It’s likely you haven’t handled a floppy disk in over 20 years. Somehow, the Federal Aviation Administration didn’t get the memo.

That’s about to change. On November 5, the FAA announced plans to phase out floppy disks for distributing weather information by 2028.

According to Reuters, the disks are still used at more than 400 facilities throughout the country. While the announcement naturally drew plenty of jokes about technology from another era, a much more serious issue lies beneath the headline.

There’s no doubt that the United States has one of the busiest and most complex aviation networks in the world. Yet portions of its infrastructure still rely on decades-old technology. Although floppy disks need to be replaced, the FAA has a much bigger modernization task ahead.

The FAA’s Replacement Plan: Meet E-IDS

E-IDS, or Enterprise Information Display System, is the centerpiece of the transition. As opposed to simply replacing floppy disks with another storage format, the FAA is introducing a centralized digital display system.

According to Aero-News Network, E-IDS consolidates several types of information into a single interface, including:

• Equipment outages and operational disruptions.
• Air traffic conditions and operational updates.
• Weather information and potential impacts.
• Advisories and other critical notices.

By the end of 2028, the FAA plans to install the system at 435 locations across the country. These locations include airports and major data processing centers, including Greater Rochester International Airport and Atlanta and Salt Lake City processing hubs.

The agency also intends for E-IDS to replace four legacy platforms, some dating back to the 1980s, according to Engadget.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy celebrated the announcement with a straightforward message, quoted by Aero-News: “Good news America: floppy disks are out, 21st century tech is in.”

It’s a welcome upgrade. However, E-IDS has more value than just removing obsolete storage media. It improves the flow of information through air traffic control as well.

More Than Just Replacing Old Storage Media

One of the most important aspects of the upgrade is how the FAA handles Pilot Reports (PIREPs) and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).

Pilots submit PIREPs to report actual flying conditions. As well as providing valuable weather information about turbulence, icing, and visibility, they can also provide information about other possible risks to aircraft.

The NOTAMs inform pilots of potential hazards, airport conditions, runway closures, equipment outages, and other changes that they should be aware of before flying. This information must be delivered quickly to the right people. In addition, delays or gaps in communication can adversely affect flight planning, operational decisions, and safety.

According to AvWeb, the FAA has identified timely NOTAM distribution and PIREP capabilities as significant air traffic safety priorities.

The purpose of E-IDS is to improve how these updates are collected, displayed, and distributed. Rather than simply replacing an aging piece of hardware, this would be a more meaningful improvement.

Why the Upgrade Matters Now

Especially important is the timing of the announcement.

According to Reuters, an FAA memo sent to airports on October 23 warned about fiber-optic cable cuts causing air traffic control outages. Delays, cancellations, and diversions can result from these disruptions.

Additionally, the report highlights several challenges the agency faces:

• A shortage of several thousand air traffic controllers.
• Aging infrastructure and outdated computer systems.
• Facilities operating on disconnected systems that cannot communicate with one another.
• Increasing pressure on an already complicated national airspace network.

In other words, floppy disks are only one visible symptom of a much larger technology problem.

It’s important to make this distinction. Even though E-IDS can improve how operational information is presented to controllers, it won’t automatically repair damaged fiber-optic connections, solve staffing shortages, or eliminate communication problems.

Those issues require separate investments and solutions.

Nevertheless, replacing outdated systems is an important part of improving network reliability. With the help of modern technology, it’s possible to reduce operational friction, improve access to information, and identify problems before they turn into bigger problems.

A Multibillion-Dollar Modernization Effort

It may seem like it would be relatively inexpensive to replace floppy disks. Unfortunately, the FAA’s modernization challenges are considerably more expensive.

According to Reuters reporting republished by Devdiscourse, Congress approved $12.5 billion last year to modernize the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure. Duffy has also requested another $30 billion to support additional improvements. Those investments illustrate how deeply outdated technology is embedded in the system.

And E-IDS isn’t exactly a brand-new initiative. The original contract for the system was awarded to defense contractor Leidos in August 2020, during President Trump’s first administration, according to NewsBytes.

In other words, the modernization effort was years in the making before it was turned into a headline-grabbing project.

The problem extends beyond floppy disks, too. A NewsNation report summarized by Ground News noted that Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told the House Appropriations Committee that more than a third of the agency’s systems are unsustainable.

Some still use outdated technology, such as Windows 95 computers. In certain facilities, controllers also use paper flight progress strips.

These aren’t isolated examples of an organization holding onto familiar technology. These systems show how challenging it can be to replace long-standing interconnected systems.

The FAA Isn’t the Only Organization Stuck in the Past

It is not just the United States that struggles to retire outdated technology.

As Engadget points out, the U.S. Air Force continued using 8-inch floppy disks associated with nuclear missile operations until 2019. In 2024, Japan announced that all but one system still using floppy disks had been phased out.

Why do organizations continue relying on technology consumers abandoned years ago? The answer isn’t necessarily poor IT management or a lack of interest in innovation.

Because legacy systems work, they often remain in place. They’re familiar, incorporated into established processes, and sometimes difficult to replace without introducing new risks. As such, it can be a challenge to find compatible replacement parts for decades-old equipment, but reconstructing an entire system isn’t easy either.

Organizations responsible for critical infrastructure are more concerned with reliability than new technology. That’s understandable. However, maintaining outdated technology can become a liability rather than a cost-saving measure.

What Happens Between Now and 2028?

In order to replace its floppy disk infrastructure, the FAA has set a deadline and identified the system to be used. Now comes the hard part: deploying it without disrupting essential operations across hundreds of locations.

There are several things worth watching.

Deployment progress.

E-IDS installation at 435 locations is a large undertaking. By tracking the pace of initial installations, the agency should be able to better gauge whether it will be able to meet its 2028 deadline.

Operational reliability.

Before facilities can abandon their existing processes, the new system must work consistently. Just because new equipment has been installed does not make a project a success.

Network infrastructure.

In its October memo, the FAA highlighted fiber-optic outages that demonstrate the necessity of upgrading individual systems. In addition to those systems, the infrastructure that connects them needs to be addressed.

Funding.

Whether the broader modernization effort moves forward could be strongly influenced by the additional $30 billion requested by Duffy.

The Bigger Lesson: Technology Debt Eventually Comes Due

An agency responsible for coordinating modern commercial aviation still uses floppy disks seems almost comical. Even so, the situation offers a valuable lesson for all organizations.

It’s not enough for an old system to continue functioning to eliminate technology debt.

Many businesses delay replacing legacy software, outdated hardware, and aging infrastructure because they are satisfied with the existing setup. In the long run, these decisions can result in more expensive and complicated upgrades.

Over time, maintenance costs increase, replacement parts become harder to find, compatibility issues arise, and the consequences of system failure increase.

Despite the FAA’s floppy disk retirement, organizations should not put off modernizing until technology becomes obsolete. Until the end of 2028, the agency must transition to E-IDS. While that’s a significant achievement, it won’t solve all of the nation’s air traffic control problems.

It’s long past time to discard floppy disks. However, the real challenge is improving the overall system’s reliability.