Hi Readers: When you buy a bottle of 80-proof liquor, do you really know what you are getting? Yes, it would be alcohol. Distillers say that in "colonel times", if liquor were put on gunpowder and it burned, that it was "proved" or "proof" that alcohol was really in the liquor. Thus, the formula: 1/2 of 1% of each unit of liquor = the alcohol in it. 1/2 of 1% x 80 proof = 40% alcohol. 100 proof would contain 50% alcohol. Now for an important and appropo topic:
In view of the many airshows across the country and the numerous fires concentrated in one area in California, and the NASA space operations, this is probably a good time to discuss Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR). Okay, so what is a TFR and why is it so important?
There are many reasons, as given by FAA, for the TFRs: 1. To protect persons and property from an existing or iminent hazard associated with an incident on the surface when the presence of low flying aircraft would magnify, alter, spread or compound that hazard. 2. Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft. 3. Prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event which may generate a high degree of public interest. 4. Protect declared national disasters for humanitarian reasons in the state of Hawaii. 5. Protect the President, Vice President, or other public figures of the U.S. 6. Provide a safe environment for Space Agency operations. Aerial Demonstrations and major Sporting Events are included in this classification.
You can imagine the importance of the TFR with respect to the California fires, concentrated from San Diego to Santa Barbara and into the most populated areas of Los Angeles, involving air drop operations and movement of firefighters by helicopter. You can see that no other flight activity be allowed during this time, into, around, or out of the area. The visit of the President on Thursday, 10-25-07, to view the area, makes a TFR all the more important.
How are we advised of the TFRs - by Notices To Airmen (NOTAMs) that are issued almost daily. Infact, the NOTAM system was designed to disseminate time-critical aeronautical information of either a temporary nature or not sufficiently known in advance to permit publication on charts or other operational publications.
NOTAM information is aeronautical information that could affect a pilot's decision to make a flight; such as airport or runway closures; changes in the status of navigational aids; ILS's; radar service availability; and other information essential to planned en route, terminal, or landing operations.
NOTAM information is transmitted using standard contractions to reduce transmission time. The information is classified by categories: NOTAM D (distant), NOTAM L (local), and Flight Data Center (FDC), Each of these NOTAM categories are important to the pilot, depending on the nature of the reason for the NOTAM. NOTAMs are a study in themselves, covering many categories and operational complications.
One of the requirements of a proposed flight is checking the appropriate NOTAMs, normally through an automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), a local FSS, or any navigational facility, or perhaps an organization such as AOPA or Others accepting Flight Plan Filings. It is recommended that pilots consult a FSS briefer to discuss recent and current NOTAMs before filing a flight plan.
Thanks for listening. R.S.
Showing posts with label NOTAM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NOTAM. Show all posts
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Saturday, August 4, 2007
NOTAMS
Hi Readers: Before we get started today - Did you know that the Morse Code was considered the first digital code and was the forerunner of the ASCII - the American Standard Code for Information Exchange based on the English alphabet. ASCII codes represent text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that work with text. Look at your computer keyboard and you'll see the code.
Now continuing - Notices To Airmen are time-critical aeronautical information of a temporary nature or not sufficiently known in advance to permit publication on aeronautical charts. Such information could affect a pilot's decision to conduct or abort a flight. Look at any airport or facility on a Sectional chart (I'm sure you can find one) - this is the type of information that could change from day to day that might affect your flight plans. It could be an airport or runway closure; a change in the status of a navigational aid, or instrument landing system, or radar service, or other information essential to planned en route, terminal, or landing operations.
NOTAM information is transmitted throughout the Air Traffic and FSS (Flight Service System) network, using standard contractions to reduce transmission times. In Chapter 5 of the FARs, Air Traffic Procedures - Table 5-1-1-, you'll find the list of contractions used in the NOTAMS. There are some 288 contractions, some readily identifiable by glance, some not. There are three categories of NOTAMS, D - for Distant, L - for Local, and FDC - for Flight Data Center information. The categories are in detail with notes. Difficult reading - yes. However, I recommend that all pilots take the time to read and digest Chapter 5 at their leisure, prior to making x-c flights, particularly instrument flights, and get a good understanding of how the system works.
NOTAM D information is disseminated for all navigational facilities that are part of the National Airspace System. The complete file of all information is maintained in a computer database at the Weather Message Switching Center located in Atlanta, GA. The categories of information are distributed automatically via Service A Telecommunications Systems. FSS have access to the entire database.
To get NOTAM D en route and destination information you must contact your FSS and request all flight plan information needed from the the available air traffic facilities.
NOTAM L is basically local airport information, such as taxiway closures, personnel and equipment near the runways, airport lighting aids, et cetera, which you can get by contacting Ground Control or the local Tower.
The FDC (Flight Data Center) NOTAMS contain regulatory information such as amendments to instrument approach procedures, and other current information which are not yet published on charts. These NOTAMS are distributed from the national FDC in Washington D.C. and are kept on the files of FSS until published or cancelled.
The currency of a NOTAM is very important, and the pilot should keep abreast of the en route and destination changes by contacting the FSS's along the way. Once NOTAM information is published, the information is no longer provided to the FSSs, particularly for weather briefings, unless requested by the pilot.
In summary, pilots should be concerned with the D and L NOTAMS for x-c flight, paying strict attention to items pertaining to their flight plans, prior to filing those plans. In fact, there are any number of NOTAM contractions of the total that might apply, such as en route advisory service changes, minimum en route altitudes, radar coverages, ATIS services, airport lighting, air traffic control changes, adverse weather changes, ad infinitum.
As a pilot, I've always thought the NOTAM system was unduly complicated and cumbersome. The pilot has enough to do with just the flight planning; yet he must keep track of what is current and any changes that have been made during his en route flight and on to his destination. The system places these responsibilities on the pilot alone. However, I'll be the first person to say that I don't have a better plan. Maybe you do.
I must again emphasize the importance of NOTAM information for the pilot's flight planning, and, of course, the importance of filing a flight plan. And it's good to remember that the only information transmitted to the destination FSS will be your aircraft ID, type, destination, and estimated time en route. That means that all other information required for the flight must be obtained and processed by the pilot-in-command. The pilot has always been considered as responsible for the safety of the flight. And as a final note, he must not forget to close his flight plan. RS.
Now continuing - Notices To Airmen are time-critical aeronautical information of a temporary nature or not sufficiently known in advance to permit publication on aeronautical charts. Such information could affect a pilot's decision to conduct or abort a flight. Look at any airport or facility on a Sectional chart (I'm sure you can find one) - this is the type of information that could change from day to day that might affect your flight plans. It could be an airport or runway closure; a change in the status of a navigational aid, or instrument landing system, or radar service, or other information essential to planned en route, terminal, or landing operations.
NOTAM information is transmitted throughout the Air Traffic and FSS (Flight Service System) network, using standard contractions to reduce transmission times. In Chapter 5 of the FARs, Air Traffic Procedures - Table 5-1-1-, you'll find the list of contractions used in the NOTAMS. There are some 288 contractions, some readily identifiable by glance, some not. There are three categories of NOTAMS, D - for Distant, L - for Local, and FDC - for Flight Data Center information. The categories are in detail with notes. Difficult reading - yes. However, I recommend that all pilots take the time to read and digest Chapter 5 at their leisure, prior to making x-c flights, particularly instrument flights, and get a good understanding of how the system works.
NOTAM D information is disseminated for all navigational facilities that are part of the National Airspace System. The complete file of all information is maintained in a computer database at the Weather Message Switching Center located in Atlanta, GA. The categories of information are distributed automatically via Service A Telecommunications Systems. FSS have access to the entire database.
To get NOTAM D en route and destination information you must contact your FSS and request all flight plan information needed from the the available air traffic facilities.
NOTAM L is basically local airport information, such as taxiway closures, personnel and equipment near the runways, airport lighting aids, et cetera, which you can get by contacting Ground Control or the local Tower.
The FDC (Flight Data Center) NOTAMS contain regulatory information such as amendments to instrument approach procedures, and other current information which are not yet published on charts. These NOTAMS are distributed from the national FDC in Washington D.C. and are kept on the files of FSS until published or cancelled.
The currency of a NOTAM is very important, and the pilot should keep abreast of the en route and destination changes by contacting the FSS's along the way. Once NOTAM information is published, the information is no longer provided to the FSSs, particularly for weather briefings, unless requested by the pilot.
In summary, pilots should be concerned with the D and L NOTAMS for x-c flight, paying strict attention to items pertaining to their flight plans, prior to filing those plans. In fact, there are any number of NOTAM contractions of the total that might apply, such as en route advisory service changes, minimum en route altitudes, radar coverages, ATIS services, airport lighting, air traffic control changes, adverse weather changes, ad infinitum.
As a pilot, I've always thought the NOTAM system was unduly complicated and cumbersome. The pilot has enough to do with just the flight planning; yet he must keep track of what is current and any changes that have been made during his en route flight and on to his destination. The system places these responsibilities on the pilot alone. However, I'll be the first person to say that I don't have a better plan. Maybe you do.
I must again emphasize the importance of NOTAM information for the pilot's flight planning, and, of course, the importance of filing a flight plan. And it's good to remember that the only information transmitted to the destination FSS will be your aircraft ID, type, destination, and estimated time en route. That means that all other information required for the flight must be obtained and processed by the pilot-in-command. The pilot has always been considered as responsible for the safety of the flight. And as a final note, he must not forget to close his flight plan. RS.
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