NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen)
• The FAA's Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) page can be found at pilotweb.nas.faa.gov/PilotWeb.
A Standard Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice filed with an aviation authority to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the safety of the flight. Please use the link above to access the FAA's NOTAMs online database. If departing Aurora State, enter 'KUAO' as your location identifier and a nautical mile radius to view NOTAMs in a given geographical area.
Flight Data Center (FDC) NOTAMs are issued when it becomes necessary to disseminate information that is regulatory in nature. They contain amendments to published Instrument Approach Procedures, as well as and other current aeronautical charts. They also are used to note temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) caused by natural disasters or large-scale public events that may generate congestion of air traffic over a given location.
To hear the most recent security NOTAM listed with Flight Service, access the telephone system (1-800-WX-BRIEF) and press 219. A briefer may ask you if you are familiar with the latest security NOTAM before offering any type of briefing.
TFRs (Temporary Fight Restrictions)
• The FAA's online Graphic TFR page can be found at tfr.faa.gov.
Are there any TFRs along the route of your flight? Temporary Flight Restrictions are serious business — they can represent initial protective zones around government installations, large sporting events, forest fires, or even "roving" TFRs that follow the President and other dignitaries when they visit our flying region.
Eugene and Corvallis have "game day" TFRs during the college football season. Forest fires have high concentrations of fire-fighting aircraft and present severe hazards to airplanes, and thus should be avoided. If you fly unauthorized within 30 miles of the President, it's likely you'll be intercepted and returned to your point of departure via military escort, at which time you'll be encouraged to call your attorney. Several pilots have inadvertantly busted TFRs in recent years, making a TFR check essential before any flight.
Before departure, always visit the FAA's online Graphic TFR page (link above), in conjunction with talking to a briefer, who will have the latest information on flight restrictions.