Floppy disks and aging software: FAA held back by technology woes
After a string of fatal airplane crashes in recent weeks, aviation experts appearing before the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday pointed fingers at decades-old technology at the Federal Aviation Administration and a need for modernization to effectively manage air traffic.
The hearing focused on myriad issues, including the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to slash the federal workforce, which has impacted the FAA and hurt morale, witnesses said. Mandatory retirement requirements and ongoing hiring challenges were flagged, as well as a proposal by some to privatize aspects of air traffic control.
“In 2025, the United States Airspace System is no longer considered the gold standard around the world,” Paul Rinaldi, a former air traffic controller who is now president and co-founder of a consulting firm focused on aviation, said in his opening remarks. “Several critical issues contribute to this: our aging infrastructure, our outdated technology, [and] our staffing shortage.”
Several speakers emphasized the FAA’s seemingly intractable technology and software problems.
The Government Accountability Office recently found that the majority of the platforms used to manage air traffic were “unsustainable” or “potentially unsustainable.” On Tuesday, the GAO published an update on recommendations to improve the FAA’s approach, noting that nine remain open.
“Many of these systems are aging and face long-standing challenges, including the unavailability of parts and retirement of knowledgeable technicians,” said Heather Krause, a managing director focused on physical infrastructure at the GAO. “Modernization includes replacing and upgrading many of its systems. It also involves bringing more functionality through the development of new systems and software.”
FAA systems are held back by outdated data platforms, which must often be operated continually to support the country’s 24/7 flight operations. The agency also faces delays when procuring and updating technology, Krause warned, noting that the process can take years.
Other technology issues that emerged at the hearing include the worrisome state of the Notice to Airmen system, which has suffered at least two outages in recent years. A still-operational flight traffic system first built in the 1990s was also discussed, as well as concerns about the bidding process for telecommunications work at the FAA that may now be awarded to Starlink, the internet service provided by the Elon Musk-owned company SpaceX.
FedScoop has reported on the FAA’s slow progress in developing the Space Data Integrator, which is supposed to help ease the impact of space launches on air traffic management.
There’s also concern about ongoing problems with the Global Positioning System, or GPS, which pilots rely on for navigation.
“Resiliency is very important. There are a lot of issues with GPS now, and you hear about spoofing and other aspects,” said Dave Spero, the president of President Aviation Safety Specialists. “It’s very important that the FAA maintains a resilient system with ground-based, ground-based technology.”
