Introduction

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  applies to a certain extent the principle of spelled out text in item E on words such as “closed”, “available”, “activation”, “active”, “activated” and “unserviceable”, and on acronyms that are not commonly known.

Proposed approach

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1.2          Uppercase characters shall always be used for:

• The first letter in a sentence.
• Each first letter of a name (such as 'Brussels South')

• Each first letter of certain acronyms that are spelled out

Note: To be discussed to which acronyms this rule shall apply to avoid uppercase text such as “Climb To And Maintain”, “Feet Per Minute”, “TouchDown Zone”.

Note: acronyms to which this rule does not apply: airspace types (such as TRA - will be written "temporary restricted area"), etc.

• Acronyms that are not spelled out (such as VOR, SID, NOTAM, AIP, etc.).
• Location indicators
• Designators (such as five-letter ICAO designators for waypoint, navigation aid designators, route/SID/STAR designators, airspace designators, etc.).
• Specified abbreviations (see paragraph 5.5).

1.3          Lowercase characters shall always be used for:

·         Consecutive text after the first letter in a sentence.

·         Abbreviations[PE3] , except those specifically mentioned as to be written otherwise.

·         Spelled out abbreviations and acronyms.

1.4          Mix of uppercase and lowercase

·         Unit of measurements shall be spelled in accordance with SI units.

1.5          Specific rules for abbreviations[1]

·         The abbreviation and uppercase shall always be used for:

o   RWY, TWY, THR, AWY, ATS, ARP and the different air traffic services types (e.g. AIS, FIS, AFIS, TWR, ACC, APP).

o   Area types CTA, UTA, TMA, CTR, FIR and UIR.

o   Days and months (MON, TUE, WED, THU, FRI, SAT, SUN, JAN, FEB, MAR, APR, MAY, JUN, JUL, AUG, SEP, OCT, NOV, DEC).

·         Abbreviations that shall be spelled out:

o   Single words such as “closed”, “unavailable”, “activated”, “between” with the exception of “AD”.

o   Colours.

o   Cardinal points and their combination.[PE4] 

o   Abbreviations/acronyms that are not commonly used, not included in ICAO Doc 8400  and/or may be subject to misunderstanding (e.g. use ‘area chart’ instead of “ARC”).

1.6          Digital NOTAM text examples with these applied rules:

·         ILS/DME RWY 19 unserviceable.

·          RWY 01 closed.

·         Temporary Reserved Airspace ESTS310 activated. 

·         THR RWY 19 displaced 400m. Declared distances changed: TORA 2450m, TODA 2450m, ASDA 2450m, LDA 2050m.

·         Trigger NOTAM – perm AIRAC amendment 02/14 WEF 20 FEB 2014: new ATS route M123 established.

·         VOR DKB resumed normal operations.

·         Danger Area HED9 activated.

·         ATS operating hours changed as follows: 01 03 05 1000-1600 02 04 06-31 0800-2200.

·         EGNOS is not available for LPV.

·         AWY G5 closed between WIL and FRI.

·         RNAV route N850 closed between GERSA and ODINA.

·         Temporary Restricted Area Narnia established.

·         Temporary restricted area Narnia established.

·         Crane position 500545N 0141556E erected 190m south of RWY 13/31 axis, 1300m behind THR RWY 31, elevation 390.3m height 20.7m AGL.

·         ILS RWY 25R unserviceable.

·         TWY A east of RWY 10/28 closed.

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Reference documents

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