The FAA is finally ditching floppy disks
The FAA is replacing its legacy air traffic control systems, which still rely on 3.5-inch floppy disks, with a modern digital dashboard called the Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS). The rollout is expected to be completed across 435 facilities by the end of 2028 to address infrastructure obsolescence.
Why it matters
Modernizing critical infrastructure is essential for aviation safety and efficiency, highlighting the risks of relying on outdated legacy technology in government systems.
It’s the year 2026 and the Federal Aviation Administration is still running critical pieces of American airspace on 3.5-inch magnetic floppy disks.
But those technology artifacts could be headed for the dustbin after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced an effort to ditch floppy disks in favor of a new digital system.
Duffy announced Thursday that the FAA is rolling out the Enterprise – Information Display System (E-IDS) to replace four legacy setups across more than 400 air traffic control facilities. E-IDS aggregates real-time weather alerts, equipment outages, restricted airspace changes, and pilot reports onto a modern digital dashboard, replacing manual workflows and archaic physical storage media.
Upgrades have already kicked off at five sites — including control hubs in Atlantic City, Nashville, Rochester, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City — with a targeted rollout across 435 facilities by the end of 2028.
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