NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions, formerly Notice to Airmen)

A NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions, formerly Notice to Airmen) is an urgent, safety-critical notice issued by aviation authorities. It alerts pilots and flight dispatchers to abnormal, temporary, or time-sensitive hazards, restrictions, or changes at airports and along flight routes that could affect flight safety.

NOTAMs are essential for maintaining situational awareness. They cover a wide variety of time-critical information, including:

• Airport hazards: Closed runways or taxiways, construction on the tarmac, and unlit runway towers.
• Airspace restrictions: Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) for VIP movements, military exercises, or natural disasters.
• Equipment outages: Failed navigational aids (NAVAIDs) or broken air traffic control communication frequencies.
• Unusual events: Airshows, parachute jumping, rocket launches, or significant volcanic ash advisories.

Because aviation conditions change rapidly, pilots and operators are required by law to review all relevant NOTAMs for their route and destination before every flight.