Computer glitch was warning to FAA

When a computer glitch at a Federal Aviation Administration center caused widespread airline delays last week, it served as a reminder that the U.S. flight system is waiting for a modernizing overhaul. But it also appears the FAA's management of its existing technologies falls short of standards in other vital sectors.

Because the FAA relies on just two computing systems, one in Atlanta and one in Salt Lake City, to handle that chore for the entire nation, the software glitch all but sank the system Aug. 26. The Salt Lake City center remained up and served as a backup, but it became overloaded by information coming from airlines. More than 600 flights were delayed from Atlanta all the way to Boston and Chicago.

A failure at the Atlanta center in June 2007 caused major delays across the East Coast.

FULL ARTICLE - San Diego Union Tribune