NOTAMS Back to Basics - Airports

NOTAMs

Back to Basics: Airports

Information valid through December 2018

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NOTAMs Affect All Users of the NAS ICAO

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NOTAM

In 1947, it was agreed to begin issuing NOTAMs via telecommunications. NOTAMs were modeled after Notice to Mariners, which advised ship captains of hazards in navigating the high seas.

Information valid through

December 2020

A NOTAM is a notice containing information essential to personnel concerned with flight operations but not known far enough in advance to be publicized by other means. NOTAMs concern the establishment, condition, or change of any component (facility, service, procedure, or hazard) in the NAS. They must state the abnormal status of a component of the NAS — not the normal status.

NOTAM Contractions

NOTAMs have a unique language characterized by the use of specialized contractions.

Contractions are imperative to the NOTAM structure because they make communication more efficient and allow computer systems to parse important words.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is the leading authority for standardizing contractions in the international aeronautical community. If there is no ICAO contraction, plain language is used.

Reference: FAA Order JO 7340.2, Contractions, the manual for commonly used contractions Contractions Manual

Building Blocks of a NOTAM

NOTAM Components

! The exclamation mark serves an automated data processing function and has no bearing on the contents or meaning of the

NOTAM All NOTAMs follow a specific format, which includes several required elements.

The graphic on the previous

page shows the mandatory elements of each NOTAM.

Several additional elements may

be included “when needed.”

The slides with “when needed” in the title show optional components in their proper placement in the NOTAM structure, but those components may or may not be used.

NOTAM Components

NOTAM Components: Accountability and Number Examples of the identifier of the accountability location:

The NOTAM number (MM/NNN), comes after the accountability; MM is the two-digit month, and NNN is the three-digit number, ranging from 001 to 999.

Note - since the NOTAM number contains month and not year, the NOTAMs don’t necessarily appear in chronological order.

NOTAM Component: Location Identifier

The location identifier is the affected facility

or location that appears after the NOTAM number, including:

NOTAM Components – Keywords

Include one of the following

keywords most commonly used by airport operators:

Information valid through

December 2020

Communication

…COM CTAF

122.725

CHANGED TO

123.075…

NOTAM Examples

Information valid through

December 2020

…AIRSPACE AEROBATIC ACFT WI

AN AREA DEFINED AS 1NM RADIUS

OF FSO SFC-3500FT DLY 1600-

1700……TWY F EDGE LGT

OUT OF SERVICE …

…OBST TOWER LGT (ASR 1050171) 383430.80N0844921.70W

(18.9NM ESE 8I1) 1229FT (289FT AGL) OUT OF SERVICE …

…RWY 03/21 CLSD…

In the above example, the surface movement radar (attribute) is out of service for a specified period of time. Notice the attribute follows the keyword. However, when using the keywords RWY, APRON or TWY a surface designator must follow the keyword.

Example: …RWY 03 CLSD…and…APRON MAIN RAMP CLSD… and…TWY DB OPN…

NOTAM Components: Attribute, Activity or

Surface Designator

This indicates a portion of the surface, instead of the entire surface segment.

Example:

…SOUTH 100FT…

…BTN TWY C AND TWY B…

…NORTH OF RWY 09/27…

NOTAM Components (When Needed):

Surface Segment

NOTAM Components (When Needed): Facility, Feature, Service, System, and/or Components Thereof Examples:

…HLDG PSN SIGN…

…ILS LOC…

Common Issue Best Practice

Both taxiways and runways

have HLDG PSN SIGN

Example:

…RWY 01 HLDG PSN SIGN NOT

LGTD…

Where is this sign? On the

runway as it says, or on the taxiway holding short of RWY 01?

When originating a NOTAM, use the keyword that matches the location of the sign—where the pilot will be sitting when he or she sees this sign.

To avoid confusion with runway holding position signs, ALWAYS include the crossing runway.

Example:

…TWY A HLDG PSN SIGN…

The pilot is on TWY A holding short of RWY 01/19

Example:

…RWY 01 HLDG PSN SIGN FOR RWY 09/27…

The pilot is on runway 01 holding short of RWY 09/27

NOTAM Components (When Needed): Location Description This is an explanation that helps better define the location of the issue.

Example:

…WIP MOWING LEFT SIDE APCH END RWY 10...

…SOUTHEAST SIDE FOR RWY 13L/31R…

… APRON MAIN RAMP N 123FT CLSD…

NOTAM Components: Condition

U/S – UNSERVICEABLE (formerly OUT OF SERVICE) OPN – OPEN

ACT – ACTIVE

CLSD – CLOSED

Example:

…NAV ILS RWY 09 HUGGY LOM OUT OF SERVICE…

…RWY 14/32 CLSD…

NOTAM Components (When Needed): Remarks

Remarks are any additional pieces of information that might benefit the pilot.

Specified in the element before the Start of Activity Example:

!MIV MM/NNNN EVY RWY 11/29 CLSD DLY 2200-0900 YY05142200-YY05170900

Explanation: The runway is closed between 2200 and 0900 each day starting on Sunday May 14, and ending on Wednesday May 17.

NOTAM Components (When Needed): Schedule

SUN MON TUE WED

Common Issue Best Practice

How to determine the

schedule within the valid times when the first day is different from the rest?

Ensure the schedule times match the Start of Activity and End of Validity times.

Note: If the times don’t match, issue 2 separate NOTAMs.

PERM NOTAMs advertise a

permanent condition to be published in a publication, chart or database. If the End of Validity time is not known estimate using a 10 digit date-time group.

NOTAM Components: Start of Activity/End of Validity A 10-digit date-time group

(YYMMDDHHMM) UTC indicating:

The date/time at which the NOTAM comes into or a condition will begin The time when the NOTAM ceases to be in force and becomes invalid, including the expected time of return to service, return to normal status, or the end of the activity.

Common Issue Best Practice

Misunderstanding the use of

“estimated” (EST)

Use EST when the condition may finish and resume normal operations earlier than anticipated.

All NOTAMs (except PERM) will auto-cancel at the End of Validity.

A NOTAM is not valid past its End of Validity time and must not be used for navigation purposes.

Verify the accuracy of NOTAMs on a daily basis.

Classification of NOTAMs

NOTAM D NOTAM Ds contain information concerning the establishment, condition, or change of any:

!DAY 07/030 DAY TWY K HLDG PSN SIGN

NOT LGTD YY07280307-YY08072200

Common Issue Best Practice

The time it takes a NOTAM to

process from origination to the end user is not immediate.

The airport should coordinate the activity with the overlying Air Traffic facility. Technical Operations should coordinate the activity with the facility before implementing.

Pointer NOTAM

NOTAM D issued to point to additional aeronautical

information such as another NOTAM, Chart Supplement or Traffic Management Program.

The keyword in the pointer NOTAM must match the keyword in the original NOTAM.

Information valid through

December 2020

Original:

!ENA 08/105 ZAN OBST POWER LINES (ASN 2015-AAL-127/128/129/OE) ANN265037 (HEAD OF HETTA INLET) 304FT (92FT AGL) NOT CHARTED YY08311654-PERM Pointer:

!HYG 08/003 HYG OBST SEE ZAN 08/105 POWER LINES NOT CHARTED YY08311700-PERM

Field Condition (FICON) NOTAM

A FICON NOTAM contains information on the surface conditions of landing runways, taxiways and aprons. Example:

…RWY 01 FICON 1/2/2 100 PCT ICE, 100 PCT 1IN

SLUSH, 100 PCT 1IN SLUSH…

Explanation: Runway 01 is the landing runway. The RWY Condition Code is 1/2/2. The first third is covered with between 91-100% ice. The remaining two-thirds are 100% covered in one inch of slush.

Notice to Airmen Publication (NTAP) Most changes to the NAS that require NOTAMs are known in advance and carried in FAA publications. Other changes, not known in advance, are carried in the Notices to Airmen publication (NTAP) and/or the Service A telecommunications system as a NOTAM D item.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1) What does the NOTAM format look like?

A1) See examples in the FAA Order 7930.2, Notices to Airmen; the Advisory Circular; and samples on the e-NOTAM II (ENII) website. Q2) How do I access NOTAMs on the FAA website?

A2) They are fully accessible via NOTAM Search (see reference slide) a) A search can be conducted on location, free text, geographical radius, or flight path.

b) Historical NOTAMs can be seen using the archive function:

1) The NOTAM history goes back five years.

2) You must provide a specific location on a specific date. Q3) Why do all NOTAMs have a start/stop time?

A3) Until Further Notice (UFN) and With Effect From (WEF) have been replaced with the ICAO Start of Activity/End of Validity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q4) When is the term “PERM” (permanent) used as the End of Validity? A4) When NOTAM content is to be published in the U.S. Chart Supplement or other publication. Q5) How can I find out more about crane operations A5) Utilize the OE/AAA website at OEAAA Portal to have a better situational awareness at airports. Q6) I’m the NOTAM Originator. What do I do when a NOTAM condition still exists, but the NOTAM is about to expire?

A6) The NOTAM Originator has the responsibility to ensure the NOTAM is replaced with a new End of Validity time. If a NOTAM drops out of the system, the end user will assume the situation rectified itself and is back to normal operations.

References

Internet Resources:

NOTAM Search: https://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/

National Flight Data Center Homepage: https://nfdc.faa.gov/xwiki/bin/view/NFDC/WebHome Flight Service Homepage: www.faa.gov/go/flightservice Flight Service Flight Briefing Website: www.1800wxbrief.com Current Temporary Flight Restrictions: http://tfr.faa.gov Flight Service ENII System: https://notams.aim.faa.gov/en2/ GPS Notices: https://www.faasafety.gov/SPANS/notices_public.aspx OEAAA Portal: https://oeaaa.faa.gov/oeaaa/external/portal.jsp FAA Documents:

The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) contains important NOTAM governance for pilots. FAA Order 7930.2, Notices to Airmen, provides guidance for FAA users. Advisory Circular (AC) 150/5200-28, NOTAMs for Airport Operators, provides information to the airport operator.

FAA Order JO 7340.2G, Contractions, contains guidance on appropriate abbreviations for NOTAM writing.