Aviation stakeholders from various sectors of the industry and labor unions have united in a concerted effort, sending a letter to the leaders of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. They are urging immediate bipartisan action to avert a potential government shutdown. In their communication, the stakeholders underscored the critical consequences that any length of shutdown would pose to the National Airspace System (NAS), emphasizing the importance of maintaining uninterrupted and safe aviation services.

The coalition’s letter also detailed the broader economic repercussions of a government shutdown on the aviation sector, which plays a pivotal role in the national and global economy. The stakeholders pointed out that disruptions in aviation services not only impact passenger travel but also cargo and supply chains critical to numerous industries. They called for swift legislative action to ensure stability and avoid the cascading effects that a shutdown would trigger across multiple economic sectors.

“Shutdowns are extremely detrimental to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by suspending air traffic controller hiring and training, delaying the implementation of safety initiatives, postponing maintenance, and repair work to critical air traffic equipment, suspending air carrier pilot check rides, delaying airworthy inspections for aircraft, deferring the analysis of voluntary safety reporting, and suspending work on modernization and infrastructure programs. During a shutdown, many FAA employees are furloughed, meaning that they cannot perform their duties that support aviation safety, aircraft certification and the integration of new entrants. The ensuing backlogs cause further delays in these critical FAA services long after funding resumes.
 
“While air traffic controllers will continue to work without pay, many of the employees who support them are furloughed, and the programs that the FAA uses to review and address safety events are suspended. To remain the world leader in aviation, we must continue to strive to improve efficiency and further mitigate risk.”

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