From Floppy Disks to Modern Digital Screens: A Major Overhaul of US Air Traffic Control
Retiring decades-old floppy disks and MS-DOS-based systems, US aviation is advancing toward a unified digital platform.
America's skies are among the busiest airspace in the world, managing more than 45,000 flights every day. Until now, the air traffic controllers of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who manage this highly sensitive system, depended on 1980s technology and 3.5-inch floppy disks. In November 2026, the US Department of Transportation announced that work is underway to replace these old floppy disk-based systems across more than 435 air traffic control centers in the country with the modern Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS).
This new digital transformation is not just a computer upgrade, but a vital technological turning point to enhance air travel safety. For years, the aging systems frequently failed, leading to flight delays and loss of regional communication. This new digital platform will display weather, airport conditions, and security alerts to air traffic controllers on a single screen in an instant, enabling controllers to make split-second decisions.
Historical Background: 1980s Technology and Its Limitations
The FAA, the agency regulating civil aviation in the United States, was established in August 1958 and became part of the Department of Transportation in 1967. Over time, air traffic has been recording an average annual growth rate of 2.4 percent. However, against this rapid growth, Air Traffic Control (ATC) equipment had become extremely outdated. According to a September 2024 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), out of a total of 138 FAA air traffic control systems, 51 systems (37 percent) were entirely unsustainable and 54 systems (39 percent) were potentially unsustainable.
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The legacy systems used by controllers included the Information Display System 4 (IDS-4). This system ran on the MS-DOS operating system and used 3.5-inch floppy disks to update data. Having been in continuous use since the early 1990s, finding spare parts for it had become difficult. Furthermore, controllers had to monitor four separate systems to view weather details, Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), and Pilot Reports (PIREP), which was a very difficult and time-consuming process.
Due to outdated technology, several serious incidents have occurred recently. During January, February, and March 2025, close calls involving aircraft nearly colliding occurred at airports such as Phoenix Sky Harbor and Chicago Midway. In April and May 2025, 1960s-era copper wires failed at the Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) center, severing communication with Newark Airport. This system failure forced the cancellation and delay of hundreds of flights.
How does E-IDS work?
The new E-IDS system being implemented by the FAA is an enterprise-level platform. In August 2020, Leidos was awarded the contract to design and develop this E-IDS system, which is part of the FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) project.
This system replaces four legacy systems: IDS-4, ACE-IDS, NIDS, and ERIDS. E-IDS functions as a digital information board that consolidates all operational data into a single place. Controllers can now access all information on a single screen instead of relying on separate computers or floppy disks.
| Old System Name | Details |
|---|---|
| IDS-4 | MS-DOS and floppy disk based |
| ACE-IDS | Controller Equipment Information Display System |
| NIDS | NAS Information Display System |
| ERIDS | En Route Information Display System |
| Old System Name | Operating Platform/Media | Main Use and Status |
|---|---|---|
| IDS-4 | MS-DOS and 3.5-inch floppy disk | Displaying weather and NOTAMs since the 1990s |
| ACE-IDS | Older display technology | For controller equipment information |
| NIDS | National Airspace System software | Displaying airspace status and alerts |
| ERIDS | En-route display platform | Operational information for en-route aircraft |
For example, when a pilot encounters severe weather in the air, they transmit a Pilot Report (PIREP). The E-IDS system instantly processes this report and Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) and shares them digitally across the entire National Airspace System, ensuring that all controllers and other pilots receive real-time updates.
- 1. Pilot ReportThe pilot experiences bad weather or conditions in the air and sends a pilot report (PIREP).
- 2. Instant ProcessingThe E-IDS system instantly processes this report and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).
- 3. Digital SharingInformation is shared in digital format across the National Airspace System.
- 4. Real-time UpdateAll controllers and other pilots receive real-time updates in a fraction of a second.
- 1. Data CollectionPilot reports (PIREPs), weather department data, and NOTAMs are received in digital format.
- 2. Centralized ProcessingThe E-IDS platform processes data from four legacy systems on a secure single digital board.
- 3. Instant DistributionAlerts regarding weather changes, airspace restrictions, and equipment failures appear instantly on the controller's screen.
- 4. National Airspace SharingThis entire information is shared within a fraction of a second among all controllers across the National Airspace System.
BNATCS and the Wiring Revolution
To accelerate infrastructure improvements, the US Transportation Secretary announced the 'Brand New Air Traffic Control System' (BNATCS) initiative in May 2025. Under this initiative, the US Congress approved $12.5 billion in funding in July 2025. Phase 1 of this program is targeted for completion by December 2028.
Under Phase 1 of BNATCS, outdated 1960s copper wires are being replaced with high-speed fiber optic cables. According to an FAA report, by May 2026, 2,560 out of a total of 5,170 legacy copper wires have been successfully replaced with fiber optic cables. Additionally, voice radio systems are planned to be modernized 9 years ahead of their original schedule.
In Phase 2 of the project, new automation platforms will be developed to track aircraft and optimize traffic, with an estimated cost of 10.2 billion dollars (excluding facilities). However, no specific date has yet been set for starting or completing Phase 2.
Project Statistics and Implementation Timeline
An accelerated plan has been formulated by the FAA for the implementation of the E-IDS. This system will be installed at 435 operational locations across the country. According to the November 2026 announcement, this system is being deployed first at five major locations: 1. Atlantic City International Airport 2. Nashville International Airport 3. Greater Rochester International Airport 4. Atlanta Data Processing Hub 5. Salt Lake City Data Processing Hub
According to the FAA, the installation of E-IDS across all 435 locations nationwide will be completed by the end of 2028. As stated by Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, this step will provide modern 21st-century capabilities to American air traffic control.
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Concerns and Challenges
Although this modernization is extremely necessary, the government oversight agency GAO drew attention to some serious shortcomings in its June 2026 report. According to the GAO, the FAA does not have a comprehensive and well-documented lifecycle cost estimate for this entire BNATCS project. The estimates provided by the FAA do not include government expenditures, Phase 1 operational costs, and Phase 2 costs.
Another major issue is the lack of an integrated master schedule. The FAA has 11,389 separate project schedules, but they are not linked or integrated with one another. As a result, multiple installations are scheduled simultaneously at the same location, which could adversely affect controllers' daily operations.
The GAO has recommended that the FAA immediately prepare an integrated master schedule and a precise lifecycle cost estimate to prevent project cost overruns and delays. If these risks are not mitigated, there remains a danger of delays and flaws arising in the air traffic control system despite such a massive investment.
