What Are NOTAMs? Notices to Airmen Explained
Learn what NOTAMs are, why pilots must check them, common NOTAM types, and how to read them during preflight planning safely.
NOTAMs are one of the least enjoyable parts of preflight planning, but they are also one of the most important. A NOTAM tells pilots about conditions that may affect a flight: closed runways, out-of-service navigation aids, temporary flight restrictions, lighting outages, procedure changes, hazards, and more.
In FAA usage, NOTAM stands for Notice to Airmen. The name has changed before, so pilots should follow the wording used in current FAA briefing products and publications. The cockpit habit stays the same: check NOTAMs before you fly.
Why NOTAMs Matter
A safe flight plan can become unsafe if you miss one piece of airport or airspace information. A runway may be closed. A taxiway may be unavailable. A VOR may be out of service. A tower light may be failed. A special event may create a temporary restriction.
Under preflight action requirements, pilots are expected to become familiar with information relevant to the flight. NOTAMs are a major part of that information.
For student pilots, the practical lesson is simple: do not scroll past NOTAMs because they look hard to read. Slow down and decode the ones that affect your route, departure airport, destination, alternates, and practice area.
How NOTAMs Are Written
NOTAMs are compact because they are designed to carry a lot of information in a small format. That compact style makes them look unfriendly at first.
A NOTAM usually tells you:
- The affected location or facility
- The subject, such as runway, taxiway, airspace, or NAVAID
- The condition, such as closed or out of service
- The effective time
- Sometimes the altitude, radius, schedule, or operating area
Times are normally given in UTC, not local time. That matters. Always convert carefully when the timing affects your decision.
Common NOTAM Types
Many pilots see airport and facility NOTAMs most often. These may cover runway closures, taxiway closures, lighting outages, NAVAID outages, construction, field conditions, or local hazards.
FDC NOTAMs can affect procedures, airspace, and regulatory items. They may change instrument procedures, publish temporary restrictions, or update important operational information.
Pointer NOTAMs direct pilots to another NOTAM that may matter nearby. They are easy to skip, but they exist because one location may be affected by something published under another location.
FICON NOTAMs report field conditions, such as runway contamination and braking action information. These are especially important in winter operations or after heavy precipitation.
GPS NOTAMs can warn of GPS interference, testing, reduced availability, or other navigation concerns. If your plan depends heavily on GPS, these deserve real attention.
How Student Pilots Should Read Them
Start broad, then narrow down. First ask, "Does this apply to my flight?" If yes, ask, "What action do I need to take?"
For example, a runway closure at your destination may change your landing runway, performance planning, or decision to go. A taxiway closure may simply require a different taxi route. A NAVAID outage may require a different navigation plan or approach.
Do not try to memorize every contraction at once. Learn the common ones: RWY, TWY, CLSD, OTS, NAV, APCH, AD, and TFR. Then use approved references and briefing tools to decode the rest.
Where to Find NOTAMs
Use official and current preflight briefing tools, flight planning services, and aviation apps that pull current NOTAM data. For training, your instructor may have a preferred briefing workflow.
The tool matters less than the habit: check close enough to departure that the information is current, then recheck if the flight is delayed.
If a NOTAM is unclear, ask. Flight Service, your instructor, airport operations, or ATC may help clarify how it affects your plan.
The Cockpit Habit
Before flight, brief the NOTAMs that actually change what you will do. "Runway 18 closed" is not trivia if you planned to depart Runway 18. "Taxiway Alpha closed" matters if that was your expected route. "GPS unavailable" matters if you planned a GPS approach.
A Simple NOTAM Briefing Flow
For a student cross-country, use a repeatable order. Check the departure airport, then the route, then the destination, then alternates. For each airport, look at runways, taxiways, lighting, communications, services, field condition, and local hazards.
Next, look at airspace and navigation. Ask whether any TFR, special activity airspace, NAVAID outage, GPS issue, or procedure change affects the route. If you are planning instrument work, spend extra time on FDC and procedure-related information.
Finally, convert the important times to local time. A NOTAM that starts thirty minutes after your planned arrival may still matter if you are delayed. That is the kind of detail that separates a casual briefing from a useful one.
NOTAMs are not just paperwork. They are the system's way of telling you that the real world changed after the chart was printed. Good pilots pay attention to that.
Related Reading
Official References
Need help applying this to your training?
Use this guide as a starting point, then bring the confusing parts to a focused ground lesson. Diego works with Louisville-area and remote students on FAA knowledge, oral-prep, and practical training decisions.