
Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) are critical notifications issued by aviation authorities to alert pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the safety of the flight. In Australia, NOTAMs are managed by Airservices Australia and provide essential updates to pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation personnel. They are used for flight planning and are crucial for maintaining safe and efficient operations. Australian NOTAMs can be accessed through the National Aeronautical Information Processing System (NAIPS) via the Airservices Australia NAIPS portal, aviation apps, and flight planning software.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What | NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) |
| Why | Critical notifications issued by aviation authorities to provide real-time information about any aeronautical operations or conditions that could affect the safety of flight operations |
| Who | Managed by Airservices Australia and provide updates to pilots, air traffic controllers, aviation personnel, and drone pilots |
| Where | National Aeronautical Information Processing System (NAIPS) via the Airservices Australia NAIPS portal, aviation apps, and flight planning software |
| When | Before flight as part of pre-flight planning and briefing |
| How | Via the NOTAM Originator portal, Airservices ADO Team ([email protected]), or by calling the Briefing Office (1800 805 150) |
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What You'll Learn

NOTAMs are managed by Airservices Australia
In Australia, NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) are managed by Airservices Australia. They provide critical real-time notifications about aeronautical operations or conditions that could impact the safety of flight operations. Airservices Australia ensures that pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation personnel receive essential updates. These updates include temporary changes such as airspace restrictions, runway closures, navigation aid outages, and hazards like obstacles or weather conditions.
Airservices Australia offers a range of resources to support aviation safety. The NOTAM Originator portal, for instance, provides guidance and reference material to help authorised persons meet their CASR 175 requirements. Additionally, Airservices ATS staff can originate a NOTAM on their own initiative if the information is crucial for flight safety or the conduct of flight operations. Airservices Australia also provides the NOTAM Request Form, which must be submitted by ReOC holders when issuing a NOTAM.
Australian pilots can access NOTAMs through the National Aeronautical Information Processing System (NAIPS) via the Airservices Australia NAIPS portal. This system ensures that pilots have access to the most up-to-date information, which is crucial for their pre-flight planning and briefing. Furthermore, pilots can also obtain NOTAMs through aviation apps and flight planning software, ensuring that they are well-informed about any potential hazards or changes that may impact their route.
It is important to note that NOTAMs are not always comprehensive, especially in remote or uncertified locations. Therefore, pilots are encouraged to conduct additional research or make direct contact with local sources to gather more detailed information about their intended destinations. This proactive approach ensures that pilots have a complete understanding of the conditions and potential challenges they may encounter during their flights.
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Aerodrome NOTAMs and FIR NOTAMs
Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, are notices filed with aviation authorities to alert pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location. They contain information about aeronautical facilities, services, procedures, or hazards that may be essential to personnel and systems concerned with flight operations. These notices are created and transmitted by government agencies and airport operators.
In Australia, there are several types of NOTAMs that pilots need to be aware of when planning a flight:
- Location-specific NOTAMs: These include any alternate aerodromes and are important for both non-controlled and controlled aerodromes. For example, popular events such as annual race meets at Louth, Clare, and Birdsville attract many visiting aircraft.
- PRD NOTAMs: These refer to individual PRD (Pre-defined Reduced Vertical Separation Minima Routes) or Airspace Groups. PRD areas can be activated at very short notice, so it is important to have up-to-date information.
- FIR NOTAMs: FIR stands for Flight Information Region. These NOTAMs provide information about hazards or changes within a specific flight region.
- Head Office NOTAMs: These are not limited to a particular location but affect areas throughout Australia and are vital to include in pre-flight planning.
Pilots can access current NOTAMs through various sources, such as the NOTAM section of AIP GEN 3.1 or by contacting the Briefing Office for assistance. It is important to refer to a checklist to ensure all relevant NOTAMs are retrieved for a flight. Additionally, Airservices ATS staff can originate a NOTAM on their own initiative if the information is essential for flight safety or the conduct of flight operations.
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Location-specific NOTAMs
It is important to note that NOTAMs do not always provide the full picture, especially in remote or uncertified locations. Therefore, it is recommended to contact the aerodrome operator directly or conduct additional research to ensure a safe flight.
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Head Office NOTAMs
Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, are one of the first things pilots check as part of their pre-flight routine. Head Office NOTAMs are not limited to a particular location but affect areas throughout Australia. These are vital to include in your pre-flight planning.
To ensure you retrieve all relevant Head Office NOTAMs, refer to the NOTAM section of AIP GEN 3.1 or speak to the Briefing Office on 1800 805 150 for help with reading NOTAMs. You can also call the Briefing Office for help with precautionary searches, GPS navigating over featureless terrain, and fuelling in the remote outback.
It is important to note that while NOTAMs are a vital tool for pilots, they don't always provide the full picture, especially when operating in remote or uncertified locations. For example, William Creek in outback South Australia is an uncertified aerodrome that does not have a NOTAM service through NAIPS. Instead, pilots must refer to the William Creek ERSA entry, which carries a grey background and states "FULL NOTAM SERVICE NOT AVBL".
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NOTAMs for drone pilots
A NOTAM, or 'Notice to Airmen', is a notice that contains important, real-time information to help increase air safety for all users of the National Airspace System (NAS). This includes drone operators, who should always check for NOTAMs before flying, even as hobbyists. Checking for NOTAMs only takes a few minutes and can provide valuable information.
NOTAMs concern the establishment, condition, or change of any facility, service, procedure, or hazard in the NAS. They can be issued as 'Warnings', to make operators aware of a particular activity being undertaken at a defined place and time, or 'Avoid', which must be adhered to as it is required by law. Hazards can include air shows, parachute jumps, kite flying, and VIP flights. Drone operators should also be aware of SNOWTAMs, which notify of snow, ice, and standing water, and ASHTAMs, which notify of an operationally significant change in volcanic ash or other dust contamination.
In Australia, NOTAMs can be accessed via the NOTAM Originator portal, which contains guidance and reference material to enable NOTAM authorised persons to meet their CASR 175 requirements. The Airservices ADO Team can also be contacted at [email protected] to initiate the DPS process. It is also possible to call the Briefing Office for help with reading NOTAMs on 1800 805 150.
To ensure you retrieve all NOTAMs relevant to your flight, you should refer to a checklist. This includes location-specific NOTAMs (including any alternate aerodromes), PRD NOTAMs (individual PRD or Airspace Groups), FIR NOTAMs, and Head Office NOTAMs, which are not limited to a particular location but affect areas throughout Australia and are vital to include in your pre-flight planning.
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Frequently asked questions
NOTAMs are critical notifications issued by aviation authorities to alert pilots of potential hazards or changes that could impact the safety of flight operations.
Australian NOTAMs can be accessed through the National Aeronautical Information Processing System (NAIPS) via the Airservices Australia portal. They are also available through aviation apps and flight planning software.
NOTAMs inform about temporary changes such as airspace restrictions, runway closures, navigation aid outages, or hazards like obstacles or weather conditions. They are relevant to both manned and unmanned aircraft operations.
Pilots are required to check NOTAMs as part of their pre-flight briefing to ensure they have the most up-to-date information. It is important to always have access to current NOTAMs as they can be activated at very short notice.




























