NOTAMs Review
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the UK CAA are undertaking a review of the NOTAM procedure and want to know your views and experience of the current system.
Although the purpose of the NOTAM will not change and it will remain the main system for informing airspace users of temporary but essential operational information at short notice, the ICAO acknowledges that developing a long-term solution is preferable to making small, piecemeal adjustment to the existing system.
ICAO are looking to make sure the future NOTAM system uses all available quality-assured digital aeronautical data, with the objectives of:-
a) introducing a more efficient mechanism to exchange temporary aeronautical information that is currently provided by the NOTAM system;
b) providing new capabilities to airspace users to tailor the aeronautical data/information changes to their operational needs;
c) increasing safety and improving situational awareness;
d) meeting user requirements (the information is “relevant”; consequently, reduce the instances of NOTAM being irrelevant to operations);
e) finding/receiving information when it is needed (efficiency) potentially during various phases of the flight;
f) increasing usability of the information, both from a system and human point of view;
g) retrieving information based on aircraft performance or type of operations of flightplan or trajectory; and
h) presenting information in graphics where possible. (e.g. instead of a list of co-ordinates, show a “volume of airspace” on a chart).
The online questionnaire encourages you to think about how you use NOTAMs now, the information given and any shortfalls or problems you have experienced, and where it comes into conflict with other airspace information provision. It gives you the opportunity to make suggestions as to how the system should work in the future, and what information you need to operate safely in UK airspace.
The questionnaire is open until 31/10/19 and can be accessed HERE
