Aviation groups warn a government shutdown will delay aircraft safety inspections and maintenance work on ‘critical’ equipment

Dozens of aviation groups warned House and Senate leaders on Monday that a government shutdown would delay federal inspections of aircraft and postpone repair work on “critical” air traffic control systems — leading to potential headaches and safety concerns for travelers. 

“A unified aviation community writes to respectfully urge you to take immediate action to avoid a government shutdown on October 1,” read a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), signed by more than 50 trade associations representing commercial airlines, air traffic controllers and other aviation professionals. 

“Government shutdowns harm the US economy and degrade the redundancies and margins of safety that our National Airspace System (NAS) is built upon,” the groups warned. “In fact, short-term shutdowns of just a few days, or even threatened shutdowns that are averted in the eleventh hour, negatively affect the NAS and the traveling public.” 

Air traffic controllers, technicians and airport security personnel would continue to work (without pay) in the event of a shutdown, but some Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees would be furloughed, the groups said, putting a strain on safety oversight. 

Without government funding, the FAA would be forced to “suspend air traffic controller and technician hiring and training, delay the implementation of safety initiatives, postpone maintenance and repair work to critical air traffic equipment, suspend air carrier pilot check rides, delay airworthy inspections for aircraft, defer the analysis of voluntary safety reporting, and suspend work on modernization programs,” according to the letter. 

“The ensuing backlogs cause cascading delays in these critical FAA services long after funding is restored,” the groups state. 

Commercial airlines are responsible for checking the safety of their aircraft, but the FAA audits their inspection records, conducts spot checks on jets and certifies new planes joining commercial fleets. 

Lawmakers face an 11:59 p.m. Tuesday deadline to pass legislation to avert a government shutdown. 

House Republicans passed a stopgap measure earlier this month that would keep the government funded at current levels until Nov. 21 — with only one Democrat voting in support of the bill. 

However, the funding bill failed a Senate vote last week, with most Democrats opposing it. 

If an agreement isn’t reached quickly, all nonessential government operations will cease for the first time since the 35-day shutdown in late December 2018 and early January 2019. 

“Congress must work quickly to avoid another harmful shutdown,” the aviation groups said. “The FAA, its dedicated frontline workforce, our aviation community, our economy, and the American public cannot afford a disruption, regardless of how long it lasts.”