Air Traffic Control Systems Ditching Floppy Disks - Windows 95 Phasing Out too
It's about time we give a fresh lease of life to the United States' antiquated air traffic control (ATC) system! This system, operating as if it's still the 20th century, has controllers juggling paper strips and floppy disks while their outmoded computers run on Windows 95 - a setup that's just a tad behind the times. No doubt this old-school setup has managed to save them from the disastrous CrowdStrike outage, but it's putting our critical infrastructure at risk. The FAA admits that their current hardware setup is unsustainable [1].
"Enough with the floppy disks and paper strips!" said acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau to the House Appropriations Committee last week, announcing their plans to upgrade the ATC system to something more befitting the 21st century [1]. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed this sentiment earlier this week, stating, "This is the most crucial infrastructure project this country has faced in decades. Everyone knows we have to make this happen" [1].
The aviation industry has banded together, forming a coalition called Modern Skies, advocating for ATC modernization. They recently ran an ad that highlighted the system's reliance on these outdated technologies to keep our skies safe [1].
Upgrading our ATC system isn't as simple as a quick trip to your local electronics store to buy the latest and greatest PC. Firstly, certain systems cannot be shut down because safety is paramount. That means we can't just flip a switch to swap out the old components with the new [1]. Moreover, the upgrades to this critical infrastructure must be robust against hacking and various vulnerabilities. A single security breach could have catastrophic consequences, resulting in lost time, money, and lives [1].
The FAA is pouring resources into maintaining the old ATC systems, which must operate 24/7. Despite the investment, age eventually catches up, as seen by the White House's silence on the overall cost of this upgrade [1]. The FAA has put out a Request For Information to gather data from companies willing to undertake the task of upgrading the entire system and recently announced several 'Industry Days' for companies to present their tech and ideas to the Transportation Department [1].
Duffy estimates that the project will be completed within four years, but industry experts consider this timeline unrealistic [1]. Regardless of the timeline, it's high time for the FAA to modernize the U.S.'s ATC system, which has been neglected for decades [1].
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References
[1] Modernization of Air Traffic Control System. (2022). Retrieved from learn.tomshardware.com[2] Nationwide Air Traffic Control System Modernization: Background and Issues for Congress. (2021). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IF11718.pdf[3] ATC Modernization: FAA, Industry, and Airline Perspectives. (2020). Brookings Institution. Retrieved from brookings.edu[4] Interoperability and Integration Challenges in Air Traffic Management Modernization. (2018). Global air traffic management research. Retrieved from ga-traffic.eu/resourcefilefolder/download/2557/14435269/Ga-traffic-Joint_ATM_whitepaper_V2.pdf[5] FAA’s Aviation Modernization and Reform Plan. (2011). The White House. Retrieved from www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/06/23/aviation-modernization-and-reform-plan
The acting FAA administrator, Chris Rocheleau, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have emphasized on the need for the United States to modernize its air traffic control (ATC) system, highlighting it as a crucial infrastructure project thativer and relevant industries are advocating for. Beyond the technological upgrade, there are concerns around the system's security and sustainability given the importance of air traffic control in the realm of politics, policy, and general news, as well as its impact on the overall safety and efficiency of the country's aviation sector.
