The Federal Aviation Administration has started replacing the floppy disks that US air traffic control still uses for some critical data. The agency calls it a historic upgrade, and it has begun rolling out a new system called the Enterprise Information Display System, or E-IDS, according to the FAA’s announcement, Engadget and AvWeb. Ars Technica also covered it under a headline that the FAA will finally ditch floppy disks.
What is being replaced. E-IDS merges information that had been split across four systems dating to the 1980s, including weather, pilot reports and equipment outages, according to the reports. The FAA plans to remove floppy disk use for critical weather and operational data at more than 400 air traffic control sites by the end of 2028.
Where it is installed. Five locations have the system so far, according to search summaries of the coverage: Atlantic City International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Greater Rochester International Airport, and data processing hubs in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The rollout began about two days before the reports, in the first week of November.
Why the old equipment was a concern. Reuters reported that the agency relies on decades-old Compaq computers and buys replacement parts on eBay, according to the coverage. A 2023 FAA assessment found that more than a third of the nation’s air traffic control systems were unsustainable and that some were starting to fail.
The money. In 2023, Congress approved $12.5 billion to update aging FAA technology, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has asked for an additional $30 billion for further improvements, according to the reports. Estimates for the first round of systems work are around $10.6 billion, and the cost keeps rising.
What officials said. Duffy called the move a replacement of floppy disks with a streamlined, 21st-century system. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the change lets controllers share alerts and pilot reports instantly, according to the coverage. These are official statements and not independent assessments of the project.
Why it matters. Air traffic control is the system that keeps flights apart, and outdated equipment is a risk if parts run out or systems fail. The floppy disks are a symbol, but the real work is in connecting information that was stored in separate systems. For travelers in the US and UK, the practical effect should be steadier operations over time, but the timeline runs through 2028 and costs are still rising.
What to watch. Look for how many more sites get E-IDS, the total cost, Congress’s decision on further funding, and any reports of problems during the changeover.
Sources: FAA, Engadget and AvWeb, with the Ars Technica headline noted. Site lists and figures come partly from search summaries and may change.
Floppy disks (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
