Definition
A contraction used in NOTAMs and aviation publications to indicate that a procedure, marking, lighting, equipment, or condition does not conform to the standard published specification or expected configuration.
Plain English
It means something is not the way it is normally supposed to be — different from what pilots would usually expect at that location.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA abbreviation lists and in Notices to Air Missions when an airport, runway, service, or procedure is described as different from the normal standard.
Derivation
Built from 'non-' (Latin, meaning 'not') and 'standard' (the established norm). NONSTD is simply the shortened written form used to save space in NOTAM text.
Why Pilots Care
Alerts the pilot that a published value or procedure deviates from the norm and may require different planning or handling.
Intuition Check
NONSTD does not automatically mean unsafe or unusable. It means the item does not match the normal standard, so the pilot must read the details.
Example Sentence 1
The NOTAM listed NONSTD runway markings at the destination airport, so the pilot reviewed the diagram before departure.
Example Sentence 2
Review the chart notes for any NONSTD altitudes before beginning the approach.