The government may shut down in less than a week as it runs out of funds at midnight on Wednesday, October 1.
In broad strokes, that means government-funded entities—like the Department of Transportation (DOT), which includes the FAA—won’t be financially supported and will be curtailing operations until a budget can be established. How long that takes is up to the lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
In the meantime, the DOT has released a 45-page document outlining the impact on operations, starting with what the FAA will put on hold and what will continue.
According to the fiscal year 2025 shutdown plan summary overview, the FAA would require half a day to “complete shutdown activities.” The agency has 29,644 employees, and the report notes the number required to perform jobs required by law stands at 1,243. Another 25,331 employees are in positions necessary to protect life and property. The agency estimated some 16,621 would be furloughed if the shutdown takes place.
What Won’t be Affected
A government shutdown will not have an impact on the availability of check rides. Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs) are independent contractors and not federal employees. As they serve at the discretion of the FAA administrator, check rides can still take place.
According to the plan summary, other operations that will continue as expected during a lapse in annual appropriations include:
• Air traffic control (ATC) services (13,227 ATCs excepted without pay)
• Maintenance and operation of navigational aids and other facilities, including support for reimbursable Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security activities
• Flight Standards field inspections
• Airworthiness Directives
• Airmen medical certifications
• Certain certification activities, examples include:• Supporting the certification, system oversight, and continued operational safety functions of commercial airplanes and engines
• Issuance of waivers for UAS and in support of other safety and security operations
• Approval of exemptions for unmanned aircraft systems operations
• Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) medical clearances, supporting safety-critical missions and ensuring medically cleared controllers are available to continue providing separation service
• Hazardous materials safety inspections (safety inspectors will be recalled as necessary over time to maintain the safety of the system and/or respond to incidents)
• Air traffic safety oversight (limited); examples include:
• ATO Voluntary Safety Reporting Program Event Review Committee
• Control Tower Operator (CTO) certification and credentialing
• On-call accident investigations
• Commercial space launch oversight and licensing
• Command, control, communications, and intelligence (i.e., Regions and HQ Operations Centers, Intelligence Threat Watch, and emergency communication support)
• Foreign relations on aviation safety-related matters
• FAA’s aircraft and airman registry
• Congressional liaison services, to the extent that they are necessarily implied from the authorized continuation of legislative activity
• Support functions necessary to provide timely payments to contractors and grantees
• Activities and personnel funded through Division J of the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act
• National aviation research, engineering, and development (RE&D) funded by multiyear appropriations
• Airport inspections
• Existing airport development grants
• Passenger facility charge approvals
•Airport planning and environmental services funded by Airport Improvement Plan (AIP) contract authority
•Training at the FAA Academy for new air traffic controllers, which will continue and be funded by prior year funding
That’s the good news. The bad news is that there will be some disruption in operations.
The following areas will be affected by a government shutdown:
• Air traffic controller hiring
• Field training of air traffic controllers
• Aviation rulemaking
• Random drug testing of nonsafety workforce
• Facility security inspections
• Routine personnel security background investigations and PIV card services
• Continuity of operations planning
• Development, operational testing, and evaluation of next-gen technologies
• Development of next-gen safety standards
• Air traffic performance analysis
• Capital planning and implementation for FAA facilities and equipment programs that are not funded by IIJA
• Investment planning and financial analysis
• Dispute resolution
• Audit and evaluation
• Financial operations, controls, reporting, and accountability
• Most budgeting functions (except those necessary to provide necessary services to support excepted functions)
• Law enforcement assistance support
• Most administrative support functions that are not required for support of excepted positions
• Delivery of routine public affairs services, website updates, and social media activities
The FAA notes the shutdown plans are up to date and will be approved by the administrator and senior staff prior to implementation.
In addition, the summary notes the “Lines of Businesses/Staff Offices have identified each position subject to a furlough, and preparations are in place for the Office of Human Resource Management to notify affected staff.”
FAA employees are advised to “listen to public broadcasts for information that congressional action has been taken to fund the government, and they will be expected to return to work on their next regular duty day.”
Logistics are in place to provide for an orderly recall of employees and a return to normal operations once annual appropriations are restored.
The FAA will place return-to-duty information on the agency’s employee website and through its toll-free phone number. FAA managers can also call employees to ensure staff members are aware they have been recalled to duty.
