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End of Floppy Disks in US Aviation by 2028

Policy2 min read

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has started a new computer system to replace old systems that still use floppy disks. The change is planned to finish by the end of 2028.

What happened

The FAA, the US agency that runs civil aviation, has begun using a new system to replace its old computer systems. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says the legacy systems, some more than 40 years old, will now be phased out. The disks in the pictures are not the common 3.5-inch or 5.25-inch types. They are about 8-inch disks, which are almost as wide as an A4 sheet of paper.

Key numbers and facts

  • Congress has already approved 12.5 billion US dollars for upgrading aviation computer systems, according to US media.
  • Duffy wants another 30 billion US dollars.
  • The new Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS) will replace four old systems at 435 locations.
  • The target date is the end of 2028, around the time of the next US presidential election.

Why the old systems were still used

Some old systems still in use are dinosaurs from the mainframe era, when this large disk format was common. Critical systems often keep old technology because it is reliable and well tested, even if it is slow. This is not unique to the US. Floppy disks have become hard to get because production has stopped worldwide. Japan decided in 2024 to end its use of these disks, and in Germany the 8-inch format is even relevant to defense. The US nuclear forces used the same format until 2019 in an IBM Series/1 system from the 1970s.

Why it matters

The FAA faced strong criticism after several plane accidents with injuries. Political pressure pushed the agency to upgrade, even though the current Trump administration has cut spending at many US agencies. The story shows how hard it can be to replace old systems that keep critical services running.

What to watch

  • Whether Congress approves the additional 30 billion US dollars that Duffy requests.
  • How the E-IDS system performs as it replaces the four old systems at 435 locations.
  • Whether the work is finished by the end of 2028 as planned.

Glossary

FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration, the US government agency that oversees civil aviation and air safety.
E-IDS
The Enterprise Information Display System, the new US aviation system that will replace four older systems.
IBM Series/1
A minicomputer system from IBM, first sold in the 1970s, that used 8-inch floppy disks.

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