FAA to Recall Thousands of Furloughed Inspectors to Break Logjams

  • Thousands of aviation workers declared essential in shutdown
  • Action should help break backlog of delayed airline approvals
A plane takes off at sunset from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.

Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Blomberg

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Aviation regulators plan to recall thousands of inspectors furloughed by the partial government shutdown so they can resume performing air-safety checks and routine activities including clearing planes for airlines to add to their fleets.

The Department of Transportation issued a revised shutdown plan Monday saying it will bring more than 3,100 aviation-safety specialists back onto the job as of Jan. 18, up from 216 at the start of the shutdown that began Dec. 22.