Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 41 seconds.
Nav Canada is advising pilots, aircraft operators, notice to airmen (NOTAM) originators and other external stakeholders of significant changes to Canadian NOTAM operating procedures. On Oct. 10, 2019, Nav Canada will transition to the ICAO NOTAM format.
In addition to the new format, the transition will also affect how NOTAMs are accessed from Nav Canada.
NOTAMs currently obtained from the Aviation Weather Web Site (AWWS) will be accessed through the Nav Canada Collaborative Flight Planning Services (CFPS) web site. A NOTAM retrieval tool will be placed on a section of CFPS — a new tab called weather. The new tab will not require a login or password.
One important difference in the new ICAO NOTAM format from the current one is that NOTAMs will be geographically-referenced, rather than based on NOTAM files. NOTAMs for an aerodrome will no longer be connected to another aerodrome’s NOTAM file. Instead, users will be able to search for NOTAMs by entering an aerodrome ID, NAVAID, flight information region (FIR), or geographic coordinates, with an optional desired radius around these points of interest. They will also be able to enter a flight route and receive all NOTAMs which geographically intersect the route.
Most countries already use the ICAO NOTAM format. The adoption of this format will ensure compliance with international standards and will eliminate the need for pilots who fly international routes to be familiar with more than one NOTAM format.
The new format will help pave the way for more streamlined and pertinent pre-flight and in-flight briefings.
Click here to see a concise brochure summarizing the ICAO NOTAM format, including examples comparing it against the current Canadian domestic format.
More detailed information can be found on the Nav Canada webpage: Transition to ICAO NOTAM format and new NOTAM Series.
How can aerodrome operators check notams, for example can I look up my airport to ensure notam is active and with correct information.