Notice to Air Missions
Official FAA notices alerting pilots to potential hazards, closures, or changes along flight routes or at airports.
A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) is a notice filed with aviation authorities to alert pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a specific location. NOTAMs cover temporary conditions like runway closures, navigation aid outages, airspace restrictions, construction, obstacles, and other safety-relevant information. Pilots must review applicable NOTAMs before every flight. NOTAMs were formerly called 'Notices to Airmen' until the terminology was updated in 2021.
- Runway or taxiway closures
- Navigation aid outages
- Temporary obstacles (cranes, etc.)
- Airspace restrictions
- Airport construction or maintenance
Frequently Asked Questions
Do NOTAMs directly cause delays?
NOTAMs themselves don't cause delays - they inform about conditions that might. A NOTAM about a runway closure would alert pilots to reduced capacity that could cause delays.
Where can passengers see NOTAMs?
While NOTAMs are primarily for pilots, passengers can view them on FAA's NOTAM Search website or aviation apps. However, they're written in technical aviation language.
Why was 'Airmen' changed to 'Air Missions'?
The FAA updated the terminology in 2021 to be more inclusive and accurately reflect that NOTAMs apply to all aviation operations, not just crewed flights.
Related Terms
Equipment Outage
Delays caused by failure or maintenance of critical airport or air traffic control equipment.
Runway Configuration
The active runway arrangement at an airport, which determines arrival and departure capacity and rates.
Temporary Flight Restriction
An FAA-imposed restriction that temporarily limits or prohibits aircraft operations in specific airspace.
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