How to read NOTAMS

Updated at: 2025-12-01 11:23
Notice to Air Missions (NOTAMs) describe time-critical changes in the aeronautical environment, such as runway closures, navaid outages, or new procedures; learning to read them correctly is essential for safe preflight planning and in-flight decision-making.
How to read NOTAMS 1. What is a NOTAM? 2. Purpose of NOTAMs 3. Where NOTAMs are used in aviation 4. Types and structure of NOTAMs 4.1 Common NOTAM categories 4.2 ICAO NOTAM format: key fields 5. How to read a NOTAM step by step 5.1 Step 1  Identify the location 5.2 Step 2 – Check the effective period 5.3 Step 3 – Look for daily schedules 5.4 Step 4 – Read the main text carefully 5.5 Step 5 – Note vertical and lateral limits 5.6 Step 6 – Decide operational impact 6. Common NOTAM abbreviations for student pilots 7. Operational considerations and best practices 7.1 Prioritizing safety-critical NOTAMs 7.2 Integrating NOTAMs into preflight planning 7.3 Monitoring NOTAM changes 7.4 Human factors when reading NOTAMs 8. Example NOTAMs and interpretation 8.1 Example 1 – Runway closed 8.2 Example 2 – Temporary restricted area 8.3 Example 3 – Lighting unserviceable 9. Summary for student pilots

1. What is a NOTAM?

A Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) is an official, time-limited message that informs pilots and other aviation personnel about temporary or short-notice changes that may affect flight operations. NOTAMs supplement, but do not replace, permanent information found in publications such as the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), charts, and airport directories.
NOTAMs are typically distributed via national aeronautical information services, flight planning tools, and briefing systems. They are written in a standardized, compact format to allow rapid transmission and interpretation worldwide.

2. Purpose of NOTAMs

The primary purpose of a NOTAM is to warn pilots and air traffic services about changes that could affect the safety, regularity, or efficiency of air navigation. These changes are often temporary, unplanned, or implemented at short notice, making it impractical to publish them through slower channels such as chart revisions.
Typical subjects include runway or taxiway closures, changes to approach or departure procedures, navigation aid (navaid) outages, airspace restrictions, obstacles, lighting failures, and temporary changes to airport services such as fuel availability or fire and rescue category.

3. Where NOTAMs are used in aviation

NOTAMs are used throughout the flight operation process, from preflight planning to in-flight decision-making. Student pilots typically encounter NOTAMs during briefing, route planning, and when reviewing conditions at the departure, destination, and alternate aerodromes.
Key uses include:
  • Preflight planning: Checking runway availability, airspace restrictions, and navaid status along the planned route.
  • Departure and arrival: Confirming any temporary changes to circuits, approach minima, or airport operating hours.
  • En-route operations: Identifying danger areas, military exercises, unmanned aircraft activity, or temporary restricted airspace.
  • Training flights: Ensuring practice areas, navigation beacons, and training airfields are available and not restricted.
Regulations in most states require pilots to become familiar with all available information concerning the flight, which explicitly includes NOTAMs. For student pilots, developing a disciplined method of reviewing and interpreting NOTAMs is a core part of legal and safe operation.

4. Types and structure of NOTAMs

Although details vary slightly by country and system, most NOTAMs follow the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) format. Understanding the basic types and structure makes them easier to read and prioritize.

4.1 Common NOTAM categories

  • Aerodrome NOTAMs: Relate to a specific airport or heliport (for example, runway closures, lighting, local procedures).
  • En-route NOTAMs: Affect airways, navigation aids, or airspace along a route.
  • Airspace NOTAMs: Define temporary restricted, danger, or prohibited areas, or changes to controlled airspace.
  • Technical NOTAMs: Cover systems such as GNSS, radar, or communications outages.
  • International vs. domestic: Some NOTAMs are distributed internationally, others only within a state or region.

4.2 ICAO NOTAM format: key fields

A standard ICAO-format NOTAM is usually presented as a series of labeled fields (often shown as Q), A), B), C), D), E), and sometimes others. Many online briefings also show a simplified, plain-language view, but understanding the original structure is valuable for any pilot.
  • Q) "Qualifier" line: encodes information such as flight information region (FIR), NOTAM subject, condition, traffic and scope, and lower/upper limits.
  • A) Location: the aerodrome or FIR code the NOTAM applies to (for example, EHAM for Amsterdam Schiphol).
  • B) Start time: the date and time the NOTAM becomes effective, usually in coordinated universal time (UTC).
  • C) End time: the date and time the NOTAM ceases to be effective, or "PERM" for permanent, or "EST" for estimated.
  • D) Daily schedule: if applicable, indicates hours or days when the NOTAM is active.
  • E) Text: a brief description of the condition or restriction, often using standardized abbreviations.
  • F) and G) Vertical limits: lower (F) and upper (G) altitude or flight level limits, if relevant.
As a student pilot, you will often focus on the A), B), C), D), and E) fields, because they tell you where the NOTAM applies, when it is active, and what exactly has changed.

5. How to read a NOTAM step by step

When you receive a briefing, you may see many NOTAMs. A systematic approach helps you quickly identify which ones affect your flight. The following procedure can be applied to each NOTAM you review.

5.1 Step 1  Identify the location

First, read the A) field to determine where the NOTAM applies. Confirm whether it relates to your departure aerodrome, destination, alternate, or route. If the location is an FIR or area code, it may apply to a wider region rather than a single airport.
If the NOTAM is clearly unrelated to your planned route or training area, you can mark it as informational and focus on others that directly affect your flight.

5.2 Step 2 – Check the effective period

Next, read the B) and C) fields. These show the start and end times, usually in the format YYMMDDhhmm, where YY is year, MM month, DD day, hh hour, and mm minutes in UTC. Compare these with your planned off-block and landing times, including any possible delays.
If a NOTAM is marked with "PERM" in the C) field, it indicates a permanent change that will eventually be incorporated into official publications. If it shows "EST" (estimated), treat the end time with caution; the restriction may be extended.

5.3 Step 3 – Look for daily schedules

The D) field, when present, describes specific days or hours when the NOTAM is active. This is common for runway works, airspace activations, and lighting changes. You must ensure your flight falls outside any periods that would make your intended operation unsafe or impossible.
For example, a runway closure may be active only during certain hours each night. In that case, a daytime training flight might not be affected, while an evening flight could be impossible.

5.4 Step 4 – Read the main text carefully

The E) field contains the main description of the change or hazard. It is usually short and uses standardized abbreviations to keep the message concise. Read it slowly and, if necessary, decode unfamiliar abbreviations using a standard list from your national aeronautical information publication or training material.
  • Subject: What part of the aerodrome or airspace is affected (for example, runway, taxiway, approach, navaid, lighting).
  • Condition: What has changed (for example, closed, unserviceable, reduced length, works in progress).
  • Impact: How this affects your operation (for example, no night operations, displaced threshold, circuit pattern changed).
If you cannot clearly understand how the NOTAM affects your flight, note the reference and ask your instructor, flight operations, or air traffic services for clarification before departure.

5.5 Step 5 – Note vertical and lateral limits

For airspace-related NOTAMs, pay attention to any vertical and lateral limits. These may appear in the Q) line and in the E) text, often expressed as altitudes or flight levels (for example, SFC–FL095 means from the surface up to flight level 95).
Check whether your planned cruising level or training altitude passes through the affected layer. If necessary, adjust your route or altitude to remain clear of restricted or hazardous areas.

5.6 Step 6 – Decide operational impact

After understanding the location, timing, text, and limits, decide how the NOTAM changes your plan. Typical decisions include changing runways, adjusting departure or arrival times, modifying routing or altitude, or selecting a different destination or alternate.
Record any important NOTAMs on your navigation log or briefing sheet, so that you can quickly recall them during the flight and brief your instructor or passengers as needed.

6. Common NOTAM abbreviations for student pilots

NOTAM text uses many standardized abbreviations. Learning the most frequent ones will speed up your reading and reduce the risk of misunderstanding. The following list includes examples that are especially relevant for student pilots.
  • RWY – Runway
  • TWY – Taxiway
  • APRON – Aircraft parking and manoeuvring area
  • CLSD – Closed
  • U/S – Unserviceable (not working or not available)
  • WIP – Work in progress
  • AVBL / UNAVBL – Available / Unavailable
  • LDG / TKOF – Landing / Take-off
  • SID / STAR – Standard Instrument Departure / Standard Terminal Arrival Route
  • NAVAID – Navigation aid (for example, VOR, NDB, ILS)
  • OBST – Obstacle
  • LIGHTS – Aerodrome or approach lighting
  • AFIS / TWR / APP – Aerodrome Flight Information Service / Tower / Approach control
  • HR – Hours
Your training material or national AIP will contain a full list of approved abbreviations. During early training, it is helpful to keep a printed list with your planning documents until you become familiar with the most common terms.

7. Operational considerations and best practices

Reading NOTAMs is not only a decoding exercise; it also involves judgment and prioritization. The following considerations help you use NOTAM information effectively in day-to-day flying.

7.1 Prioritizing safety-critical NOTAMs

Give highest priority to NOTAMs that directly affect the safety of take-off, landing, and controlled flight. Examples include runway closures, significant changes in runway length, navaid outages affecting instrument approaches, and airspace restrictions that could lead to infringements.
Administrative or low-impact NOTAMs, such as minor changes to reporting points or non-operational details, should still be read but do not require the same level of planning adjustment.

7.2 Integrating NOTAMs into preflight planning

During planning, review NOTAMs together with weather, performance, fuel, and weight and balance. For each critical NOTAM, ask how it affects your departure, en-route, and arrival phases, and adjust your plan accordingly. If you change your route or destination, remember to check NOTAMs for the new aerodromes and airspace as well.
Many briefing systems allow filtering by aerodrome, route, altitude, and time. Use these tools to reduce clutter, but remain aware that filters can hide relevant NOTAMs if set incorrectly. Always confirm that your filter settings match your intended flight profile.

7.3 Monitoring NOTAM changes

NOTAMs can change between the time you plan the flight and the actual departure. For flights planned well in advance, perform an updated briefing closer to the departure time. For local training flights, a final check shortly before engine start helps capture any last-minute changes such as sudden runway closures or airspace activations.
When in doubt about the current status of a runway, airspace, or facility mentioned in a NOTAM, confirm with air traffic services or aerodrome information before take-off.

7.4 Human factors when reading NOTAMs

Long NOTAM briefings can lead to information overload, especially for new pilots. To reduce the risk of missing important details, work systematically, highlight or mark critical items, and avoid distractions while reviewing your briefing.
During dual flights, discuss key NOTAMs with your instructor and agree on how they affect the exercise. This reinforces understanding and helps you develop good habits for solo operations and later commercial flying.

8. Example NOTAMs and interpretation

The following simplified examples illustrate how to interpret NOTAMs using the step-by-step method described above. Formats may differ slightly from those in your local system, but the principles remain the same.

8.1 Example 1 – Runway closed

Sample NOTAM text (simplified):

Interpretation: At aerodrome EGGX, runway 09/27 is closed due to work in progress from 06:00 to 18:00 UTC on 1 January 2025. If you planned to use this runway during that period, you must select another runway or aerodrome.

8.2 Example 2 – Temporary restricted area

Sample NOTAM text (simplified):

Interpretation: A temporary restricted area is established for an air display from the surface to 5 000 ft above mean sea level (AMSL) within a 5 NM radius of the coordinates 51°20'N 000°10'W. It is active from 08:00 to 16:00 UTC on 15 February 2025. You must plan your route to avoid this area during those hours.

8.3 Example 3 – Lighting unserviceable

Sample NOTAM text (simplified):

Interpretation: At aerodrome EYYY, runway edge lights are unserviceable from 17:00 to 05:00 UTC each day between 1 and 31 March 2025. Night landings and take-offs are not available during these times, so you must complete training flights in daylight or use another aerodrome with suitable lighting.

9. Summary for student pilots

NOTAMs are an essential part of preflight information, providing time-critical updates on aerodromes, airspace, and navigation facilities. For student pilots, learning to read NOTAMs systematically y checking location, time, text, and limits llows them to ensure that every flight is based on current, accurate information.
By practicing with real examples, using standard abbreviation lists, and integrating NOTAM review into every planning session, you build habits that support safe, compliant flying throughout your training and future aviation career.