U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy visited Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to highlight the airport’s transition from paper to electronic flight strips in its air traffic control tower. The move is part of a broader modernization effort funded by $12.5 billion allocated for air traffic control upgrades under President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill.
For many years, air traffic controllers used paper flight strips to manage operations. The introduction of electronic flight strips aims to modernize and streamline these processes, improving both safety and efficiency at one of the country’s busiest airports.
According to officials, DCA is among 15 airports nationwide that have implemented this upgraded technology so far.
“The upgrade – which enhances the safety and efficiency of our skies – was made possible by the historic $12.5 billion of air traffic control funding within President Donald J. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.
The new system is part of the Terminal Flight Data Manager program, which brings electronic flight strips into airport towers as a way to improve surface management and operational efficiency. The program provides real-time data updates and allows for better information sharing among stakeholders, supporting collaborative decision-making about aircraft movement on the ground.
Officials say that this modernization helps air traffic controllers handle changes in traffic volume, weather conditions, and other factors affecting surface operations throughout each day.
