FAA to Launch Modernised Pilot Messaging System by September

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans to deploy a new pilot messaging system by September 2025, following a series of system failures that raised widespread safety concerns across the aviation industry. 

The system in question, known as NOTAM (Notice to Air Missions), provides essential safety updates to pilots, flight crews, and air traffic personnel. These notices include time-sensitive changes such as runway closures, airspace restrictions, lighting outages, and temporary obstructions. 

To modernise this aging infrastructure, the FAA has awarded a contract to CGI Federal, which is expected to deliver the NOTAM Modernisation Service by July, with full deployment scheduled by September. The FAA did not disclose the contract’s value, but the overhaul is anticipated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to congressional testimony. 

In January 2023, a major failure of the NOTAM system led to the first nationwide U.S. ground stop since 2001, disrupting over 11,000 flights. The system has continued to experience issues, including outages on 1 February and 22 March, the latter lasting over three hours due to a hardware fault. 

Nick Daniels, President of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told Congress that replacing the system would require at least $354 million, with $154 million needed just for continued research and planning. 

Congress previously passed legislation mandating the FAA to implement a fully modernised NOTAM system, along with a backup, by September 2024, a deadline the agency has now missed. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Shelley Moore Capito, has been pressing the FAA for accountability and swifter action. 

In a recent statement, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the urgent need for reform, describing the current NOTAM system "deeply outdated and showing serious cracks." He also noted he would be seeking tens of billions of dollars from Congress for a long-term plan to upgrade FAA infrastructure and address critical staffing shortages. 

With more than four million NOTAMs issued annually, the reliability of this system remains a cornerstone of aviation safety in the U.S., making its overhaul a top priority for the FAA.