FAA computer problems causing delays

This is a problem that has been building for decades. The original software was written in pre 286 days and will not run on the modern machines. It works well but trying to rewrite it for todays computers is not going well. I know one of the people involved in this. This person will not fly commercial as they are afraid that the entire system will crash for good while they are at 30k ft.

Oh and it was super fun sitting on a plane for 6 hours while trying to get from Atlanta to Houston today.

But still, how the f*%$ did this make the top story?

No wonder, the Tacking systems are how old? 30- 40 years! F.A.A. please come into the Digital age!

great image!

I think this might have to do with the big antiwar rally planned for the DNC tomorrow. I was at one rally in Washington and they had taken the Amtrak off line from New York to Washington so the New York people couldn't get there.

Someone should really sue these guys if anything happens...technology is about to that point to turn(betray) us!!

So the craft already in air are just flying around using up fuel? What a waste!

Well, to tell you the truth, there have been stories that get no traction here concerning hacking.

The Russians completely collapsed the Georgian internet infrastructure last week. When Georgia desperately set up a Gmail account, google had an "outage." Which I don't think was connected...

Today, I saw an article I didn't post about cyber threats to the UK Power grid...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/26/uk_minister_grid_hacker_warning/

And now this. It could be a hack instead of a glitch.

Hacking stories get no traction here at Current.

You know, I just can't wait until all television converts to digital next year with NO over the air broadcast signals. Brilliant!

It's just a glitch with a big delay...

thats exactly what i tell my boss too...

oh geez. modern times are (sometimes) hazardous to our health!!

I guess that's what happens when a vacuum tube burns out...

Wow, what important Earth shattering news compared to everything else going on in the world... BREAKING NEWS... LOL. Funny, there's a genocide going on in Darfur and don't recall ever seeing a 'Breaking News' banner for that... but gee, can't have people missing their planes to get to their vacation spots.

EXCERPT: "The facility south of Atlanta is having problems processing data, requiring that all flight-plan information be processed through a facility in Salt Lake City, Utah. The two facilities process ALL (my emphasis) flight plans for commercial and general aviation flights in the United States, said FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen."

Maybe they should spend a couple bucks and buy a few more computers? Seems kind of strange to have everything in America go through one or two sites. What if hackers go in there?

EXCERPT: "The problem appeared similar to a June 8, 2007, computer glitch that caused severe flight delays and some cancellations along the East Coast."

Thank God! I was worried this was a new problem. Luckily it's just an old problem they never fixed correctly the first time and it's happening all over again.

Still, I wonder. If this really was a hacker attack would they admit it?

40 airports?!
Let the finger pointing begin!
(Great shot. Photoshop strikes again.)

just what the failing airline industry needs...

I hope this is sorted out by Thursday. Or if not, I'm some how bequeathed a free flight.