FAA Plans to Replace Floppy Disks Across 400-Plus Facilities by 2028

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to replace outdated information systems, including those that still rely on floppy disks, at more than 400 facilities by the end of 2028. The agency says aging infrastructure and repeated technical failures have raised concerns about the reliability of its air traffic network.

According to Reuters, the FAA plans to introduce the Enterprise Information Display System, which will consolidate four platforms introduced in the 1980s. The system is intended to give air traffic controllers one interface for weather information, flight alerts and other operational updates.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agency aims to replace manual processes and make it easier for personnel to share flight alerts, restricted airspace schedules and pilot reports. Congress approved $12.5 billion in 2025 for air traffic technology improvements, while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has called for another $30 billion.

The modernization effort also includes replacing paper flight strips, which controllers use to track aircraft movements. That transition began in 2022. The FAA says 27 of the 49 major airports have already stopped using paper records, with completion scheduled for 2028.

Other reported problems include communication outages. A severed cable outside Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on October 13 disrupted information exchanges between FAA facilities and temporarily halted departures. The agency also continues to rely on aging Compaq computers in some operations.