On 30 September, US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy introduced that the long-awaited modernization of the Discover to Airmen (NOTAM) system has formally begun testing.
The brand new service, referred to as the NOTAM Administration Service (NMS), is getting into its first section months forward of schedule.
It’s a milestone that aviation officers are calling a major step towards enhancing security and effectivity in US skies.
“That is the guarantees made, guarantees stored administration,” stated Secretary Duffy. “We’re bringing our aviation system into the twenty first century at lightning velocity to boost security in our skies. The brand new NOTAM system is a crucial proof level of how we will shortly and successfully modernize our skies below the management of President Trump.”
We’re bringing our aviation system into the twenty first century at lightning velocity to boost security in our skies.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy
Why the Outdated NOTAM System Has to Go
The present NOTAM system dates again to 1985, and pilots have complained about its inefficiency and litter for many years. Notices are listed by launch date relatively than significance, which suggests crucial security alerts can get buried beneath mountains of nonessential info.
The risks of that setup turned painfully clear in 2010 when then-Senator James Inhofe (R-OK) landed his Cessna on a closed runway at Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport (PIL), Texas. The closure had been revealed in a NOTAM, however the crucial discover was buried in an infinite sea of textual content. That incident prompted Congress to cross an FAA reauthorization invoice in 2012, planting the seeds for at the moment’s modernization effort.
The urgency solely grew after the system suffered a nationwide collapse in January 2023, grounding flights throughout the nation for the primary time since 11 September 2001. On this incident, a pc outage resulted in almost 11,000 flights being grounded for 90 minutes. A number of extra minor points have arisen since then, prompting the Trump administration to speed up its overhaul.
What the New NMS Guarantees
The FAA states that the brand new NMS is a cloud-based, streamlined, and resilient system, constructed from the bottom as much as exchange the outdated US NOTAM System (USNS) and the Federal NOTAM System (FNS).
In accordance with the NMS portal:
It consolidates performance and customers right into a single modernized service.
It options near-real-time information change for sooner, cleaner distribution.
It makes use of a scalable structure designed for top availability and future progress.
It offers graphical shows and a extra user-friendly interface, making it simpler for pilots and planners to shortly interpret crucial info.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford touted the brand new system, saying security is on the forefront of the NOTAM modernization effort.
“We constructed a brand-new NOTAM service from the bottom up in document time,” stated Bedford. “It’s resilient, user-friendly, and scalable, and can considerably enhance airspace security and effectivity.”
Every year, greater than 4 million NOTAMs are issued in the USA. With this technique, these alerts, which cowl all the things from runway closures to airspace restrictions, ought to be simpler to entry, interpret, and act upon.
Testing At present, Full Rollout in Early 2026
29 September marked the beginning of NMS testing with a choose group of “early adopters.” Whereas the system proves itself, it can run alongside the legacy NOTAM platforms to ensure regular service for all customers.
Right here’s the timeline going ahead:
February 2026: NMS replaces the embarrassingly outdated US NOTAM System (USNS).
Spring 2026: The second legacy system, the Federal NOTAM System (FNS), is retired.
Late Spring 2026: NMS turns into the only authoritative supply for all NOTAMs, finishing the migration of greater than 12,000 world customers.
The FAA credit the velocity of the venture to an progressive vendor problem that introduced in CGI Federal, the corporate behind the brand new platform. By chopping by means of bureaucratic purple tape, the FAA and CGI have been capable of fast-track a system that had been caught in improvement purgatory for years.
A Safer, Smarter Future
For many years, pilots have rolled their eyes and shaken their heads in frustration on the previous NOTAM system. With the rollout of the NMS, these days might quickly be behind us. If testing continues easily, by mid-2026, the US will lastly have a modernized, cloud-based NOTAM system that places safety-critical info entrance and middle.
It’s a long-overdue modernization effort that may solidify the USA’ place because the world’s chief in aviation security.
For extra info on the brand new NOTAM system, together with the best way to receive API entry and documentation, register for person boards, and discover frequent FAQs, go to
