FAA expects to roll out modernised NOTAM system in September

The FAA expects to begin operating its modernised Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system in September, capping a priority project aimed at replacing an ageing technology that has been prone to outages. The FAA said on 21 April that CGI Federal, a contractor hired to provide the new NOTAM system, “is currently on an accelerated schedule to deliver the NOTAM Modernization Service by July 2025”. “The FAA is targeting deployment of the operational service by September 2025… much earlier than originally planned,” the agency adds. It is unclear when the FAA had initially planned to roll out the system. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment. September 2025 has been the goal for several years. Former acting FAA administration Billy Nolen cited that timeline when testifying before the US Senate in 2023. Similarly, a 2024 FAA document about the NOTAM modernisation effort cites a roll-out goal of September 2025. “The FAA used a streamlined, innovative vendor challenge to cut through red tape to get this critical work done as fast as possible,” the agency says. Indeed, the agency in early 2024 rolled out a “Challenge Based Acquisition” programme aimed at moving the project faster. The FAA had launched the NOTAM replacement effort in 2023. The FAA NOTAM system has long consisted of two platforms: a legacy technology through which the agency officially issues NOTAMs, and a newer but not-official distribution system.<br/>