NOTAMs Back To ‘Notice to Airmen’

The former gender-specific long form of the term is back after three years.

A NOTAM is back to being a Notice to Airmen after the Trump administration issued an order today to reverse a Biden-era gender-neutrality move. In December of 2021, the FAA changed the term to Notice to Air Missions as part of what it termed a modernization of the NOTAM system and specifically making the flight hazard and airspace notifications "inclusive of all aviators and missions."

The FAA is not commenting on the change, instead referring inquiries to the notice itself, which does not include any rationale. Although it has no bearing on the function of the system, the name change will necessitate editing of all FAA documents which refer to NOTAMs, something that raised the ire of some legislators when the Biden change was announced.

Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.