Definition
Formal written communications issued by the FAA to inform pilots, instructors, and operators of regulatory changes, policy updates, safety information, or operational requirements. In the aviation training and government context, notices include items such as Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs), Advisory Circulars, Safety Alerts, and FAA Notices that announce temporary or interim guidance before it is incorporated into permanent publications.
Plain English
Official messages from the FAA that tell pilots and instructors about new rules, changes, safety issues, or things they need to know to operate legally and safely.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA government publications, rulemaking discussions, public comment periods, and official aviation information sources.
Derivation
From Latin 'notitia' meaning 'a being known' or 'knowledge.' A notice is something issued so that the information becomes known to those who need it. The aviation usage keeps this core sense — official information made known to the flying community.
Why Pilots Care
Failing to review notices can result in operating under outdated procedures or entering restricted airspace.
Intuition Check
Do not read notices as casual reminders or as automatically binding rules. In this context, notices are official announcements; some only inform or ask for comments, while others may be part of a process that later changes requirements.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor reviewed the latest FAA notices with her student before the flight to confirm no procedural changes affected the lesson.
Example Sentence 2
Notices often announce changes to airport procedures that affect how pilots taxi and communicate.