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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/us-air-traffic-control-enters-the-21st-century-starts-to-abandon-floppy-disks/
- Published: 2026-11-06T18:06:26+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T21:03:50+00:00
- Original publisher: The Register
- Original article: https://www.theregister.com/public-sector/2026/11/06/us-air-traffic-control-enters-the-21st-century-starts-to-abandon-floppy-disks/5308210
- Topics: Americas, World

## Key points

- The FAA plans to replace four ageing systems at 435 sites by 2028.
- The new platform will consolidate operational information and alerts.
- Wider modernisation plans face a substantial funding shortfall.

## Summary

The US Federal Aviation Administration is beginning to replace four air traffic control systems dating from the 1980s, including equipment that still relies on floppy disks. The change matters because a new shared platform is intended to give controllers operational information and alerts in one place, and improve how flight reports and notices are handled.

The new Enterprise Information Display System is planned for 435 sites by the end of 2028, with five facilities, including airports in Atlantic City, Nashville and Rochester, first in line. The Government Accountability Office said in 2024 that 51 of the FAA’s 138 air traffic control systems were unsustainable. Although Congress allocated $12.5 billion for modernisation, the FAA says it needs more funding, including $10.2 billion for a second upgrade phase and $30 billion sought through the proposed Modern Skies Act.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.