💾 US Air Traffic Control still runs on Windows 95 & Floppy Disks
The Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] has confirmed that the US air traffic control system still runs on somewhat antiquated bits of technology, including floppy disks and paper strips.
#faa #us #airtrafficcontrol #paperstrips #floppydisk #windows95 #retrocomputing #engineer #media #retro #tech #news
![This came during last week's Budget Hearing for the US House Appropriation Committee, in which the current FAA boss [Chris Rocheleau], explained to the committee that a new system would mean "no more floppy disks or paper strips."
<https://www.youtube.com/live/AaoOaz44qZg>
The FAA's difficulties aren't new. A report [PDF] released in March described the majority of the systems in use at the agency as either "unsustainable" or "potentially unsustainable". It looked at 138 systems used by air traffic control and found that only 33 had no issues. Of the 105 problematic systems, 40 had been deployed more than 30 years ago, and six were deployed over 60 years ago.
<https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-25-108162.pdf>
According to the report, "challenges include no longer meeting mission needs, difficulty finding spare parts for the systems, and limited technical staff with expertise in repairing the aging system." And, of course, the challenge of paying for it all as well as running both old and new systems in parallel during the switch-over.
For context, the FAA is not alone in using archaic technology. Navigation data aboard Boeing 747-436 airliners was updated via 3.5" floppy disks and a vacancy for a Windows 3.11 boffin at Deutsche Bahn appeared on a German job site in 2024. Indeed, it took until the same year for the Japanese government to rid itself of floppy disks.](https://files.mastodon.social/cache/media_attachments/files/114/710/045/599/767/086/original/7a56a3ddc4459233.jpeg)
Die US Flugsicherung ersetzt Windows 95 und Floppy Disks.
Modernisierung der Flugsicherung ✈️ Die #US-#Flugsicherungsbehörde #FAA ersetzt endlich #FloppyDisks und #Windows95 durch moderne Technik.
#Sicherheitsrisiko Alt-Systeme ⚠️ Über ein Drittel der alten Systeme gilt als nicht mehr tragbar, viele zeigen bereits Ausfälle.
Riesige Herausforderung 🏗️ Die Erneuerung ist teuer, technisch anspruchsvoll und sicherheitskritisch, soll aber in vier Jahren abgeschlossen sein. (1/2)
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https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/faa-air-traffic-overtime-costs-soar-hiring-lags-report-says-2025-06-18/
More: https://hype.aero/coverage/air-traffic-control/?story=e1769cd7-50a3-4e9d-8c8a-f636236a4e52
#faa #aviation
US air traffic control still runs on Windows 95 and floppy disks
Most air traffic control towers currently use paper strips to track aircraft movements and transfer data between systems using floppy disks, while their computers run Microsoft's Windows 95 operating system
#airtraffic #FAA #airline #aiport #travel #windows95 #technology #tech
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More: https://hype.aero/aviation/?story=9c92ba5e-2b82-4b6f-941c-e13ff0fa8747
#faa #helicopter #aviation
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https://www.flightglobal.com/aerospace/usa-and-four-nations-roll-out-air-taxi-certification-roadmap/163439.article
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#faa #aviation
Trump’s FAA Nominee Lied About Having a ‘Commercial’ Pilot License
Oh! What fresh hell is this!?
@politico.com just exposed Trump with an EXPLOSIVE Sunday report that should strike fear in the heart of every #American!
The candidate for the head of the #FAA doesn't have a commercial pilot's license?
...super.
youtu.be/qkpAF11Z38o?...
POLITICO Drops Alarming SUNDAY...
Oh, the tragedy! A would-be #FAA bigwig ✈️ touting a pilot license as real as a unicorn's horn 🦄. But hold up, folks—turn on #JavaScript and grab some cookies 🍪; this plot twist needs fuel for its absurdity!
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/15/trumps-faa-pick-has-claimed-commercial-pilot-license-he-doesnt-have-00406090 #Tragedy #UnicornPilot #CookieAbsurdity #PilotLicense #HackerNews #ngated
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#HackerNews #FAA #Pilot #License #Controversy #CommercialPilot #LicenseClaim #Politics #Accountability
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More: https://hype.aero/aviation/?story=7528bf15-233a-4fef-aed4-ff5d7a54e45d
#faa #aviation
Companies may soon pay a fee for their rockets to share the skies with airplanes https://arstechni.ca/9QXF #federalbudget #tedcruz #Space #FAA
#FAA is replacing air traffic control systems, including #floppydisks and #Windows95: estimated to cost tens of billions and take four years, aims to improve safety and security. https://www.techspot.com/news/108229-faa-finally-replacing-floppy-disks-windows-95-air.html?eicker.news #tech #media #news
Definitely boosts my confidence when taking a flight in the US!
#Aviation #FAA #AirTravel #LegacyHardware
US air traffic control still r...
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#faa #embraer #aviation
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#faa #b787 #dreamliner #boeing #aviation
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🔗 https://techguru.fr/2025/06/13/panique-dans-le-ciel-du-new-jersey-dimmenses-drones-survolent-la-zone-la-chine-et-la-russie-dans-le-viseur-du-fbi/
#Drones #FAA #Environnement #DroneNocturne #HomelandSecurity #NJAirspace
Boeing or American deregulation, union-busting and capitalism at its "best".
"Whistleblowers always warned that passengers would pay a price for Boeing’s tyrannical corner-cutting, especially with the planes shipped overseas."
#usa #boeing #uspol #republicans #maga #regulation #FAA #airplanes #safety #travel #capitalism #economy #gop #union #workers #labor #job
