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Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge

FAA-H-8083-25C Version October 20, 2025

Chapter 1

Introduction To Flying

  • Notifications of runway/taxiway/apron status with respect to snow, ice, and standing water (a SNOWTAM)
  • Notification of an operationally significant change in volcanic ash or other dust contamination (an ASHTAM)
  • Software code risk announcements with associated patches to reduce specific vulnerabilities

NOTAM information is generally classified into four categories: NOTAM (D) or NOTAMs that receive distant dissemination, distant and Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs, Pointer NOTAMs, and Military NOTAMs pertaining to military airports or NAVAIDs that are part of the NAS. NOTAMs are available through Flight Service Station (FSS), Direct User Access Terminal Service (DUATS), private vendors, and many online websites.

NOTAM (D) Information

NOTAM (D) information is disseminated for all navigational facilities that are part of the NAS, and all public use airports, seaplane bases, and heliports listed in the Chart Supplement U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility Directory). NOTAM (D) information now includes such data as taxiway closures, personnel and equipment near or crossing runways, and airport lighting aids that do not affect instrument approach criteria, such as visual approach slope indicator (VASI). All D NOTAMs are required to have one of the following keywords as the first part of the text: RWY, TWY, RAMP, APRON, AD, OBST, NAV, COM, SVC, AIRSPACE, (U), or (O). [Figure 1-19]

NOTAM (D) Information.
Figure 1-19. NOTAM (D) Information.

FDC NOTAMs

FDC NOTAMs are issued by the National Flight Data Center and contain information that is regulatory in nature pertaining to flight including, but not limited to, changes to charts, procedures, and airspace usage. FDC NOTAMs refer to information that is regulatory in nature and includes the following:

• Interim IFR flight procedures:

  1. Airway structure changes
  1. Instrument approach procedure changes (excludes Departure Procedures (DPs) and Standard Terminal Arrivals (STARs)
  1. Airspace changes in general
  1. Special instrument approach procedure changes

• Temporary flight restrictions (discussed in Chapter 15):

  1. Special events generating a high degree of interest
  1. Hijacking

• Flight restrictions in the proximity of the President and other parties
• 14 CFR part 139 certificated airport condition changes
• Snow conditions affecting glide slope operation
• Air defense emergencies
• Emergency flight rules
• Substitute airway routes
• Special data
• U.S. Government charting corrections
• Laser activity

NOTAM Composition