FAA to phase out floppy disks from air traffic control by 2028
The gist
The FAA will replace floppy disks at over 400 air traffic facilities with a new system by 2028.
The switch targets decades-old gear behind daily flights carrying over 3 million passengers.
How it unfolded
- 2025Congress approved $12.5 billion to fix the nation's aging air traffic control system.
- Nov 5, 2026The FAA announced it will replace floppy disks used for weather and other critical information at air traffic control facilities by the end of 2028.
- Nov 5, 2026Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the FAA is swapping floppy disks for E-IDS, which replaces four systems dating back to the 1980s in more than 400 FAA facilities.
Key terms
- FAA
- U.S. Department of Transportation agency that regulates civil aviation, air traffic control and aircraft certification.
- air traffic control
- A ground-based service that directs aircraft to prevent collisions and keep air traffic flowing safely and efficiently.
- Congress
- The two houses of the U.S. legislature: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Source: Wikipedia