The FAA has a plan to ensure flying doesn’t grind to a halt during a government shutdown. [Credit: Julie Boatman]
Key Takeaways:
Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) can still administer check rides during a government shutdown, but the processing and issuance of pilot certificates may face delays due to furloughed FAA principal operations inspectors.
Essential aviation services, including air traffic control, maintenance of navigational aids, flight standards field inspections, and airman medical certifications, will continue.
The shutdown will halt crucial long-term activities such as the development of new air traffic controllers (furloughing 1,000 trainees), Airport Improvement Program activities, aviation rulemaking, and the development of next-generation technologies.
“Will my flight training be affected if the federal government shuts down?”
This question is being asked a lot at local airports, because as part of the Department of Transportation, the FAA will most certainly be affected as employees will be furloughed.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
