 of the FAA’s 138 ATC systems were unsustainable due to a lack of parts and funding.www.theregister.com - Articles: “the Government Accountability Office saying in 2024 that 51 of the agency’s 138 ATC systems were unsustainable due to lack of parts and funding”
- SupportedThe Big Beautiful Bill allocated $12.5 billion for the FAA’s overhaul efforts.www.theregister.com - Articles: “Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill allocated $12.5 billion for the FAA’s overhaul efforts”
- SupportedIn December last year, the FAA said it needed an additional $20 billion for upgrade costs.www.theregister.com - Articles: “In December of last year, the FAA said that it needed an additional $20 billion to handle upgrade costs”
- SupportedThe GAO said in September that another $10.2 billion was needed for the second phase of upgrades.www.theregister.com - Articles: “The GAO said in September that the FAA was still well short of its financial needs, with an additional $10.2 billion needed for the second phase of upgrades”