I still want to know who Squadron Leader Hooton is...

As only a PPL student I may be naive in asking this question, but;

Why do NOTAMS all looks like they're written by 11 year olds who think leaving the caps lock on is an effective way of conveying a message?

When did this change? I can assure you that DCT VLN DCT SWB DCT CTM DCT MID DCT VLN DCT most certainly used to work in late 2005.

If the system won't accept any route which uses any published UK navaids, then that only goes to show how limited it really is....

I also tried a route from EGYM to EGHQ on TR1 which is in the AIP (see page 6-3-5-1). It wouldn't take DCT MAM TR1 LND DCT, so I tried DCT MAM DCT BZN DCT VLN DCT LND DCT which is the same thing, but it wouldn't take that either..... It won't even take BZN as being in the UK, it thinks it's Bozeman USA.....:rolleyes:

I assure you that I certainly can file a FPL based on TR1, for example.....

Sorry, but it really is nonsense if it is so limited.

The reason is historical, like much in aviation.

It's because the AFTN, the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunicactions Network was established using teleprinters, which use a 5 bit code, rather than the 8 bit ASCII code we are used to in computers. This limits the number of possible characters so they only ever had upper case. It will change over the next year or two with the introduction of XNOTAM.

Other historical quirks:-
On an aircraft the switches are generally up for on, the convention in the US, after all, Orville & Wilbur were American.
Taxiway edge lights are blue, like road edge reflectors in the US, similarly the centre markings are yellow.

Yes, as Beagle says, SWB used to work for the NATS NRB. I recall others e.g. BZ (Brize NDB?).

Never take the micky out of this one. It is a vitally important notam :) :) But, yeah, he must get an awful lot of phone calls............

If you want more amusement, do an NRB for say EGKK-LTBH and read the reams of Greek v. Turkish airspace disputes, referencing agreements done in 1952 or whatever...

The problem is that it is now so easy for interested parties to create notams, that everybody throws in everything including the kitchen sink.

You silly civilian persons, "he" is a Flying Acronym:

High-energy Operations Oversight / Telephone Operators / Notams

Indeed, IO540! I see the Nicosia/Athenai/Ankara/'Ercan' problem still hasn't been sorted out equably......

I've had many an entertaining time ignoring the attempts of 'Ercan' to get us to call them; leaving Ankara FIR we'd already have pre-briefed Nicosia of our intentions and requested a direct to the Nicosia/Athenai boundary, which they always gave us, together with a squawk. Then, exactly at the Ankara/Nicosia boundary we'd advise Ankara that we were changing to Nicosia; this was always responded to with a "NEGATIVE! You call ERCAN!!", to which they'd get the reply "NEGATIVE, squawking XXXX and continuing with Nicosia. Good day!".....:hmm:

One day, one of you non-NOTAM types is going to get yourself or someone else killed. Yesterday, I was flying and my straight line route took me over Silverstone. Normally, nothing more than a convenient visual reference but the NOTAM told me there was a fast jet display so I routed around. Watching the Eurofighter hooning around from five miles away was scary (and impressive) enough, blundering through the middle would at best have got me into big trouble, at worst would have killed me, my twelve year old, an RAF pilot and dozens of spectators. The press and MPs would have us all grounded permanently by the end of the week, ref' hand guns and dangerous dogs.

At my flying club, there is an out-brief system which includes NOTAM, W&B, recency, etc. Ignoring it is likely to get you thrown out and quite right too.

PS the Silverstone display was NOTAMed but not, unless I missed it, the Moto GP which attracted lots of helicopters to the area. I was only warned about that by a motorcycling friend.

Wait until the Formula 1 GP! Although the Silverstone ATZ is set up, I have never seen anything in the NOTAMS warning about the density of helicopters in the surrounding airspace (Silverstone to Kidlington etc) before & after the race. :ooh::ooh:

So be warned. Watch for rich gits in helicopters July 11th

Well, that doesn't matter because your thorough pre-flight planning also includes current mauve AICs, doesn't it?

AIC M032/2010, para 1.1 - The 2010 Santander Formula One British Grand Prix international racecar meeting will take place at Silverstone on 10-11 July 2010. A large number of fixed wing aircraft operating from Turweston Aerodrome, and helicopters engaged in private and public transport of spectators to and from Silverstone are expected.

Well shall we add to that AIC :- "especially in a corridor between Kidlington and Silverstone"?