It’s official—Congress has approved a fund of $12.5 billion in Air Traffic Control-related upgrades, which President Donald Trump is expected to sign and approve.
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That’s right. The now-famous Big, Beautiful Bill will be funding a major project. And it’s one I think every American can get behind.
While plane crashes aren’t actually up in 2025, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the number of serious delays and communication outages has become an issue nationwide. The idea is that, sooner or later, infrastructural issues like this could lead to a large-scale disaster.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been seeking to overhaul the outdated Air Traffic Control system for years now, but has faced major obstacles related to funding and staffing. Technology is also a major hurdle.
Would you believe me if I told you that some Air Traffic Control technology runs on paper flight strips, Windows 95, and even floppy disks. (In the event a Gen Zer is reading this, a floppy disk is a digital storage device and precursor to the CD.)
So, what can Americans expect from Congress’s plans to overhaul the ATC with that $12.5 billion in funding? Let’s dive in.
What’s next for the ATC?
Though it’s obvious that the ATC needs an infrastructural update that uses tech from the 21st century, there’s no obvious path to get there. After all, the ATC isn’t just using floppy disks and running on Windows 95 software. Every part of the process, from the hardware to the software to the operational outlook, is outdated.
In other words, buying new equipment won’t save the ATC. Instead, it needs a conceptual rebirth that will make up for decades of chronic underfunding that led to little to no research and development. And, unfortunately, there hasn’t been any clear champion in terms of a new system.
In fact, the US Transportation Department started looking for help from the private sector in early June. They’ve released a ‘Request for Information’, according to NPR, in which companies are invited to share their ‘best and brightest’ ideas for a new ATC approach.
That might sound like a pipe dream given the amount of work and the number of obstacles facing any crew that wants to overhaul the ATC, but let’s not forget: there’s now $12.5 billion on the table to help fund the FAA’s new plans.
Over the next four years, it’s expected that the US ATC will receive vital upgrades related to flight control facilities, hardware and software, and operational practices.
