DOT Completes Phase 1 of NOTAM System Overhaul

Upgrade completed over a year ahead of schedule.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An FAA agency flag [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has successfully completed Phase 1 of an overhaul and upgrade to its critical Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system, implementing the new NOTAM Management Service (NMS).
This modernization addresses the legacy system's unreliability, highlighted by a nationwide flight grounding in January 2023 due to a NOTAM system collapse caused by an accidental file deletion.
The new NMS is designed to enhance aviation safety, prevent future airspace shutdowns, and improve the reliability of flight-critical information for pilots, with the full transition expected later this year.

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Checking a Notice to Airmen before a flight will be a more reliable process now that the FAA has successfully implemented Phase 1 of an overhaul and upgrade of the NOTAM system.

According to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the NOTAM upgrade, known as the NOTAM Management Service (NMS), will prevent nationwide airspace shutdowns, enhance safety, and improve communications.