FAA said Tuesday that it is transitioning to digital flight operations information and the modernization of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs).
The system of NOTAMs, which currently provides timely information about hazards and changes in aeronautical facilities, services and procedures in paper format, involves manual validation and coordination with multiple sources.
By replacing paper reporting, digital NOTAMs should reduce human error, allow more timely and accurate distribution of information, standardize content, policy and procedures, and balance diverse customer needs, FAA said.
The agency said it will begin to test digital distribution of NOTAMs to air traffic control facilities in January. The test sites are: Southern California Tracon, Denver Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Amarillo ATCT, Tallahassee ATCT, Las Vegas ATCT and Boise ATCT.
AAAE's Regulatory Affairs staff and the AAAE Operations Safety and Planning Committee have been tracking this issue and providing input on behalf of members. In coordination with FAA, AAAE surveyed members in August regarding digital NOTAMs.
The survey found that the average time spent on preparing and processing a NOTAM is about 10 minutes. Most respondents said that a Web-based, direct entry and menu driven NOTAM system would be helpful and time saving for airports.
