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When it comes to NOTAMs, you don't know what you don't know! Every prudent pilot
obtains a full briefing from a Flight Service Station or by using a DUAT session to
ensure they have all the information necessary to conduct a safe flight. An important
part of that briefing will be NOTAMs.
But do you really know what you're getting ... or not getting? Often, the
answer is "No!"
NOTAMs are classified into three categories:
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NOTAM (D) or distant
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NOTAM (L) or local; and
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Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs.
If your flight is to a distant airport, the NOTAMs you receive typically will include
information on navigational facilities, frequency changes, and regulatory amendments.
But it will not include information contained in local NOTAMs. For instance, local
NOTAMs include such information as runway or taxiway closures and airport lighting outages.
A total or partial outage of a Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) or
Runway End Identifier Lights (REIL) system also will be reported as a local NOTAM.
The only way to obtain a local NOTAM for your destination airport is to call the
FSS responsible (see Airport/Facility Directory) or to call the
airport manager.
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