The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that it has purchased replacement parts for the old air traffic control system on eBay and is using 3D printers to create new parts, according to US Department of Transport (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy. 

Duffy appeared at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on May 15, 2025, with the Trump administration seeking to update the aging air traffic control system completely over the next three years. 

In the hearing, Duffy stated that the US DOT is boosting FAA funding, highlighting the agency’s “need to refocus on the core mission of safety,” especially after recent events such as the tragic midair collision near DCA Airport and radar outages at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). 

“Specifically, the budget supports hiring and training 2,500 new air traffic controllers, revamping key air traffic facilities, and replacing antiquated radar systems with the latest technology,” Duffy said. 

During the hearing, Duffy stated that the FAA is using eBay to find new parts for some of its old systems. 

“We do try to buy replacement parts on eBay for this really old equipment,” Duffy told members of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee. “Sometimes, we can’t even buy it on eBay, so we’re trying to use 3D printing to craft replacement parts for the system that we use.” 

On May 8, 2025, Duffy unveiled a ‘Brand New Air Traffic Control System Plan’, outlining a three-year strategy to improve the National Airspace System, which includes replacing outdated telecommunications with new technology at more than 4,600 locations across the country.  

“No more replacing floppy disks and other antiquated parts so old you can only find them on eBay,” Duffy wrote in a recent post on Instagram. “It’s time for a brand-new air traffic control system that makes our country proud.” 

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