NOTAMs


On January 11, U.S. national airspace was closed to all traffic for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, the day of the terrorist attacks on the United States. The reason? The failure of the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system, later found to be the result of an accidental file deletion by a government contractor. While lasting for a relatively brief period of time, the event opened a larger discussion on NOTAMs, their purpose, and the sheer amount issued.

Let’s take a look at some facts and figures ALPA’s compiled about NOTAMs. Click the image to enlarge.

This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue of Air Line Pilot.

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