2009 Nall report and Soaring Safety

You're probably right, Brian.
As it's 30 years or so since the first computer-based teletype
machines were introduced, perhaps it's just a matter of decades until
all NOTAMs are made legible. Weather reports won't need to be
abbreviated either, as the days of the 300 baud (even the new 1200
Baud) modem are numbered.
I may be wrong, but improving this information to make it easily
understood could add to safety.
Better have a meeting to consider forming a committee!
Jim

On Feb 26, 12:01*pm, Brian wrote:
* Why are security NOTAMs typed "caps lock", which seems a poor way to
communicate?

My guess is, it is a leftover from the days of teletypes that only had
capital letters.

Also remember that (until recently), NOTAMs were chopped up into 3
categories. Some would only be available from local sources at/around
the affected airport(s).

And I think there are far more than 22 NOTAMs out there; its just
tough to find them all on one webpage.

Here, for example, are the NOTAMs just affecting Seattle Boeing Field
(KBFI). Currently, 10 are listed:

https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWe...trievalByICAOs

*sigh*

--Noel

On Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:09:46 -0800, noel.wade wrote:

And I think there are far more than 22 NOTAMs out there; its just tough
to find them all on one webpage.

I thought I was comparing like with like - UK En-route NOTAMS with the
list I found on http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr_map_ims/html/index.html - the
content looked similar apart from the secure notices: stuff like airshow
NOTAMS. Is that an invalid comparison?

BTW what do the initials TFR stand for? I can work what its all about but
not what TFR is an abbreviation of.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

Martin Gregorie wrote:
BTW what do the initials TFR stand for? I can work what its all about
but not what TFR is an abbreviation of.

TFR = Temporary Flight Restriction.

They can last for months. :-)

Jim Logajan wrote:
Martin Gregorie wrote:
BTW what do the initials TFR stand for? I can work what its all about
but not what TFR is an abbreviation of.

TFR = Temporary Flight Restriction.

They can last for months. :-)

And some Temporary Flight Restrictions are effectively permanent:

http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/newsite...04-1-021x.html

On Feb 26, 1:01*pm, Brian wrote:
reports of turbulence are often a good sign for soaring!
* Why are security NOTAMs typed "caps lock", which seems a poor way to
communicate? Most people receiving an e-mail typed in caps would hit
the delete button.

My guess is, it is a leftover from the days of teletypes that only had
capital letters.

Good points about Notams though, In the US we have gotten some good
resources for quickly identifying TFRS that might affect our flights.
However the Notam system is lagging far behind the TFR System. It is
easy to look at a TFR map and determine all is clear and then find out
the airport in the next town is closed due to an air show.

One of my memorable flights was a Cross country that I got very low on
and was planning on landing in a field. At the last moment I contacted
a very weak thermal and slowly climbed out at about 25-50 ft/min. *The
closest airport was closed for resurfacing, but I call Flight Service
anyway and asked about the airports status. The told me it was closed.
When I asked "How closed? i.e. is a taxiway useable?" they said the
only information they had was "it is closed". *Fortunately I was able
to climb enough to make it the next airport.

I remember an incident on a business trip when a sudden change of plan
required me to fly to an another city ASAP. When I called the FBO
from my hotel asking them to tow my airplane to the front ramp and
fuel it, the lady at the counter just happened to tell me the airport
was closing for a month for runway work starting at 11AM that day.
Where the hell was THAT NOTAM? It was nowhere in the system.

A large tip to a cabbie got me to the airport at 10AM and airborne
just before my airplane got marooned.