The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) relies on a lot of old technology to keep its air traffic control systems up and running. And while they currently function well more often than not, some recent snafus have highlighted the importance of updating this aging technology before more serious outages occur.
According to agency officials, 51 of the 138 FAA systems are unsustainable. This is because they use outdated functionality and many spare parts are no longer made. Some controllers track aircraft movements on paper strips, and many of their computers still use Microsoft’s Windows 95 operating system, which was released 30 years ago.
That’s why the FAA recently released a request for information for proposals to upgrade this tech. “The whole idea is to replace the system. No more floppy disks or paper strips,” Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said during a hearing of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. It’s a massive undertaking, and many have questioned whether the Transportation Department’s four-year timeline is long enough. But it’s a very important project that’s long overdue. “Everyone agrees — this is nonpartisan. Everyone knows we have to do it,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
