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The Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) has announced that the U.S. air traffic control system relies on outdated technologies, such as paper flight progress strips, copper wiring, and floppy disks. The association highlights the urgent need for modernization to enhance safety and efficiency.
According to ALPA's official post on X, these obsolete tools increase the risk of operational errors and hinder air traffic management efficiency, especially with growing air travel volumes. ALPA is calling for reforms to update these critical systems to meet modern aviation demands.
In a statement on LinkedIn, ALPA referenced tragic events like the PSA Flight 5342 accident and recent air traffic control system outages as evidence of vulnerabilities in the current infrastructure. The leadership emphasizes that relying on antiquated technology is unsustainable given the high stakes for safety and reliability in U.S. airspace. The union urges Congress and regulators to swiftly fund and implement next-generation air traffic control technology.
