The way Notices to Airmen are written is
confusing to pilots, and it can be difficult to extract important
safety-of-flight information from the mass of data, researchers at the
University of Central Florida, in Orlando, have found (winning them our
thanks ... but possibly also our, "Gee, you think so?" award). "This is
critical information, yet the way it's transmitted is vintage 1960s or
1970s at best," said Florian Jentsch, research director, who is also a
CFI. "As a result, it's an extremely confusing system, and it's very
difficult to find what you need." The notices should be written in
"plain and simple" language instead of abbreviations that can confuse
even experienced pilots, the researchers found. They also said the
notices should be better organized so pilots can sort the data on their
own and easily find important information pertaining to their flights.
Critical characteristics of NOTAMs that the researchers panned are the
use of all-capital letters and abbreviations, and the lack of a system
that allows pilots an efficient way find the notices by time, place or
altitude to figure out which ones are relevant. Jentsch and his research
team gave written surveys to 77 pilots and dispatchers, most of whom
indicated they want the notices to be written in "easy-to-read, plain
language." Changes would make flying safer and more efficient and would
also help pilots stay out of TFRs, Jentsch said. The format of NOTAMs
today is basically the same as when the messages were sent by Teletype
machines 30 years ago.
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New notam
system must have pilot's needs in mind
By Ian J. Twombly
February 3, 2009
As part of the FAA’s previously announced plan to update the U.S. notam
system, AOPA has recommended to the FAA that it consider pilot access,
ensure pilots receive only applicable notams, and make sure the
transition does not require additional pilot education.
AOPA sent the FAA a letter
to ensure the FAA had pilots’ needs in mind as it continues its lengthy
overhaul of the notam distribution method. AOPA Manager of Air Traffic
Services Pete Lehmann recommended that the FAA continue to offer notams
through flight service and DUATS. “The updated notam system should also
be designed so that in the future pilots can more frequently utilize
graphics and other formats that are easier to use and less cumbersome to
interpret,” he said. Lehmann went on to say the new notam system should
filter out unnecessary information that pilots now have to wade through.
He also said the system should tailor the notams to the type of
operation. Finally, AOPA argued against brining the notam system into
the ICAO standard. “Harmonizing with ICAO would likely require all
pilots to be trained on the new notam format, a costly and
time-consuming effort that could easily be avoided if the FAA designs
the future notam system in such a way that pilots can read the notam
information in the existing format,” Lehmann said. AOPA’s current letter
is the latest in a series of efforts aimed at ensuring members are well
represented through the long process of changing the notam system.
FAA
Beta Notam System
in plain and simple language
