FAA plans to discontinue the use of diskettes in air traffic control systems by 2028

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it will replace the diskettes that have been used in various air traffic control centers across the country, an action described as 'better late than never.'

The FAA uses diskettes in at least four systems within the aviation sector, which are accessed in over 400 control centers. These systems were originally implemented during the 1980s and 1990s.

Although these older systems are still operational, the current air infrastructure is significantly more complex and handles a much higher volume of flights than in past decades. Therefore, the obsolete systems may not be able to support this demand and present a greater risk of failure.

The need for modernization was debated by the United States Congress in June 2025. This debate was triggered after at least three incidents of communication and radar system failures were recorded at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, resulting in flight delays and cancellations.

The central plan of the FAA involves replacing these four outdated systems with a modern solution called the Enterprise Information Display System (E-IDS). This new system will be capable of providing control centers with a variety of data, such as meteorological measurements, airspace restriction times, and information on equipment or system failures.

It is important to note that the old systems were primarily intended for providing operational information; the diskettes were not used to control air traffic itself or to operate radars, but rather to transfer data between the systems accessed by controllers.

This project represents a long-term effort. The FAA plans to complete the installation of the E-IDS in 435 air traffic control centers by the end of 2028. Changes have already been made in five locations, including Atlantic City International Airport and Nashville International Airport.

To make this process viable, the FAA will have a budget of US$ 12.5 billion, approved in 2025 by the American Congress. This fund is part of legislation known as the 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act,' which was signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025, aiming, among other goals, at the modernization of legacy public systems.

Despite expectations that flying cars will appear by 2026, the most advanced projects are currently only prototypes undergoing testing. However, the fact that eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing — electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle) is moving out of the concept stage is not in doubt.

Fernando Martini Catalano, Professor at the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Director of the School of Engineering San Carlos (EESC-USP), confirmed that this will happen. He explained how these aircraft work and what barriers prevent them from beginning full operation.

Fernando Castro Pinto, a lecturer at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Polytechnic School UFRJ, also participated in the discussion. Two companies dominate the sector: Joby Aviation from the USA and Eve Air Mobility, a division of the Brazilian company Embraer.

Currently, there is a race between companies to meet the requirements of aviation authorities such as Anac (National Civil Aviation Authority) and the FAA (the equivalent of Anac in the USA). Joby is focusing on conquering the American and Middle Eastern markets using the Joby S4 model, capable of carrying one pilot and four passengers with a tilt-rotor propulsion system. Eve, meanwhile, is betting on the simplicity of its mechanical design and the experience of global certification gained from Embraer.

Joby has partnered with Toyota to ensure large-scale automotive production. Demonstrative and experimental flights of the Joby S4 with passengers are expected to begin in the USA in late 2026 – early 2027. Simultaneously, commercial transport by this American company is expected to start in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Eve's eVTOL, codenamed Eve 100, is also designed for one pilot and four passengers. Its technical advantage lies in the 'lift + cruise' design, which uses separate rotors for vertical takeoff and a rear propeller for horizontal flight, providing simpler mechanics and lower maintenance costs compared to the Joby project.

Like Joby, the Eve project is in the testing and certification phase. Although mass production has not yet begun, the factory in Taubaté (São Paulo state), designed by Embraer, is capable of assembling up to 480 aircraft annually. Embraer and Eve management predicts final certification and the start of commercial operation by the end of 2027 or during 2028.

Morgan Stanley estimates the global eVTOL and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market at $1 trillion (5 trillion Brazilian reais) by 2040, including passenger transport, cargo delivery, and necessary digital and physical infrastructure (vertiports). However, the bank recently lowered its 2030 forecasts by 75%, bringing them down to $12 billion (60 billion reais), because regulatory barriers proved higher than anticipated.

Technical and safety issues are the main obstacle. Fernando Castro Pinto notes that the main technological challenge is similar to the battery problem in electric vehicles: the more energy required, the larger the battery, the heavier the aircraft, and the more energy is needed. Fernando Martini Catalano adds that the weight of batteries remains too high relative to the energy they provide.

Furthermore, Fernando Pinto pointed out other obstacles to implementation in Brazil: the need to obtain a driver's license and comply with traffic rules. He emphasized that an accident at 30 meters altitude would have much more serious consequences than on the ground.

Consolidating eVTOL fleets will require not only a high level of qualification exceeding standard driving licenses but also harmonious coexistence with civil aviation and helicopters, adhering to routes and airport restrictions. The pilot must possess commercial class pilot skills, understanding all limitations related to routes, radio communication, and attentiveness.

When will flying cars become a reality? Catalano believes it will take seven to ten years, noting that the aircraft itself is only part of the problem; the entire ecosystem, including vertiports, charging logistics, noise reduction, and urban legislation, is necessary. Fernando Pinto, on the other hand, predicts decades for mass transport, as infrastructural bottlenecks such as the capacity of the urban power grid, as well as the evolution of battery technologies and the creation of a legal framework, must be resolved.

Catalano suggests considering medical emergency transport, organ transport, and cargo transport as the initial entry of eVTOL into cities, as these can become faster and more accessible solutions compared to helicopters, especially since not all hospitals are equipped with helipads, and a vertiport can be a cheaper and more urgent alternative.

The main challenge, according to experts, is to make the use of flying cars relatively inexpensive so that they do not remain a luxury item but serve a real benefit to the population.

According to an analysis of satellite imagery published by American researchers, China potentially could commission its fourth aircraft carrier, which is presumed to be the first in the country with nuclear engines, as early as 2027.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), based in Washington, reported that images obtained this month show a ship known as Type 004 in a construction phase similar to that of the Fujian aircraft carrier in May 2021, about a year before its launch.

The new aircraft carrier is being built at shipyards in Dalian, northeastern China, and could be launched in the year of the centenary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), i.e., August 1, 2027.

Brian Hart, Deputy Director of the China Power project at CSIS, noted: 'If construction continues at this pace and follows a schedule similar to the Fujian, it would not be surprising if the ship were launched by the end of 2027 or early 2028.'

The images show that the ship's hull is in a dry dock, although the flight deck and command structure are still missing.

According to CSIS, the current dimensions of the hull are about 322 meters long and 46 meters wide, although the final dimensions have not yet been determined. Satellite image analysts estimate that the aircraft carrier could reach a length of about 339 meters, approaching the size of the largest US Navy ships.

Experts acknowledge, however, that the larger size of the ship and the complexity of installing a nuclear propulsion system could lead to delays in the schedule.

Bradley Martin, a researcher at the Rand Corporation and former US Navy captain, considered a 2027 launch possible but warned that it could take two to three years before the ship becomes operational.

Type 004 will also need to include an electromagnetic catapult system, a technology that allows for the operation of heavier aircraft with more armament.

The construction fits into Beijing's strategy to expand military deployment capabilities in the western Pacific and the Indian Ocean.

According to a Pentagon report published in 2025, the Chinese navy plans to build six more aircraft carriers by 2035, bringing the total number of units to nine. Nevertheless, experts disagree on the feasibility of this goal.

Jim Fennell, a former officer of the US Pacific Fleet intelligence services, found it more realistic that China could have six operational aircraft carriers by 2035, while James Holmes, a professor of naval strategy at the U.S. Naval Academy, stated that China's industrial potential could allow it to achieve a more ambitious goal.

China currently has three aircraft carriers: Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian, with the latter commissioned in November 2025. Expanding the fleet will allow Beijing to conduct longer naval operations far from its shores, although analysts note that Chinese aircraft carriers may continue to show limitations compared to American ones in scenarios of direct conflict.