South African pilots have several ways of accessing NOTAM information before a flight, including the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) website, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) File2Fly service and briefings obtained through the Aeronautical Information Management Unit (AIMU). They do not all serve the same purpose.
One of the easiest sources to find is the NOTAM Summary published on the SACAA website. SACAA specifically states, however, that the summary is only valid at the time it is created and should not be used for flight preparation. Pilots looking for current NOTAM information are directed to AIMU and encouraged to use File2Fly for self-briefing.
Why Check NOTAMs Before a Flight?
NOTAMs contain time-sensitive aeronautical information that may affect a planned flight. The information can concern changes to aerodromes, airspace, facilities, services, procedures or hazards where timely knowledge is relevant to flight operations.
The practical reason for checking them is that information contained in other flight-planning material may not reflect a temporary or recent change.
SACAA makes this point on its aeronautical charts page, where users are specifically advised to consult the latest NOTAMs for possible amendments to charts or suspension notices.
A NOTAM check therefore helps answer a straightforward question before departure: has anything changed, or is anything currently in force, that affects the aerodromes, airspace or route being used?
This is also why a previously downloaded NOTAM Summary should not automatically be treated as current information for a later flight. SACAA states that the summary is only valid when created and places responsibility on pilots to consult the latest NOTAM information before flight.
For Online Self-Briefing, Start With File2Fly
For pilots wanting to obtain current NOTAM information online, File2Fly is ATNS’s pilot self-briefing service.
ATNS describes File2Fly as a service through which pilots can file flight plans and access the latest NOTAM and aeronautical information from its database. ATNS says the system contains up-to-the-minute South African NOTAM information as well as information for foreign Flight Information Regions (FIRs).
For a pilot preparing for a flight online, this makes File2Fly the practical starting point for obtaining current NOTAM information relevant to the operation rather than relying on the static summary available from the SACAA website.
Where AIMU Fits Into the System
The Aeronautical Information Management Unit is South Africa’s designated NOTAM office.
ATNS states that AIMU manages South African NOTAM information as well as NOTAM information received from other states. The unit also makes NOTAM and meteorological information available to pilots and operators as Pre-Flight Information Bulletins (PIBs).
File2Fly provides the online self-briefing route into this wider aeronautical information system. Pilots who need to deal directly with AIMU can find its current contact and briefing information through the Aeronautical Information Management section of the ATNS website.
Why the SACAA NOTAM Summary Is Different
The NOTAM Summary on the SACAA website is easy to find, which can make it tempting to treat it as the normal pre-flight NOTAM check.
SACAA expressly says it should not be used for flight preparation.
The authority states that the summary is only valid at the time it is created and directs pilots seeking the latest information to AIMU. SACAA also encourages pilots to use File2Fly for self-briefing.
For a pilot preparing for a flight, that is the useful distinction: the SACAA NOTAM Summary is a static document, while File2Fly and AIMU provide access to current information for pre-flight briefing.
