The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to phase out the use of floppy disks in air traffic management facilities by the end of 2028. Currently, more than 400 facilities across the United States still rely on floppy disks to process weather data and other critical information, with some infrastructure continuing to use technology from the 1980s.
The newly deployed Enterprise Information Display System will replace four legacy platforms, integrating critical operational data such as flight alerts, airspace closures, and pilot reports into a single environment, reducing the need for controllers to switch between disconnected data sources. Administrator Brian Bedford noted that many facilities currently operate like isolated "silos."
Some facilities still operate Compaq computers that are decades old, with replacement parts once needing to be sourced from eBay. Recent reliability incidents have drawn greater attention to modernization efforts: in September, equipment failures at Philadelphia's control facility and accidental fiber optic damage in New Jersey caused widespread flight delays and cancellations; on October 13, data services at Houston Airport were briefly disrupted due to damaged fiber optics.
The U.S. Congress approved $12.5 billion in modernization funding in 2025, while the Secretary of Transportation has separately requested an additional $30 billion. Paper flight progress strips are also being replaced by electronic systems; 27 major airports have already completed the transition, and the broader project covering 49 airports is not expected to conclude before 2028.