Impacts of Government Shutdown on General Aviation

As of midnight Wednesday, October 1, 2025, thousands of FAA employees are now on furlough as part of a broader federal government shutdown. The shutdown results from the failure of Congress to pass either an annual appropriations package or a short-term continuing resolution to maintain government funding before the midnight deadline.

The FAA is just one of the government agencies affected by the shutdown, and only certain parts of the FAA will be impacted. The impacts on general aviation may not be immediately felt, but the longer a shutdown lasts, the more significant its effects can be. 

Most services used by general aviation and the offices with which we commonly interact will remain operational. These include air traffic control, airmen and aircraft registries, aeromedical, and flight standards inspectors, albeit with reduced support staffing. Services provided by designees, including airman practical tests, physicals, and the issuance of experimental amateur-built airworthiness certificates, should continue as these individuals are not FAA employees. Areas impacted include rulemaking, continuity of operations planning, air traffic performance analysis, and dispute resolution, as well as some administrative functions.  

On Monday, September 29, EAA joined as one of 50 aviation organizations in a letter to Congressional leadership, highlighting the negative impact a government shutdown would have on aviation. In the letter, the group highlighted that, “Shutdowns are extremely detrimental to the passengers and shippers as well as the aviation community because they force the FAA to, among other things, 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. 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 — which limits U.S. innovation in aerospace. Additionally, infrastructure programs related to modernization are suspended, such as the construction of new facilities, upgrading of runways and installation of new equipment. The ensuing backlogs cause cascading delays in these critical FAA services long after funding is restored.”

Last week, EAA also supported a bill introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tennessee) and Rep. Andre Carson (D-Indiana) entitled the “Aviation Funding Stability Act.” This bill, if passed, would insulate the FAA from government shutdowns by allowing essential programs to be funded by drawing additionally on the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for up to 30 days. A similar bill of the same name was filed in the Senate by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) in March.

The Department of Transportation also released its “Plans for Operations During a Lapse in Annual Appropriations by Operating Administration.” According to that plan, the FAA reported to have 44,829 employees and expected to furlough 11,322. They designated 25,668 as safety-critical, 3,113 as necessary by law, and 4,726 as funded through sources other than annual appropriations.  Those deemed “safety-critical” must continue to work, without pay.

What is unclear is how the FAA will be affected by the recent Office of Management and Budget guidance, which directs agencies to consider Reduction in Force (RIF) notices to employees affected by the shutdown. At this time, neither the FAA nor the Department of Transportation has released any information on RIF notices or future plans.