Saab Dastard

Having just looked up a route briefing to Sandown, it struck me that there is nothing that I could find confirming that times mentioned in the returned NOTAMs are UTC.

For example, there are paradrops at 1300 and 1500 at Aldershot - is that local or UTC?

I assume it is UTC, but I could find nothing to confirm it, either in the body of the NOTAMs or the Help pdf.

Anyone got the definitive answer?

SD

High Wing Drifter

All times in NOTAMS (indeed in aviation) should be UTC (zulu), if not then it would be chaos with NOTAMS in one time zone and Flight Plans in another, etc. Something I seem to forget when booking slots!!

Saab Dastard

HWD, I agree, it should be UTC, but what I am looking for is the statement somewhere in the NOTAM / AIS site that all times mentioned actually are.

SD

Mike Cross

SD
Which part of this are you having a problem with? It's at the top of the briefing results.

Bear in mind that few if any NOTAM are originated by UK AIS. The UK is just one of over 80 ICAO contracting states who issue NOTAM. The specification of NOTAM is laid down in Appendix 6 of Annex 15 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation should you wish to look it up. It specifies UTC.

See you tomorrow at Sandown all being well

Saab Dastard

Mike,

Of course I can see that the period contains explicit reference to UTC! That wasn't the question.

It simply isn't clear that all times mentioned in individual NOTAMs are in UTC also.

Thanks for confirming (with reference) that this is the case.

SD

High Wing Drifter

SD,

Yup I see what you mean. I guess my question would be If I were say an aerodrome manager and wanted to submit a NOTAM, what is the process? Is there anything in the process to make sure I specify zulu times?

Mike Cross

Publication request form 933 available on the site under the PUBLICATIONS drop down menu.

As stated above NOTAM are not normally issued by AIS, they just publish them. If a NOTAM is issued it will be the responsibility of the issuing authority to ensure that it conforms to the ICAO standard referenced above. For most airspace restrictions and nav warnings the issuing authority will be the Airspace Utilisation Section of the Directorate of Airspace Policy at the CAA.

Mike

niknak

Just accept that everything notified in the UK Air Pilot, notams and any other CAA document is UTC, unless otherwise published .

That's the way it is, has been and always will be.

Take care when utilising pooleys etc, sometimes times are given in local in these documents, but the publishers usually go to a lot of trouble to make it obvious that they are.

HWD - if you want to send a notam but don't know how, contact AIS at Heathrow, they're very helpful.

GK430

And remember - they are in UTC all year round.

When filing a flt. plan in Autralia - it's in UTC (or certainly used to be).

The time when it's not in UTC is when the body writing the Notam for publication gets it wrong i.e. it is published in UTC by AIS, but originator screwed up!!