FAA to Replace Floppy Disks With New Display System by 2028

Washington — The Federal Aviation Administration said it will retire floppy disks from the tools air traffic controllers use for weather and flight-hazard alerts, installing a new system at 435 facilities by the end of 2028, according to the agency, as reported by Ars Technica.

The replacement, called the Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS), will take over from information display tools that date to the 1980s, the FAA said. The agency described the rollout as part of its "historic modernization of America's air traffic control system," replacing "outdated floppy disks that contain vital weather and other critical information with a streamlined, 21st-century system."

What exactly is the FAA replacing?

E-IDS is designed to be installed at "operational control positions at more than 400 facilities across all air traffic control domains," the FAA said, and will "provide operationally essential information for controlling aircraft." The agency said the older display tools have "technical end-of-life issues" that the new system is meant to resolve.

Why were controllers still using floppy disks?

Former Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told the House Appropriations Committee last year that the agency was moving toward eliminating manual and legacy processes, telling lawmakers, "No more floppy disks or paper strips." A video posted by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about the upgrade cited a newscaster's description of the agency's prior technology, saying "the FAA systems are essentially running on Windows 95."

What problems is the new system meant to fix?

The FAA said E-IDS targets two of its top safety priorities: distributing Pilot Reports (PIREP), which flag weather and other hazards encountered in flight, and distributing Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), which cover abnormal airspace statuses and restrictions. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the system "gives air traffic controllers the information they need to make timely decisions and keep the flying public safe." Bedford added that the agency is "moving away from outdated, manual processes and replacing technology that once relied on floppy disks with a modern system that allows controllers to instantly share critical flight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 across the National Airspace System."

When and where does the rollout begin?

The FAA said installation will take roughly a year at each facility, with the first sites set to receive E-IDS being Atlantic City International Airport, Nashville International Airport, Greater Rochester International Airport, and data-processing hubs in Atlanta and Salt Lake City. The agency said it expects all 435 sites to be converted by the end of 2028.

Who is promoting the change?

Duffy framed the shift in a social media post accompanying the video, writing, "Good news America: floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in." The project has been in development for more than six years, according to the FAA's account relayed by Ars Technica, and Trump administration officials have credited the president for accelerating the modernization timeline.

The FAA did not immediately release a detailed cost breakdown for the E-IDS rollout in the materials cited by Ars Technica, nor a facility-by-facility schedule beyond the initial five sites named.

Artiglio is A coming-soon iPhone chief of staff for briefings and drafts. Not on the App Store yet.