WASHINGTON–The Federal Aviation Administration is replacing outdated technology that relies on floppy disks with a modern system designed to give air traffic controllers faster access to critical information.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the upgrades, which will replace four systems dating back to the 1980s at more than 400 FAA facilities.
The new Enterprise Information Display System, or E-IDS, will provide a single platform for controllers to access weather updates, flight alerts, restricted airspace schedules and pilot reports.
The first five facilities receiving the upgrades include Nashville International Airport, Atlantic City International Airport, Greater Rochester International Airport and data processing hubs in Atlanta and Salt Lake City.
The FAA plans to install the system at 435 sites by the end of 2028.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the system will help controllers make timely decisions and improve safety by allowing them to share critical information more quickly.
The technology also is expected to reduce maintenance costs and reliance on outdated manual processes.
E-IDS will improve how the FAA collects and distributes pilot reports, which provide firsthand accounts of weather conditions, and Notices to Airmen, which communicate important flight information.
More information about the modernization effort is available through the FAA’s Modern Skies website.
