12.notams-types-and-uses. NOTAMs: Types and Uses
Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) are time-critical aeronautical information of a temporary nature, or information not yet published in standard charting or flight publications, that is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations. NOTAMs originate with the Federal NOTAM System (FNS) and are distributed worldwide through Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Flight Service. Reviewing applicable NOTAMs is a required element of preflight planning under 14 CFR 91.103, which obligates the pilot in command to become familiar with all available information concerning the flight.
NOTAMs are classified by the type of information they contain and where that information resides in the National Airspace System (NAS).
- NOTAM (D) — Distant NOTAMs: Information disseminated for all navigational facilities that are part of the NAS, all public-use airports, seaplane bases, and heliports listed in the Chart Supplement. NOTAM (D)s cover items such as runway and taxiway closures, construction, lighting outages, obstructions, fuel availability, airport services, and navigation aid (NAVAID) outages. They are appended to the hourly weather sequence and remain available until canceled.
- FDC NOTAMs: Issued by the Flight Data Center (FDC) and regulatory in nature. They include amendments to instrument approach procedures and other current aeronautical charts, changes to standard instrument departures (SIDs) and standard terminal arrivals (STARs), and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) issued under 14 CFR 91.137 through 91.145. FDC NOTAMs are required reading before any IFR flight and before any flight near a TFR.
- Pointer NOTAMs: Issued to call attention to another NOTAM (such as an FDC NOTAM for a TFR or an airshow). They help pilots find related information that would otherwise be filed under a different facility identifier.
- SAA NOTAMs: Issued when Special Activity Airspace (military operations areas, restricted areas, warning areas, etc.) is active outside the published schedule, or when active when not normally scheduled.
- Military NOTAMs: Pertain to U.S. military-operated airports or NAVAIDs that are part of the NAS.
- International NOTAMs: Distributed in ICAO format for flights outside U.S. domestic airspace.
In addition to these categories, the FAA publishes the Notices to Air Missions Publication (NTAP) every 28 days. The NTAP contains regulatory and long-duration NOTAMs that are expected to remain in effect for at least 7 days, plus general FDC NOTAMs of broad interest. Once a NOTAM is published in the NTAP, it is generally not provided during a standard preflight briefing unless specifically requested.
How NOTAMs are formatted. A typical NOTAM (D) is written in a contracted, telegraphic style. The standard order of fields is:
- Accountability location (the ARTCC or facility ID)
- Affected location (airport or NAVAID identifier)
- Keyword (RWY, TWY, APRON, AD, OBST, NAV, COM, SVC, AIRSPACE, ODP, SID, STAR, CHART, DATA, IAP, VFP, ROUTE, SPECIAL, SECURITY, (U) unverified, or (O) other)
- Surface identifier, if applicable
- A condition or description
- Effective start and end times in UTC, or PERM for permanent, or WIE (with immediate effect)
Example: !JFK 04/123 JFK RWY 04L/22R CLSD 2403150500-2403151100. This reads: at John F. Kennedy International, runway 04L/22R is closed from 0500Z to 1100Z on 15 March 2024.
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs). A TFR is published as an FDC NOTAM and defines an area of airspace where air travel is limited because of a hazardous condition, a special event, or a matter of national security. Common reasons include disaster relief, VIP movement (such as a presidential TFR with an inner 10 NM and outer 30 NM ring), sporting events drawing 30,000 or more spectators (3 NM and 3,000 ft AGL), and wildfires. Violating a TFR can result in certificate action, civil penalty, or criminal prosecution. Pilots should always check graphically using tfr.faa.gov or an EFB overlay because the textual description alone is easy to misread.
Obtaining NOTAMs. Pilots can retrieve NOTAMs through several sources:
- Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) as part of a standard, abbreviated, or outlook briefing.
- The FAA NOTAM Search at notams.aim.faa.gov.
- Approved Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) applications and DUATS-replacement vendors (e.g., Leidos 1800wxbrief.com, ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot).
When requesting a briefing, specify the route, altitudes, and times of flight so the briefer can filter the often-voluminous NOTAM list to those relevant to the operation. Pay particular attention to airport (AD) NOTAMs at departure, destination, and alternate; NAVAID outages affecting planned approaches; GPS/WAAS interference test NOTAMs; and any FDC NOTAMs affecting instrument procedures you intend to fly.
Best practices. Read NOTAMs early enough in the planning process to allow rerouting if necessary, re-check them within an hour or two of departure because they change frequently, and verify TFRs graphically. Document the time and source of your NOTAM review — this satisfies the spirit of 91.103 and protects the pilot in the event of an inadvertent deviation.