Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), the union which represents about 11,000 FAA and Department of Defense employees who install, maintain, and certify air traffic control systems, said the ongoing government shutdown is threatening the agency’s modernization plans and straining its workforce.
Unlike the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), which represents air traffic controllers, PASS represents the technicians, inspectors, and engineers who keep the FAA’s infrastructure running.
PASS President Dave Spero said Tuesday that training for these technical employees has already been halted at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City where, in addition to new air traffic controllers, the next generation of system specialists are also being prepared for modernization projects.
“It can take three to five years to fully train a technician,” Spero said. “Any lapse in training can push the clock back, as it did during the academy’s closure during the pandemic.”
He warned that without funding, the agency’s long-term modernization timeline could face major setbacks.
PASS said that, like many other federally employed aviation sector workers, many of its members are currently either furloughed or are working without pay.
PASS urges all members & BUEs to contact lawmakers to end the shutdown! #aviationsafety #publicservice #federalemployees https://t.co/gOgKQgY60H pic.twitter.com/8UlP41QaGj
— PASS (@PASSNational) October 17, 2025
“If the government is not opened as soon as possible, employees will be faced with no pay on October 28,” Spero said. “Every day we’re taking one step forward but two steps back.”
The union urged Congress to end the shutdown, citing both safety concerns and the need to maintain progress toward updating the National Airspace System.
Meanwhile, along with technical specialists and controllers, the Transportation Security Administration is also facing strain as unpaid officers work without relief. CNN reported Tuesday that TSA staffing shortages led to longer than usual security lines at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport over the weekend.
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— Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) October 20, 2025
Safe travels! ✈️ pic.twitter.com/PammF7WhPO
“The longer the shutdown goes on, the more severe the impact on our TSA workforce who have expenses they must pay for, making it harder to show up for work when not being paid,” a spokesperson said.
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