ATC News

Politico

High activity

Duffy and White House prepare lobbying push for $30B air traffic control overhaul

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the White House are preparing a lobbying effort for a $30 billion request to overhaul the nation’s aging air traffic control system. The article identifies the funding push, but does not specify its timing, financing mechanism or proposed modernization schedule.

AeroTime

FAA deploys digital towers and expands AI-assisted traffic planning to all 22 en route centers

The FAA is deploying its first digital air traffic control towers at U.S. airports, using cameras, sensors and displays to give controllers a continuous 360-degree view. Separately, it is expanding its SMART planning tool to all 22 en route centers despite calls to pause its Washington-area rollout.

airwaysmag.com

FAA Expands SMART Traffic Planning to All 22 Centers, Keeping Human Review in the Loop

The FAA is expanding its SMART traffic-planning system to all 22 air traffic control centers. Recommendations will remain subject to human review, while reported early savings are limited in scope—leaving the program’s broader operational impact unclear from the available figures.

Bloomberg

UK air traffic control apologizes for September glitches that disrupted about 2,200 flights

The head of the company managing the UK’s air traffic control system apologized for two September glitches that led airlines to cancel about 2,200 flights and delay dozens more. The company said the issues have been fixed.

Bloomberg

UK Air Traffic Control Apologizes for Outages, Says Issues Fixed

AINonline

ISO-Gruppe completes 14-month SKYcontrol digital tower installation at Penang airport

ISO-Gruppe has completed a 14-month project to install its SKYcontrol Tower system at Penang International Airport (WMKP) in Malaysia. The report confirms the installation is finished but does not detail the system’s capabilities, operational status or how it will integrate with the airport’s existing tower operations.

Air Data News

U.S. air traffic control will keep using floppy disks until 2028 as FAA works to retire them

Floppy disks remain in parts of the U.S. air traffic control system, more than two decades after they disappeared from most computers. The FAA expects to need another two years to eliminate their use, extending reliance on legacy technology while it modernizes systems across the national network.

Flying Magazine

High activity

Roof leaks close Boeing Field control tower, forcing temporary ATC operations with reduced capabilities

Air traffic controllers at Seattle’s Boeing Field are working from a temporary facility after roof leaks forced the control tower to close. The temporary setup has reduced operational capabilities, constraining the airport’s air traffic control services while emergency repairs are carried out.