The head of the Federal Aviation Administration just outlined an ambitious goal to upgrade the U.S.’s air traffic control (ATC) system and bring it into the 21st century. According to NPR, most ATC towers and other facilities today feel like they’re stuck in the 20th century, with controllers using paper strips and floppy disks to transfer data, while their computers run Windows 95. While this likely saved them from the disastrous CrowdStrike outage that had a massive global impact, their age is a major risk to the nation’s critical infrastructure, with the FAA itself saying that the current state of its hardware is unsustainable.
“The whole idea is to replace the system. No more floppy disks or paper strips,” acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau told the House Appropriations Committee last Wednesday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also said earlier this week,” This is the most important infrastructure project that we’ve had in this country for decades. Everyone agrees — this is non-partisan. Everyone knows we have to do it.”
The aviation industry put up a coalition pushing for ATC modernization called Modern Skies, and it even ran an ad telling us that ATC is still using floppy disks and several older technologies to keep our skies safe.
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Unfortunately, upgrading the ATC system isn’t as simple as popping into your nearby Micro Center and buying the latest and greatest gaming PC. First and foremost, some systems can never be shut down because it is crucial for safety. Because of this, you can’t just switch off one site to swap out ancient components for newer ones. Aside from that, the upgrades to this critical infrastructure should be resistant to hacking and other vulnerabilities, as even a single breach could cripple the nation, costing time, money, and lives.
The FAA is pouring a lot of money into maintaining its old ATC systems, as they have to keep running 24/7. Nevertheless, age will eventually catch up no matter how much repair, upkeep, or overhaul you do. Currently, the White House hasn’t said what this update will cost. The FAA has already put out a Request For Information to gather data from companies willing to take on the challenge of upgrading the entire system. It also announced several ‘Industry Days’ so companies can pitch their tech and ideas to the Transportation Department.
Duffy said that the Transportation Department aims to complete the project within four years. However, industry experts say this timeline is unrealistic. No matter how long it takes, it’s high time that the FAA upgrades the U.S.’s ATC system today after decades of neglect.
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