US air travel system facing a double blow of disruptions at the end of the week | Regional/National Headlines [Video]

(CNN) — The US aviation system is bracing for two simultaneous disruptions at the end of this week – a looming government shutdown and the expiration of a key aviation law.

Officials say the double-barrel threat would result in millions of dollars in losses daily, scramble efforts to rebuild the air traffic control system, set back technology improvements and further strain the already-stressed aviation system that suffered a series of runway close calls this year.

Rep. Steve Cohen, the top Democrat on the House Aviation subcommittee, warned Wednesday the shutdown may mean “cancellations at airports will occur, and it will negatively impact the flying public.”

Government officials are particularly concerned about how a shutdown would disrupt the air traffic control training pipeline, which is still recovering after the Federal Aviation Administration closed its controller academy at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Intensive training takes years and would pause during a government shutdown.Delaying the current crop of students could create a backlog for the next round …