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‘Floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in’: The FAA is finally ditching 55-year-old storage
The US Federal Aviation Administration is replacing the floppy-disk-based storage used in parts of its air traffic control system with a modern information display system. The change is intended to help controllers access and share critical flight information more quickly, supporting timely decisions and aviation safety.
The new Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS) will improve how the FAA collects and shares pilot weather reports and Notices to Airmen, which include alerts and restricted-airspace schedules. The system it replaces, IDS-4, reportedly uses floppy-drive-equipped computers running MS-DOS. The FAA plans to install E-IDS at 435 sites by the end of 2028, with Atlantic City and Nashville among the first locations.
In short
- The FAA is replacing floppy-disk storage in its air traffic control system.
- E-IDS will help controllers share critical flight alerts and reports.
- The rollout is planned for 435 sites by the end of 2028.
Explained simply
The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, oversees civil aviation in the United States, including the air traffic system. Air traffic controllers use information from pilots about weather, alongside Notices to Airmen, which alert crews to hazards, restrictions and other changes relevant to flights.
That information helps controllers and pilots make decisions as flights move through busy airspace. The system being replaced is called IDS-4; the new system, E-IDS, is designed to collect and share the same kinds of information using more recent technology.