US FAA to eliminate floppy disks from air traffic control by 2028

The US federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is finally moving to retire floppy disks from its air traffic control infrastructure, with plans to replace four decades-old information systems across 435 facilities by the end of 2028. The agency announced the rollout on November 5, introducing a centralized platform that will give controllers faster access to weather reports, flight alerts and other operational information. “We’re moving away from outdated, manual processes and replacing technology that once relied on floppy disks with a modern system that allows controllers to instantly share critical flight alerts, restricted airspace schedules and pilot reports,” FAA administrator Bryan Bedford said, adding the agency wants to make critical information available more quickly across its networks.

Notably, the new Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS) is designed to replace four legacy systems dating back to the 1980s. Rather than relying on separate information displays and manual processes, controllers will get a centralized view of operational updates, equipment problems, weather disruptions, and …