Definition
ADDA refers to the administrative data section of a NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions). It contains the housekeeping information about the notice itself — such as identifiers, dates, times, and references — rather than the operational content describing what is actually happening at the airport or in the airspace.
Plain English
The part of a NOTAM that holds the routine paperwork details — who issued it, when it starts and ends, and how to reference it — separate from the actual message about flight conditions.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym and abbreviation lists, especially where aviation notices, records, or message formats are being explained.
Derivation
From Latin 'administrare' (to manage or attend to) and 'datum' (something given). 'Administrative data' simply means the management information attached to a record — here, the tracking details that accompany each NOTAM.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rarely read the ADDA section directly, but understanding that a NOTAM has both administrative and operational parts helps when scanning briefing packages — you know which lines describe the actual hazard and which are reference details.
Intuition Check
Do not read administrative data as the main flying information. It means the supporting information used to manage, label, or track that information.
Example Sentence 1
The ADDA portion of the NOTAM listed the issue date and reference number, while the body of the message described the runway closure.
Example Sentence 2
Review the administrative data before filing the flight plan.