The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving forward with long-overdue plans to modernize its air traffic control (ATC) systems, which still rely on technology from the 1990s, including Windows 95 and floppy disks. Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau testified before Congress, emphasizing the importance of replacing these obsolete systems and declaring that the use of paper strips and floppy disks should come to an end.

The Department of Transportation has initiated the process by requesting proposals from the private sector, aiming to complete the modernization within four years.

While the current ATC infrastructure has managed to avoid major collapses, experts warn that it’s increasingly vulnerable due to aging hardware, software limitations, and an absence of replacement parts.

The initiative, framed as a critical national infrastructure effort, is receiving bipartisan support, but skepticism remains over whether the government can execute such a complex overhaul within the proposed timeframe, especially given past delays and budgetary issues.

Why It Matters: Modern air traffic systems are crucial for transportation efficiency as well as national safety. Dependence on outdated and unsupported technology increases the risk of failures, delays, and potential cyberattacks, making this overhaul essential for long-term operational resilience.

• Outdated Systems Still Control U.S. Skies: Despite tech advancements in other sectors, many FAA facilities continue to run key systems on 30-year-old Windows 95 computers, transfer data using floppy disks, and rely on manual paper strips to manage air traffic. These legacy tools, while surprisingly resilient, are inefficient, lack support, and are no longer sustainable given modern aviation demands.

• FAA Launches Major Modernization Effort: In response to growing concerns, the FAA has issued a Request for Information to solicit ideas from industry experts on replacing its outdated systems. The plan includes eliminating floppy disks and introducing modern digital tracking and communications tools. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the project as the most important infrastructure upgrade in decades, citing its broad bipartisan backing and nationwide importance.

• Engineering Around 24/7 Operations: One of the greatest challenges in overhauling the ATC system is the need for uninterrupted operation. Air traffic systems must function continuously, and any downtime could compromise safety. This means the transition must be engineered to occur in parallel with current operations, a task that adds significant complexity and requires meticulous planning, testing, and phased implementation.

• Persistent Skepticism and Historical Inertia: Industry analysts remain wary of the FAA’s timeline, noting that promises of modernization have been made repeatedly over the past 30 years, often with little to show. Experts argue that without a clear budget and detailed execution plan, the four-year goal may be overly ambitious and risk becoming yet another unfulfilled initiative.

• Broader Pattern of Technological Lag: The FAA isn’t alone in its reliance on obsolete tech, other critical infrastructure, like San Francisco’s train control systems and various Japanese government databases, still use floppy disks and other legacy software. These cases highlight a global issue where essential public systems lag behind technological norms due to budget constraints and risk-averse upgrade strategies.

Go Deeper -> US air traffic control still runs on Windows 95 and floppy disks – Ars Technica