FAA Head Says Air Traffic Control System Is Safe but Relies on Decades-Old Computers

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the nation's air traffic control system is safe and reliable even though hundreds of facilities still run on Compaq computers from the 1970s and 1980s. "We have 313 FAA facilities and each of them are essentially running off Compaq computers," Bedford said.

Airlines expect to carry 263 million passengers between June 1 and August 31. Bedford said staffing and equipment issues from last summer have been largely addressed. He added that he flies multiple times each week and places his family on flights without concern.

The FAA is spending $12.5 billion on modernization projects by the end of 2028. Work already underway includes replacing copper wire with fiber optics and upgrading voice switches, radios, and radar systems. A second phase estimated at $10 billion would move data architecture to the cloud and create a unified system.

Bedford said the upgrade would allow real-time visibility across the national airspace.

Bedford said the market worked after Spirit Airlines collapsed following the failure of a proposed $500 million government bailout. He described Spirit's situation as the result of growth without a sustainable business plan. Boeing received approval this week to raise 737 Max production to 47 aircraft per month.

Bedford said he expects two additional certification steps for the Max 7 and Max 10 before the end of the year and progress on the 777X by spring 2027.