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Have You Checked the NOTAMs Today?

Notices to Air Missions, or NOTAMs, are issued to notify pilots of potential hazards at local airports.

NOTAMs can cover everything from ramp closures and navaids out of service to TFRs for VIPS. [Screenshot Courtesy of FAA.gov]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • NOTAMs (Notices To Air Missions) are critical, mandatory pre-flight information for all pilots, detailing timely updates on conditions, changes, and hazards in the national airspace.
  • They serve to update pilots on information not yet publicized by other means, covering everything from runway closures and facility outages to regulatory changes (FDC NOTAMs) and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs).
  • Various categories of NOTAMs exist, including local (D), unverified (U), advisory (O), regulatory (FDC), and international, all of which are essential for safe flight planning and operation.
See a mistake? Contact us.

“Someone just landed on the closed runway.”

Imagine the surprise of the crew repainting the runway numbers when they saw a Cessna 172 with two people on board coming in for a landing. There were traffic cones blocking the approach end of the runway. There was an X made with tarps, signifying a closed runway in place, yet the aircraft kept coming. The work crew scrambled out of the way, some wondering if the 172 was experiencing an emergency—but when the aircraft performed a touch and go, the situation became clear—the pilot had not checked the NOTAMs and therefore wasn’t aware that the runway was closed for repainting that day, although you would think the big X, the presence of the traffic cones, and work crew with long handled brushes and 10-gallon buckets of paint would have been a clue.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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