The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the successful implementation of phase one of an overhaul of the United States’ “Notices to Airmen (NOTAM)” system.
Utilised to facilitate air travel and provide pilots with information they need to fly safely, a full system upgrade is expected to prevent nationwide airspace shutdowns, enhance safety and improve communications.
Goals set by the previous government of the United States envisioned a upgrade would not be possible until late 2027, however, with failures leading to a full NOTAM shutdown in January 2023 that grounded flights across the country, the FAA has successfully moved the system into the cloud – completing Phase 1 of the modernisation effort.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said:Our transition to this state-of-the-art NOTAM system strengthens safety and reliability across the National Airspace System.
We are focused on building a modern aviation system for the future – one that is resilient, efficient, and capable of meeting the demands of the world’s busiest airspace.
NOTAMs are used to communicate temporary changes such as runway closures, airspace restrictions and obstructions, to pilots and flight planners, with more than 4 million issued annually.
