What is a NOTAM?

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a critical aviation communication that contains information about the establishment, condition, or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure, or hazard. The timely knowledge of this information is essential for personnel concerned with flight operations.

Think of NOTAMs as the aviation industry's warning system. They inform pilots about temporary changes or hazards that aren't documented in permanent publications like charts or the Airport/Facility Directory. Whether it's a closed runway, a malfunctioning navigation aid, or airspace restrictions, NOTAMs ensure pilots have the most current information before and during flight.

Unlike permanent aviation publications that are updated on regular cycles, NOTAMs provide real-time updates. This makes them invaluable for safe flight operations, as conditions can change rapidly in aviation. Missing a critical NOTAM can have serious consequences, from minor delays to safety incidents.

Why Are NOTAMs Important?

NOTAMs are not optional reading material for pilots – they're a fundamental part of flight planning and safety. Here's why they matter:

Safety: NOTAMs alert you to hazards that could affect your flight. This includes everything from closed runways and taxiways to bird activity near airports and military exercises in your route of flight.

Operational Planning: Many NOTAMs affect how you plan your flight. A closed runway might require a different approach, a malfunctioning ILS might necessitate planning for a different approach type, or temporary airspace restrictions might require route changes.

Regulatory Compliance: The FAA requires pilots to familiarize themselves with all available information concerning a flight. NOTAMs are part of this required information. Operating without knowledge of applicable NOTAMs could violate regulations and potentially result in enforcement action.

Efficiency: NOTAMs help you avoid wasting time and fuel. Knowing about airport closures, available services, and operational limitations in advance allows you to make informed decisions and backup plans.

Understanding NOTAM Format and Structure

NOTAMs follow a standardized ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) format that can seem cryptic at first. However, once you understand the structure, reading NOTAMs becomes straightforward. The format uses specific fields, each designated by a letter followed by a closing parenthesis.

A typical NOTAM might look like this:

While this might look like alphabet soup, each component has a specific meaning. Let's break down the key fields you'll encounter in every NOTAM.

The Q-Line: The Most Important Part

The Q-Line (Quality line) is the heart of every NOTAM. It's a coded summary that allows computer systems and pilots to quickly determine if a NOTAM is relevant to their flight. The Q-Line contains specific codes that describe what the NOTAM is about, where it applies, and what's affected.

A Q-Line typically looks like this:

Let's decode this:

• KZNY: The FIR (Flight Information Region) where this NOTAM applies
• QMRLC: Subject and condition codes (in this case, runway lighting closed)
• IV: Traffic type (International and domestic VFR)
• NBO: Purpose (Navigation, Bottom of range, Operations)
• A: Scope (Aerodrome)
• 000/999: Lower and upper altitude limits
• 4038N07346W005: Coordinates and radius

Field-by-Field Breakdown

A) Location Indicator

This field contains the four-letter ICAO location code where the NOTAM applies. For example, KJFK for New York JFK, EGLL for London Heathrow, or GMMN for Casablanca Mohammed V. This helps you quickly identify if a NOTAM is relevant to your planned airports.

B) Start Date and Time

This field shows when the NOTAM becomes effective, in the format YYMMDDHHMM (Year-Month-Day-Hour-Minute) in UTC time. For example, 2602241200 means February 24, 2026, at 12:00 UTC. Always remember that NOTAM times are in UTC, not local time.

C) End Date and Time

This indicates when the NOTAM expires, using the same format as the B) field. If you see "PERM" here, it means the NOTAM is permanent until further notice. If you see "EST" followed by a date, it's an estimated end time.

D) Schedule

For NOTAMs that don't apply continuously, this field describes the schedule. You might see entries like "DAILY 0600-2200" or "MON-FRI 1200-1800". This is particularly important for temporary airspace restrictions or construction work.

E) Plain Language Description

This is where you'll find the actual information in relatively plain English (though still abbreviated). This field describes what the NOTAM is about. Examples include "RWY 27 CLSD FOR MAINTENANCE" or "TWY B AVBL FOR ACFT MAX WINGSPAN 52M".

F) Lower Altitude Limit

This specifies the lower limit of the affected airspace, typically shown as "SFC" (surface) for ground-level restrictions or as an altitude in feet AGL or MSL.

G) Upper Altitude Limit

This indicates the upper limit of affected airspace, usually in feet MSL. For airport-specific NOTAMs that don't affect en-route airspace, you might not see F) and G) fields.

Common NOTAM Abbreviations You Must Know

NOTAMs use numerous abbreviations to keep messages concise. Here are the most critical ones every pilot should memorize:

• CLSD: Closed
• AVBL: Available
• U/S: Unserviceable
• TEMPO: Temporary
• PERM: Permanent
• RWY: Runway
• TWY: Taxiway
• APCH: Approach
• NAV: Navigation aid
• ILS: Instrument Landing System
• VASI/PAPI: Visual approach slope indicators
• OPS: Operations
• EXC: Except
• ACFT: Aircraft
• WIP: Work in progress

Learning these abbreviations is crucial because they appear in nearly every NOTAM. Many pilots keep a quick reference card with common abbreviations in their flight bag.

Types of NOTAMs You'll Encounter

Domestic NOTAMs (NOTAM-D)

These are distributed for airports and navigation aids in the United States. They cover a wide range of items including airport conditions, construction, lighting outages, and navigation aid status. If you're flying within the US, you'll primarily deal with NOTAM-Ds.

Flight Data Center NOTAMs (FDC NOTAMs)

FDC NOTAMs are regulatory in nature. They include things like amendments to instrument approach procedures, temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), and changes to airspace. These are particularly important because they often involve regulatory requirements rather than just informational items.

International NOTAMs

When flying internationally, you'll encounter NOTAMs formatted according to ICAO standards. While similar to US NOTAMs, they may have slight variations in format and terminology. Always check international NOTAMs when planning flights outside the United States.

Military NOTAMs

These provide information about military operations that might affect civilian flights, such as active military operations areas (MOAs) or temporary restricted areas. Even as a civilian pilot, you need to be aware of these.

Reading NOTAMs: Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Start with the Location Code
Identify which airport or FIR the NOTAM applies to. This immediately tells you if it's relevant to your flight.

Step 2: Check the Effective Dates
Look at fields B) and C) to see if the NOTAM will be active during your planned flight time. If it's not active during your flight, you can usually disregard it (unless it indicates a trend of recurring issues).

Step 3: Read the E) Field Carefully
This plain language description tells you what the NOTAM is actually about. Take your time with this field – it contains the critical information.

Step 4: Check Altitude Restrictions
If present, the F) and G) fields tell you the vertical limits of the affected area. This helps you determine if you can fly over or under the restriction.

Step 5: Note Any Schedules
The D) field shows if the NOTAM applies only during certain hours. You might be able to plan around these restrictions.

Step 6: Consider Impact on Your Flight
Finally, analyze how the NOTAM affects your specific flight plan. Do you need to file a different route? Use a different runway? Prepare for a different approach procedure?

Common Mistakes When Reading NOTAMs

Mistake #1: Ignoring Time Zones
All NOTAM times are in UTC (Zulu time), not local time. Always convert to UTC when checking if a NOTAM is active. A common error is checking NOTAMs in local time and missing critical information.

Mistake #2: Only Checking Departure and Arrival Airports
Don't forget to check NOTAMs for your route of flight, including FIR NOTAMs and any airports you might use as alternates. Also check NOTAMs for any airport within reasonable diversion distance.

Mistake #3: Overlooking FDC NOTAMs
FDC NOTAMs often contain critical regulatory information like TFRs or procedure changes. These can have serious consequences if missed. Always check FDC NOTAMs, not just regular NOTAMs.

Mistake #4: Not Checking NOTAMs Before Each Flight
NOTAMs can be issued at any time. What was clear yesterday might have a new NOTAM today. Always check NOTAMs as part of your pre-flight briefing, even for familiar airports.

Mistake #5: Assuming Permanent Changes
Just because something was in a NOTAM last week doesn't mean it's still in effect. Always check current NOTAMs rather than relying on memory or old briefings.

Tips for Efficient NOTAM Review

Develop a Systematic Approach: Check NOTAMs in the same order every time – departure airport, arrival airport, alternates, route of flight. This systematic approach ensures you don't miss anything.

Use Filtering Tools: Many NOTAM services, including NOTAM Viewer, allow you to filter NOTAMs by keyword. Use filters to quickly find NOTAMs about runways, approaches, or navigation aids that affect your flight.

Print or Save Critical NOTAMs: For important NOTAMs, especially TFRs or unusual restrictions, save a copy or write down the key details. Having this information readily available during flight can be invaluable.

Check NOTAMs at Multiple Points: Check NOTAMs during your initial planning, again shortly before departure, and consider checking once more before takeoff for fast-changing situations.

Focus on What Matters: Not every NOTAM will affect your flight. Learn to quickly identify which NOTAMs are relevant to your specific operation and focus your attention there.

Using NOTAM Viewer for Better Understanding

NOTAM Viewer makes reading NOTAMs easier by automatically parsing the ICAO format and highlighting important fields with color coding. The platform breaks down each NOTAM into its component parts, making it simple to understand what each field means.

When you search for an airport on NOTAM Viewer, you'll see NOTAMs organized with clear indicators for active versus expired notices. You can filter by keywords to quickly find relevant information, and the clean interface makes it easy to review multiple NOTAMs quickly and efficiently.

Conclusion: Master NOTAMs for Safer Flying

Reading NOTAMs is a fundamental pilot skill that directly contributes to flight safety. While the format may seem intimidating at first, with practice it becomes second nature. The key is understanding the structure, learning common abbreviations, and developing a systematic approach to reviewing NOTAMs.

Remember that NOTAMs are not just regulatory requirements – they're vital safety information designed to keep you informed about conditions that could affect your flight. Taking the time to thoroughly review and understand NOTAMs is an investment in your safety and the safety of your passengers.

Start incorporating thorough NOTAM checks into every flight briefing. Use tools like NOTAM Viewer to make the process more efficient, but always take the time to understand what each NOTAM means for your specific flight. With experience, reading NOTAMs will become a quick and routine part of your flight planning process.