How to Read NoTAMS

[dublinpilot]

When I use (used to use) NoTAM PLOT there used to be a lot of items under the "Not Plotted" section, which made little sence to me.

As an example (which I have robbed from Wrong Stuff's post on another thread) would be "Gillingham AB 5123 - H3862/02".

These all seemed to be in the UK, none in Ireland. What to they mean? and how do you read them? Anyone recommond a site that would explain how to translate this into English?

[dublinpilot]

I guess I'm not the only one who doesn't know how to read these so!

[tacpot]

I've been trying to do some research for us all, but come up with very little.

There is some inforamtion that is probably useful at http://www.faa.gov/atpubs/NTM/index.htm

I've been able to view NOTAMs for the LONDON FIR from http://www.phd.nl/aviation/wx/ and in there I can see references of the style H3862/02 with a reasonable textual description of the NOTAM e.g.

H3365/02 - (MIL REF) AUS 02-08-0097/AIS 2027/VL PJE 1.5NM RAD 5311N 00017E SKEGNESS SFC 5000FT AGL 01 AUG 18:55 UNTIL 29 AUG 19:25 TUE AND THU 1855-1925 DAILY

The PJE means Parachute Jump (got that bit from the FAA website above.)

Will keep looking as it does appear that none of us know enough!

[FlyingForFun]

Maybe the best thing to do would be to ask an instructor at your local flying club for 1/2 hour of their time?

When I was training, my instructor briefly described how to read NOTAMs the first time we did a cross-country together. The next cross-country he expected me to check the NOTAMs as part of the pre-flight planning (and for every flight after that, cross country or not). Of course, having only looked at them once before, and then only briefly, I had lots of questions and there were a few things which didn't make sense. Gradually I went through them one by one with the instructor until I understood it all. It's not simple - the hardest part, for me, is finding all the NOTAMs which are relevant, quickly. Which is why so many people rely on tools such as Notam Plot (fine, as long as you're confident your tool will not miss things out, of course!)

I did think about trying to actually answer your question, but decided that the answer would make be better in a book than it would in a post on an Internet forum! Sorry!

FFF
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[dublinpilot]

I did go through the Notams with an Instructor. Thing is that all the notams we get in Ireland actaully make sence to me!!

Even the ones we get from the AIS here, for the UK, doen't have those "gobuldly gook" ones that I find (used to find) in notamplot!!!

[WorkingHard]

Hi Dublinpilot - tell us how to access your Notams then. PLEASE!!!!!!!

[tacpot]

You can get the NOTAMs for the UK from the FAA at
https://www.notams.faa.gov/

The ICAO identifier for the LONDON FIR is EGTT.

They are also available from the Dutch the link in my previosu post. (NOTAMs = Double Dutch :) )

Apparently the AB 5123 part of the NOTAM is the reference within the AIS Bulletin. The H3365/02 part of the NOTAM reference is it's real-world reference. The documentation on the NOTAM system available from the FAA site in my previous post are applicable to NOTAMs in their RAW form. (The FAA NOTAM site offers the choice of Report Form or RAW form; the Dutch site only offers the Report format - easier to read, but documention makes less sense)

Mystery solved?