Air Traffic Control in the United States is still running on Windows 95 and floppy disks
Wednesday, performance FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau told the House Appropriations Committee that the Federal Aviation Administration plans to replace its aging air traffic control system, which still relies on floppy disks and Windows 95 computers, Tom’s hardware report. The agency has issued a request for information to collect advice from companies willing to address large-scale infrastructure overhauls.
“The whole idea is to replace the system. There are no more floppy disks or notes,” Rochello said at a committee hearing. Sean Duffy, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, called the project “our most important infrastructure project in decades,” describing it as a bipartisan priority.
Currently, most of the U.S. air traffic control towers and U.S. are currently operating in the 20th century frozen technology, although that is not necessarily a bad thing when it was available. Currently, some controllers use paper tape to track aircraft movements and use floppy disks to transfer data between systems, while their computers run Microsoft’s Windows 95 operating system, which was launched in 1995.
As Tom’s hardware points out, modernization of systems is widespread. Sheldon Jacobson, a professor at the University of Illinois, who looked at the risks of aviation, said the system works very well, but upgrading is still crucial. The modern sky of the aviation industry has been driving ATC modernization and recently released an ad highlighting outdated technology.
While retro systems may have unintentionally protected air traffic controls from widespread power outages that undermine the global modern computer systems worldwide in 2024, agency officials said 51 of the FAA’s 138 systems were unavailable due to outdated functions.
FAA is not alone in clinging to floppy technology. San Francisco’s train control system is still running on the DOS with a 5.25-inch floppy disk, and will not be upgraded until 2030 due to budget constraints. In recent years, Japan has also worked hard to modernize government records systems using floppy disks.
If it is not bankrupt?
Modern air traffic control systems present engineering challenges that go far beyond simply installing newer computers. Unlike typical IT upgrades, the ATC system must maintain continuous 24/7 operation, as shutting down maintenance facilities may impair aviation safety.
This uptime requirement eliminates the possibility of traditional system replacement methods, replacing old hardware with within a predetermined downtime. The replacement system must also meet security requirements for resisting cyberattacks. Successful violation of air traffic control infrastructure could cripple national aviation networks, creating a cascading effect that affects transportation, commerce and emergency services.
However, not everyone believes that the planned massive overhaul will achieve the desired results. In an NPR report on the issue, aviation industry analyst Robert W. Mann Jr. expressed doubts about whether the new system will actually be implemented.
“For the last 30 years, that’s been the same mantra. Give them more money. They’ll build new systems. It will work better and work harder,” Mann told NPR. “And we’ve been doing this for over 30 years and we’ve got the same results.”
