US shutdown: headwinds for aviation and aerospace

The partial government shutdown in the US is creating havoc across many industries, from the financial sector right through to small businesses operating near the country's National Parks.

The aviation industry is also facing pressure from the shutdown on numerous fronts - ranging from the high profile "blue flu" sick-ins from TSA workers to FAA safety inspectors suspending their oversight functions.

Anecdotes from airlines are already emerging, including uncertainty in achieving ETOPS certification and delays in putting aircraft into service.

The overall effects of the shutdown on the airline business are tough to predict, but the economic effects of a prolonged partial closure of the government will no doubt trickle down to many facets of the US' aviation and aerospace industries.