Originally Posted by
ethicalconundrum
As an airport manager, I would like to spread some knowledge on how the NOTAM system works(or actually fails to work) from the other side(submitter). Every 15-26 months, a contract inspector comes to my airport, and inspects it for all operational equipment, and anything related to safe operation on the airport, even if we aren't responsible for it. Example, There are two power poles about 400' from the threshold of one runway, and 8 deg off center. Are they a hazard to navigation? Not to me, I know where they are and I know not to make a low and off-center approach. The poles are pretty easily visible, as they have a yellow band at the top. However, each inspection the power poles are noted on my inspection with height, location, and distance from the threshold.
Now, since the inspector makes a report, and notes these poles they have become a 'hazard'. So, I have two choices. I can NOTAM the poles, or I can remark them in the operation notes of the airport master record. In fact, I'm supposed to do both. I didn't have a choice as the inspector will submit the inspection to the FAA, and then it's cast in stone, and I can't do anything about it from a reporting standpoint. I've contacted the utility, and they tell me they will move them, but unless I pay for it, they will do it on their schedule, and I have to wait. These poles are not on my airfield, there's nothing I can do about them myself.
I don't want to NOTAM them as I don't think they are a factor for anyone with more than 8 working brain cells that would make an off-center, very low(65 feet) approach. But - it could happen so not reporting them to the NOTAM people leaves me in the "well, why didn't you report the poles" in case some jackass hits them. I mean, seriously, the poles are only 4 feet from the edge of the road, and yet no driver would hold the city or county or property owner liable if they smashed into them with a car, so WTF about a plane hitting one and blaming me? So, every 6 months, I write an email renewing my NOTAM for the poles. I don't want to do it, and I don't have to do it, but the FAA is going to come along and give me **** about it, unless I have the removed or leave them and publish the NOTAM.
I want to take a chain saw over and do the deed, but there's another liability for me if I do the right thing. Trust me, we have enough paperwork to do without make-work developed by the FAA and their contractors.
What you describe is a real reality.
The issue with this is, that with your road example, there are navigation clues (the tarmac itself, potential white stripes, etc), to give drivers the real-time notification "you should not go there" (something which is lost, with heavy fog and we see the results of that). These restriction clues are missing, once you go 3D (or better 4D, since obstacles can move).
The main problem is, the NOTAM system should have some kind of "extra info" option, so it becomes possible to filter out everything that is not supposed to be on your navigation path. Ok, ok, I know, this is an oversimplification ..... Though, why get reported all those windmills up to 500ft, when the only reason for you to get there would be, when things are already out of control and you already lost the nav plot / opportunity to avoid the windmills anyway ?
Granted, there are / can be situations, when these windmills are relevant to be NOTAM'd. For example, when flying low-level inspections with a chopper. Then, you definitely want to know what obstacles could be there. The same applies, for your just "off-center" poles, when not flying regular navigation patterns.