37
votes
Accepted
Why does this NOTAM make me think GPS is unavailable?
This outage is due to department of defense GPS interference testing taking place 17-18 Nov 2015. The interference generated may make the GPS signal unreliable and the outage cone described by NOTAM ...
- 35.1k
23
votes
Accepted
What does it mean when a runway's safety area is not standard?
Here is a view of 05/23 at CRW:
Source: Google Maps
At either end of the runway there is a large drop off, here is another view:
Source: WVGazetteMail.com
(In March of 2015, the EMAS at the ...
- 35.9k
20
votes
Accepted
How does aviation deal with satellite and Moon laser ranging, and other scientific lasers in the sky?
Is there a NOTAM or a temporary flight restriction associated with laser ranging activity?
Apparently yes:
The lasers on the telescopes are in the range of 15-40 watts. The FAA calls a no-fly zone ...
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18
votes
Accepted
Does the FAA dictate that bridges are closed for the Thunder Over Louisville airshow event?
The FAA has no authority over roads, bridges or any other public roads. Usually, it's the the event organizer who's responsible for requesting and coordinating road closures; think of triathlons, ...
- 71.3k
16
votes
Accepted
Why would a NOTAM outage cause a nationwide ground stop?
NOTAMS contain information about potential hazards and other mission-critical information that is short-lived (so not worth printing on charts) or otherwise breaking news kind of stuff.
Without that ...
- 3,368
15
votes
Why do NOTAMs consist of code instead of plain language?
The NOTAM format is from the time when people still would call the value of individual bits over a phone line.
Ok, that may not have happened, but my point is that data transfer was incredibly slow ...
- 78.1k
12
votes
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Is it possible to split a NOTAM in two messages in case it is too long to fit in a single message?
Multi-part NOTAMs seem to be part of ICAO standard, as far as googling reveals. I can’t seem to find a definitive reference though.
An example - and from experience a relatively reliable one - for a ...
- 4,642
11
votes
Does the FAA dictate that bridges are closed for the Thunder Over Louisville airshow event?
The FAA definitely has problems with the bridges. They don't have authority to close bridges, but they do have authority to refuse the waiver contingent upon things they feel are not safe.
It ...
- 28.2k
10
votes
Accepted
What does ''NAV ILS OUT OF SERVICE'' mean?
It means exactly what it says. The ILS is out of service, so you can't use it.
An ILS can consist of several different elements, for example localizer, glidepath, DME, inner/middle/outer markers as ...
- 35.5k
10
votes
Accepted
What are "CIRCLING CATS"?
"CIRCLING CATS" refers to a NOTAM element that applies to specific aircraft Categories (A,B,C,D, sometimes E). In the NOTAM (source: KPNS NOTAMs) shown below (Pensacola International ...
- 28.2k
9
votes
What are some examples of warning areas and restricted areas?
I'll provide information for the US airspace. However many countries, ICAO members, will have similar concepts and procedures.
Short answer
You are not required to follow any procedure for entering ...
- 68.8k
9
votes
Under what conditions would a helicopter be allowed to fly at low altitude over populated areas?
By your description a "military" Chinook-type helicopter was flying at high speed over a congested area at about 100 ft AGL.
The answer to your title question—...
- 16.5k
9
votes
Under what conditions would a helicopter be allowed to fly at low altitude over populated areas?
I have no idea about the specific flight you saw, but the general answer to your question about operating legally below the minimum safe altitudes in 14 CFR 91.119 is that the FAA can grant a waiver ...
- 71.3k
9
votes
Apart from Kenya, what are the current dangerous / unsafe airspaces?
I feel there is more to say than currently answered, feel free to reuse part or all of this content to build an improved answer which could be selected.
There are recaps of flight restrictions, e.g. ...
- 68.8k
9
votes
Accepted
What does 'EST' at the end of a NOTAM's valid time mean?
If the NOTAM duration is expected to return to service prior to the
End of Validity time, the time is expressed by using a date-time group
followed immediately by EST (estimate). Any NOTAM that ...
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9
votes
Accepted
Is "MATON" real or did ChatGPT just make this up?
The OP has the necessary info to answer the question:
Google couldn't find any military aeronautical telecommunications systems called MATON.
No, MATON isn't a thing.
As Stack Exchange notes in the ...
- 47.6k
8
votes
Accepted
How are pilots alerted to the publication of a NOTAM affecting their flight while in-flight?
In the case of the 777 (or any flight operating on an IFR flight plan) it is ATC's (and the pilot's) responsibility to vector the flight around restricted airspace. In the event of pop-up NOTAM's, ATC ...
- 35.9k
8
votes
Accepted
How to programmatically access AIP data, METAR, TAF, NOTAMs?
ICAO is offering a very nice API for retrieval of, for example, aerodrome names/ICAO codes and NOTAM's. It is currently in public beta, which means that it is free to use. Once they finish testing it, ...
- 35.5k
8
votes
Accepted
What, effectively, does a navaid being unmonitored mean?
Actually it doesn't have anything to do with voice capabilities:
5-3-5. UNMONITORED NAVAIDs
a. All VOR, VORTAC, and ILS equipment in the NAS have automatic monitoring and shutdown features in the ...
- 35.9k
8
votes
Accepted
These "FICON" NOTAM's contractions aren't in the FAA contraction list. What do they mean?
FICON is outlined in FAA JO 7930.107 "FICON REPORTING".
FICON is the "FIeld CONditions reporting. It identifies information that used to be called "braking action", but is now a little more succinct....
- 35.9k
8
votes
What is the difference between unserviceable, unusable, and not maintained?
UNSERVICEABLE (abbreviated U/S) is the ICAO version of what the FAA used to call OUT OF SERVICE (abbreviated OTS). To my mind this is less clear and a step backwards, but at least it's in line with ...
- 12.7k
7
votes
Accepted
What is an NTAP when referenced in a NOTAM?
The Notice to Airmen Publication is an FAA publication, currently available in PDF or print form, published every 28 days. The NTAP contains airway, airport, facility, procedural, general, and ...
- 71.1k
7
votes
What is the difference between Distant (D) NOTAMs, Local (L) NOTAMs and FDC NOTAMs in the US?
Short answer: D NOTAMs are about airports and navigation facilities; FDC NOTAMs are about airspace, procedures or regulations; and L NOTAMs don't exist any more (unless you're in the military).
The ...
- 71.3k
7
votes
Does the FAA dictate that bridges are closed for the Thunder Over Louisville airshow event?
No, the FAA does not have the authority to close a bridge, roadway, or other general public item outside of an airport or airspace.
The appropriate regulations are 14 CFR 91.303
Aerobatic flight.
...
- 35.9k
7
votes
Accepted
Is there a public NOTAM archive that's searchable by airport?
On Pilotweb, there's a "Federal NOTAM System (FNS)" section on the right side of the screen. If you select "NOTAM Search" it takes you to another NOTAM search tool. If you then select "Archive" from ...
- 71.3k
6
votes
Why do NOTAMs consist of code instead of plain language?
As I understand your question is mainly about line E of a NOTAM, right? Well, this one is in fact meant to use 'plain' English language, in contrast to all other lines, where location and reach as ...
- 555
6
votes
Why do NOTAMs consist of code instead of plain language?
1 - It's always been done that way.
2 - You'd be surprised how many government computer systems are still using ancient hardware and operating systems.
- 71
6
votes
Does anyone know where I can find old TFRs?
As you know, a TFR is published in FDC NOTAMs, so you can use the FAA's NOTAM search tool's "Archive" mode to search for past TFRs issued via FDC NOTAMs.
Use this link (https://notams.aim....
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