Section 2. Preparing NOTAMs for Dissemination

1. NOTAM COMPOSITION

Where the solid lines indicate mandatory and the dashed lines indicate as needed or optional.

1. The purpose of the NOTAM diagram is to provide a basic outline of what constitutes a NOTAM. Not all NOTAMs will contain all of the elements. For detailed explanation, consult the applicable paragraph sections for further NOTAM composition assistance.
2. NOTAMs may contain these elements from left to right in the following order:

1. An ADP code/exclamation point (!).
2. Accountability (the identifier of the accountability location; for example, JFK, FDC, CARF).
3. Location identifier {the affected facility or location, for example, (airport, NAVAID, or ARTCC) appears AFTER the NOTAM number}. Approach controls or airspace located within multiple ARTCC must have a separate NOTAM for each ARTCC.

1. The nearest public use airport when the full activity is completely within a 5 NM Radius of the airport.
2. The nearest VOR when any of the activity is more than 5 NM from the nearest public use airport but completely within 25 NM Radius of a VOR
3. When the activity doesn't fall within either (a) or (b), use the ARTCC.

1. Keyword.
2. Attribute, activity, or surface designator(s) (when needed).

1. Surface segment (when needed).
2. Facility, feature, service, system, and/or components thereof (when needed). Spell out facility names when used in the body of the NOTAM.
3. Location description (when needed).
4. Lower limit then upper limit, or height, (when needed). Limits must be specified, as:

1. For SFC, or 1 to 17,999FT with the unit of measurement (AGL or MSL). 50FT, 1275FT AGL, 10500FT.
2. For 18,000FT and above, express in flight levels (FL), FL180, FL550, FL850, or UNL (altitudes greater than 99,900FT).
3. Include heights AGL when required (obstacle NOTAMs) or when MSL is not known, for example, SFC-450FT AGL.
4. The term UNKNOWN may be used in lieu of the MSL or AGL altitudes if not known; however, one altitude must be identified.

1. Condition. The changed condition or status being reported, when needed. When the conditions include a limitation or an exception, follow the condition with “TO” or “EXC”; such as, “CLSD EXC SKI” or “CLSD TO TRANSIENT” or “CLSD EXC TAX BTN APCH END RWY 10 AND TWY C.”
2. Reason (when needed).
3. Remarks (when needed). Other information considered important; for instance, a frequency (134.72), or an expected altitude for unmanned free balloons (NEB TO 150000FT)
4. Schedule, (when needed). A NOTAM may be originated for a scheduled condition/activity that will occur during the period. Specify the schedule between the condition/activity and the valid time string. The days of the week must be specified before the scheduled time. The term “DLY” (daily) indicates the event will occur each day at the same time during the stated time period. The start time of the schedule must correspond to the start of activity time. The end of the last schedule must correspond to the end of validity time.

!GNV 12/018 F95 AIRSPACE MIL ACT WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF F95 SFC-14000FT DLY 2200-0900 YY05142200 - YY05170900

This military activity occurs Sunday (May 14) between 2200UTC and 0900UTC, again on Monday and again on Tuesday at 2200UTC then ends on Wednesday (May 17) at 0900UTC.

1. Start of Activity/End of Validity. This is a 10-digit date-time group (YYMMDDHHMM) used to indicate the time at which the NOTAM comes into force (the date/time a condition will exist or begin) and the time at which the NOTAM ceases to be in force and becomes invalid (the expected return to service, return to normal status time, or the time the activity will end). These times must be separated by a hyphen “-.” For example, …RWY 15 CLSD YY12031400-YY12051359…indicates that runway 15 will close at 1400UTC on December 3rd. It is expected to reopen at 1359 UTC on December 5^th.

1. If the NOTAM duration is expected to return to service prior to the End of Validity time, express the time by using a date-time group followed immediately by “EST” (estimate). Any NOTAM that includes an “EST” must be canceled or replaced before the NOTAM reaches its End of Validity time. If the NOTAM is not canceled or replaced, it will expire at the end of validity time regardless of EST. FDC NOTAMs relating to instrument flight procedures must not be canceled and reissued.
2. The NOTAM Originator is responsible for validating that any NOTAM that is coming to its End of Validity time can auto-expire. If the condition is still valid, the NOTAM must be canceled and reissued with a new Start/Stop time, PRIOR to the NOTAM reaching its End of Validity time.
3. When a NOTAM is originated to advertise a permanent condition that will be published in a publication, chart or database “PERM” should be inserted as the expiration date in lieu of a 10-digit date-time group. PERM is also used as the end of validity for certain NOTAMs that 1) pertain to or support national security, law enforcement, and aviation security requirements, and 2) contain flight prohibitions for U.S. operators and U.S. airmen regarding operations in particular areas of non-U.S. controlled airspace due to weapons related hazards or other hostile threats to civil aviation. The NOTAM originator is responsible for canceling the NOTAM upon publication, as PERM will not auto-expire.
4. All NOTAMs will auto-cancel at their End of Validity time, except PERM.
5. For an uncontrolled airport, when a NOTAM originator submits a candidate NOTAM to the NOTAM System to advertise an Airport or Runway condition with a Start of Activity less than 60 minutes before the beginning of an activity that impacts/closes a runway or an airport, the activity must be reported to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility that has control jurisdiction.

1. NOTAMs issued when the condition of a number of facilities, NAVAIDs, services, or landing areas/runways are related to the same event (for example, date/time, facility closing, part-timing, runway closures, etc.) must be issued as separate NOTAMs.
2. Each NOTAM concerning a specific aid, service, or hazard must be a complete report including all deviations unless reference is made to other restrictions already published.
3. If information is published elsewhere and is still valid, reference must be made to that publication with the statement, “PLUS SEE (publication).” A NOTAM issued not stating “PLUS SEE (publication)” indicates the NOTAM replaces previously published similar data.
4. NOTAMs must state the abnormal status of a component of the NAS and not the normal status. Exception - Temporarily extending hours of use beyond published times, for example: RWY 09/27 OPN.

1. NOTAM ACCOUNTABILITY

Maintain separate accountability (NOTAM file) for each location whose weather report is disseminated via WMSCR and for the location of the tie-in FSS.

1. Issue NOTAMs for an FAA-monitored weather reporting location whose report is disseminated via WMSCR under the location identifier of the weather report.
2. Issue all other NOTAMs under the location identifier of the tie-in FSS. This includes NOTAMs for weather reporting locations whose report is not disseminated via WMSCR.

1. Make NOTAM accountability changes by mail, email or other electronic means when known sufficiently in advance. Issue all subsequent NOTAMs under the corrected accountability. If there are any current NOTAMs for the location, cancel and reissue those NOTAMs under the new accountability after the NS tables have been changed. Notify Aeronautical Information Services of any NOTAM accountability changes.