Definition
A NOTAM is an official notice issued by the FAA that contains time-critical information about the condition of the National Airspace System that is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations. NOTAMs alert pilots to changes such as runway or taxiway closures, unserviceable navigation aids, temporary flight restrictions, obstructions, and changes to airport services or procedures that are not yet reflected on charts or in published documents.
Plain English
A NOTAM is a short official notice that tells pilots about something temporary or recently changed at an airport, on a route, or in the airspace — like a closed runway, a broken navigation aid, or a temporary no-fly zone. Pilots must check NOTAMs before every flight because charts and handbooks can't be updated fast enough to keep up with these changes.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter NOTAMs during preflight planning, when checking whether an airport, route, procedure, navigation aid, or airspace area has a temporary change or restriction.
Derivation
The acronym was originally 'Notice to Airmen.' In December 2021 the FAA changed the expansion to 'Notice to Air Missions' to make the term more inclusive while keeping the same acronym. The word 'notam' itself is just the acronym pronounced as a single word in everyday pilot usage.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must review current NOTAMs to avoid unexpected runway closures, airspace restrictions, or other hazards that could affect the safety of the flight.
Intuition Check
Do not treat a NOTAM as casual news or a helpful hint. In aviation, it is an official notice that may directly affect whether, where, or how a flight can be conducted.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight planning, the pilot found a NOTAM stating that Runway 27 at the destination airport was closed for maintenance until 1800 local time.
Example Sentence 2
A NOTAM warned of temporary restricted airspace near the destination due to military exercises.