The recent partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government had a far-reaching impact on aviation, thanks to its parent Department of Transportation (DOT) being one of the agencies lacking an enacted appropriations bill for the current fiscal year. Since related agencies are tacked onto DOT spending bills, the NTSB also closed for the duration, delaying ongoing investigations and postponing new ones. (Our monthly listing of preliminary accident reports might look a bit strange until the NTSB has caught up with the backlog.)
Employees and contractors who suddenly found themselves furloughed without pay—or were forced to work without pay, like air traffic controllers—bore the brunt of the pain the shutdown inflicted. Ironically, it seems to have been those same controllers whose growing dissatisfaction with the shutdown led to staffing isues that helped end it. Strong statements from airline-industry labor organizations also helped. Once it became clear that ATC system slowdowns resulting from controller staffing issues had begun affecting travel, the shutdown was ended the same day.
