[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":404},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Funderstanding-notams":3,"learn-nav-\u002Flearn\u002Funderstanding-notams":370},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":306,"description":307,"draft":308,"extension":309,"faqs":310,"howTo":320,"keyTakeaways":320,"meta":321,"navigation":322,"path":323,"quiz":324,"seo":350,"series":320,"seriesOrder":320,"sources":351,"stem":367,"topic":368,"__hash__":369},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Funderstanding-notams.md","Understanding NOTAMs",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":297},"minimark",[9,21,27,32,48,55,59,68,91,94,98,101,144,214,252,256,265,290,294],[10,11,12,13,20],"p",{},"A ",[14,15,19],"a",{"href":16,"className":17},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-notam",[18],"glossary-link","NOTAM"," is a short, coded notice that warns you about a temporary change or hazard affecting a flight, from a closed runway to an unserviceable approach aid.",[22,23,24],"blockquote",{},[10,25,26],{},"This is general educational information, not operational, legal, or regulatory advice. Rules differ by authority and change over time. Always verify against current official sources and follow your operator's approved procedures.",[28,29,31],"h2",{"id":30},"what-a-notam-is","What a NOTAM is",[10,33,34,35,41,42,47],{},"A NOTAM is a notice distributed by telecommunication that contains information on the establishment, condition, or change of any aeronautical facility, service, procedure, or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to people involved in flight operations. That definition, and the format, come from ",[14,36,40],{"href":37,"rel":38},"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.icao.int\u002Fen\u002Fannexes\u002Fannex-15",[39],"nofollow","ICAO Annex 15 (Aeronautical Information Services)",", with detailed guidance in ICAO's AIS manuals. The ",[14,43,46],{"href":44,"rel":45},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fabout\u002Finitiatives\u002Fnotam\u002Fwhat_is_a_notam",[39],"FAA"," uses the same essential definition.",[10,49,50,51,54],{},"A word on the name. NOTAM has long stood for \"Notice to Airmen\". The ",[14,52,46],{"href":44,"rel":53},[39]," adopted the more inclusive \"Notice to Air Missions\" effective 2 December 2021, then reverted to \"Notice to Airmen\" in 2025; ICAO and many international sources continue to expand it as \"Notice to Airmen\". The point worth remembering is what the notice does, not which expansion is current in a given year.",[28,56,58],{"id":57},"the-three-notam-types","The three NOTAM types",[10,60,61,62,67],{},"Every NOTAM is one of three types, shown by a suffix and corroborated by the ",[14,63,66],{"href":64,"rel":65},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eurocontrol.int\u002Fpublication\u002Feurocontrol-guidelines-operating-procedures-ais-dynamic-data-opadd",[39],"EUROCONTROL OPADD guidelines",":",[69,70,71,79,85],"ul",{},[72,73,74,78],"li",{},[75,76,77],"strong",{},"NOTAMN"," is a new NOTAM.",[72,80,81,84],{},[75,82,83],{},"NOTAMR"," replaces a previous NOTAM, and cancels the one it replaces.",[72,86,87,90],{},[75,88,89],{},"NOTAMC"," cancels a previous NOTAM.",[10,92,93],{},"So if you see a NOTAMR, look for the reference to the earlier NOTAM it supersedes, and read the new one rather than the old.",[28,95,97],{"id":96},"a-worked-example","A worked example",[10,99,100],{},"A NOTAM in the ICAO format is built from a header, a qualifier line, and a set of lettered fields. Take this runway closure:",[69,102,103,110,120,126,132,138],{},[72,104,105,109],{},[106,107,108],"code",{},"A1234\u002F26 NOTAMN"," is the NOTAM number (series A, number 1234, year 2026) and type (new).",[72,111,112,115,116,119],{},[106,113,114],{},"Q) EGTT\u002FQMRLC\u002FIV\u002FNBO\u002FA\u002F000\u002F999\u002F5129N00028W005"," is the ",[75,117,118],{},"Q-line",", or qualifier line.",[72,121,122,125],{},[106,123,124],{},"A) EGLL"," is the location: London Heathrow.",[72,127,128,131],{},[106,129,130],{},"B) 2606180600"," is the start of validity: 2026, June, the 18th, at 0600 UTC.",[72,133,134,137],{},[106,135,136],{},"C) 2606181800"," is the end of validity: the same day at 1800 UTC.",[72,139,140,143],{},[106,141,142],{},"E) RWY 09L\u002F27R CLOSED DUE WIP"," is the plain-language text: runway 09L\u002F27R closed due to work in progress.",[10,145,146,147,150,151,154,155,158,159,164,165,168,169,172,173,176,177,182,183,186,187,192,193,182,198,201,202,205,206,209,210,213],{},"The Q-line packs the machine-readable qualifiers used to sort and filter NOTAMs. Reading ",[106,148,149],{},"EGTT\u002FQMRLC\u002FIV\u002FNBO\u002FA\u002F000\u002F999\u002F5129N00028W005",": ",[106,152,153],{},"EGTT"," is the London flight information region; ",[106,156,157],{},"QMRLC"," is the five-letter ",[14,160,163],{"href":161,"className":162},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-q-code",[18],"Q-code",", which always starts with ",[106,166,167],{},"Q",", where the subject letters ",[106,170,171],{},"MR"," mean runway and the condition letters ",[106,174,175],{},"LC"," mean closed (the Q-code structure is set out in ",[14,178,181],{"href":179,"rel":180},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fair_traffic\u002Fpublications\u002Fatpubs\u002Fnotam_html\u002Fappendix_b.html",[39],"FAA Order JO 7930.2, Appendix B","); ",[106,184,185],{},"IV"," shows the traffic affected (",[14,188,191],{"href":189,"className":190},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-ifr",[18],"IFR"," and ",[14,194,197],{"href":195,"className":196},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-vfr",[18],"VFR",[106,199,200],{},"NBO"," are purpose qualifiers; ",[106,203,204],{},"A"," is the scope (aerodrome); ",[106,207,208],{},"000\u002F999"," are the lower and upper height limits as flight levels; and ",[106,211,212],{},"5129N00028W005"," is the centre coordinate with a radius of 5 nautical miles.",[10,215,216,217,220,221,192,224,227,228,233,234,192,237,240,241,243,244,247,248,251],{},"Two more fields appear on many NOTAMs. Field ",[106,218,219],{},"D)"," carries a schedule or timetable when the activity is intermittent, and fields ",[106,222,223],{},"F)",[106,225,226],{},"G)"," give the lower and upper height limits for airspace and navigation NOTAMs. Per ",[14,229,232],{"href":230,"rel":231},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fair_traffic\u002Fpublications\u002Fatpubs\u002Fnotam_html\u002Fchap4_section_2.html",[39],"FAA Order JO 7930.2",", the date-time groups in ",[106,235,236],{},"B)",[106,238,239],{},"C)"," are UTC, ",[106,242,239],{}," can read ",[106,245,246],{},"PERM"," for a permanent change, and a time followed by ",[106,249,250],{},"EST"," means the end time is only estimated and the NOTAM will be replaced or cancelled later.",[28,253,255],{"id":254},"notam-overload-is-a-real-problem","NOTAM overload is a real problem",[10,257,258,259,264],{},"NOTAMs are conventionally written in capitals using ICAO abbreviations and contractions, and they arrive in large numbers. A single pre-flight package can run to dozens of items, and a genuinely important one (a closed runway, a lowered approach minimum) can hide among routine entries about crane lights and grass cutting. This information overload is a recognised safety issue, and authorities are modernising how NOTAMs are managed and filtered, including the ",[14,260,263],{"href":261,"rel":262},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fnewsroom\u002Ffaa-accelerates-critical-technology-upgrade",[39],"FAA's NOTAM modernisation work",". The practical defence is disciplined reading: filter by your route, aerodromes, and altitudes, and read the high-impact categories first.",[10,266,267,268,277,278,283,284,289],{},"The packaged set of NOTAMs for a route or area is called a ",[75,269,270,271,276],{},"Pre-flight Information Bulletin (",[14,272,275],{"href":273,"className":274},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-pib",[18],"PIB",")",", available from services such as the ",[14,279,282],{"href":280,"rel":281},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eurocontrol.int\u002Fservice\u002Feuropean-ais-database",[39],"EUROCONTROL European AIS Database"," and the ",[14,285,288],{"href":286,"rel":287},"https:\u002F\u002Fnats-uk.ead-it.com\u002Fcms-nats\u002Fopencms\u002Fen\u002Fhome\u002F",[39],"UK NATS AIS",".",[28,291,293],{"id":292},"in-pilot-efb","In Pilot EFB",[10,295,296],{},"Pilot EFB pulls the NOTAMs for your route and helps you work through them by aerodrome and area, so the items that matter are easier to find. NOTAMs you have already pulled stay readable with no signal, because your device holds what you have saved; getting the latest issued NOTAMs needs a connection. Pilot EFB is offline-first and is not a certified Electronic Flight Bag, so confirm against the official AIS source before you fly.",{"title":298,"searchDepth":299,"depth":299,"links":300},"",2,[301,302,303,304,305],{"id":30,"depth":299,"text":31},{"id":57,"depth":299,"text":58},{"id":96,"depth":299,"text":97},{"id":254,"depth":299,"text":255},{"id":292,"depth":299,"text":293},"2026-06-15","What a NOTAM is, how the ICAO format and Q-line are built, the difference between NOTAMN, NOTAMR and NOTAMC, and how to deal with NOTAM overload.",false,"md",[311,314,317],{"q":312,"a":313},"What is a NOTAM?","A NOTAM is a notice distributed by telecommunication about the establishment, condition or change of an aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard whose timely knowledge is essential to flight operations, such as a closed runway or an unserviceable approach aid. The definition and format come from ICAO Annex 15, and the FAA uses the same essential definition.",{"q":315,"a":316},"What is the difference between NOTAMN, NOTAMR and NOTAMC?","NOTAMN is a new NOTAM; NOTAMR replaces a previous NOTAM and cancels the one it replaces; and NOTAMC cancels a previous NOTAM. When you see a NOTAMR, read the new one rather than the earlier NOTAM it supersedes.",{"q":318,"a":319},"What does NOTAM stand for?","It has long stood for 'Notice to Airmen'. The FAA adopted the more inclusive 'Notice to Air Missions' in December 2021 and reverted to 'Notice to Airmen' in 2025, while ICAO and many international sources continue to use 'Notice to Airmen'. What matters is what the notice does, not which expansion is current.",null,{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Funderstanding-notams",[325,333,342],{"q":315,"options":326,"answer":331,"explanation":332},[327,328,329,330],"New, replacing, and cancelling","National, regional, and civil","Notice, runway, and closure","Normal, rapid, and critical",0,"NOTAMN is a new NOTAM, NOTAMR replaces a previous NOTAM and cancels the one it replaces, and NOTAMC cancels a previous NOTAM.",{"q":334,"options":335,"answer":340,"explanation":341},"In a NOTAM, what time reference do the date-time groups in fields B) and C) use?",[336,337,338,339],"Local time at the aerodrome","UTC","The time zone of the issuing office","Calendar dates only, with no time",1,"Per FAA Order JO 7930.2, the date-time groups in B) and C) are UTC, and C) can read PERM for a permanent change.",{"q":343,"options":344,"answer":340,"explanation":349},"What is a Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB)?",[345,346,347,348],"A single high-priority NOTAM","The packaged set of NOTAMs for a route or area","A weather forecast for the destination","The Q-line of a NOTAM","The packaged set of NOTAMs for a route or area is called a Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB).",{"title":5,"description":307},[352,354,357,359,361,363,365],{"label":353,"url":44},"FAA: What is a NOTAM?",{"label":355,"url":356},"FAA Order JO 7930.2 (Notices to Airmen)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fair_traffic\u002Fpublications\u002Fatpubs\u002Fnotam_html\u002F",{"label":358,"url":179},"FAA Order JO 7930.2, Appendix B: International NOTAM (Q) Codes",{"label":360,"url":37},"ICAO Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services",{"label":362,"url":280},"EUROCONTROL European AIS Database (EAD)",{"label":364,"url":64},"EUROCONTROL OPADD guidelines (NOTAM operating procedures)",{"label":366,"url":286},"UK NATS Aeronautical Information Services","learn\u002Funderstanding-notams","Briefing","hLlr3iuWPbEhClyUP3TvUPKOsWlTwY_Nlgjw4N_-Y0Q",{"related":371,"newer":391,"older":397,"series":320},[372,378,384],{"path":373,"title":374,"description":375,"date":376,"topic":368,"draft":308,"minutes":377,"series":320,"seriesOrder":320},"\u002Flearn\u002Ficao-vs-iata-codes","ICAO vs IATA codes explained","The difference between the 4-letter ICAO location indicators used for flight planning and weather and the 3-letter IATA codes on your boarding pass, plus airline codes and callsigns.","2026-06-20",3,{"path":379,"title":380,"description":381,"date":382,"topic":368,"draft":308,"minutes":383,"series":320,"seriesOrder":320},"\u002Flearn\u002Foffline-first-preflight-briefing","The offline-first preflight briefing","What the rules require you to check before flight, how to build a self-brief, and the honest difference between offline-first and working fully offline.","2026-06-11",4,{"path":385,"title":386,"description":387,"date":388,"topic":368,"draft":308,"minutes":383,"series":389,"seriesOrder":390},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to-read-a-pirep","How to read a PIREP","Decode a pilot weather report field by field, understand the UA and UUA types and the slash-coded elements, and see how a PIREP fills the gaps between weather stations.","2026-06-07","decode-the-weather",5,{"path":392,"title":393,"description":394,"date":395,"topic":396,"draft":308,"minutes":383,"series":389,"seriesOrder":299},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to-read-a-taf","How to read a TAF","Decode a Terminal Aerodrome Forecast, including the FM, BECMG, TEMPO and PROB change groups, the validity period, and how a forecast differs from a METAR observation.","2026-06-16","Weather",{"path":398,"title":399,"description":400,"date":401,"topic":402,"draft":308,"minutes":383,"series":403,"seriesOrder":299},"\u002Flearn\u002Fflight-time-limitations-explained","Flight time limitations explained","Flight time, duty, flight duty period and rest, explained plainly, with the EASA\u002FUK CAA and FAA limits attributed to each authority. Numbers differ by authority and change, so always check the current rule.","2026-06-14","Regulations","duty-rest-and-flight-time-limits",1781989192105]