Narrative:

Enclosed is a portion of my ZZZ-ZZZ1 preflight briefing as printed from an airborne ACARS. Included are the airport NOTAMS for ZZZ1 (destination) and two alternates (ZZZ2-ZZZ3). The NOTAM system is a mess; with information scattered; non pertinent information and expired information. Try reading through the ZZZ1 NOTAMS; assign yourself a runway; change the runway and see if you can remember anything from the NOTAMS. The solutions? 1) get rid of the useless information. 2) organize the NOTAMS by runway and put some titles in the text. 3) write the effective times and dates in english; instead of non-intuitive code.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter; who is a check airman; stated that while flying as a line pilot or when instructing; he and others he observes make errors while reading NOTAMS in the current format. The reporter makes the following suggestions: organize NOTAMS by airport first then by runway; delete expired NOTAMS; remove non applicable NOTAMS such as distant obstacles; make NOTAM date/time stamps clearly describe either local or UTC; and finally make all messages in plain text; removing abbreviations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT RPTS A NOTAM SYSTEM ORGANIZED IN A DIFFICULT TO READ MANNER; INCLUDING OBSOLETE AND IRRELEVANT INFORMATION IN A SCATTERED FORMAT.

Narrative: ENCLOSED IS A PORTION OF MY ZZZ-ZZZ1 PREFLT BRIEFING AS PRINTED FROM AN AIRBORNE ACARS. INCLUDED ARE THE ARPT NOTAMS FOR ZZZ1 (DEST) AND TWO ALTERNATES (ZZZ2-ZZZ3). THE NOTAM SYSTEM IS A MESS; WITH INFO SCATTERED; NON PERTINENT INFO AND EXPIRED INFO. TRY READING THROUGH THE ZZZ1 NOTAMS; ASSIGN YOURSELF A RWY; CHANGE THE RWY AND SEE IF YOU CAN REMEMBER ANYTHING FROM THE NOTAMS. THE SOLUTIONS? 1) GET RID OF THE USELESS INFO. 2) ORGANIZE THE NOTAMS BY RWY AND PUT SOME TITLES IN THE TEXT. 3) WRITE THE EFFECTIVE TIMES AND DATES IN ENGLISH; INSTEAD OF NON-INTUITIVE CODE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER; WHO IS A CHECK AIRMAN; STATED THAT WHILE FLYING AS A LINE PILOT OR WHEN INSTRUCTING; HE AND OTHERS HE OBSERVES MAKE ERRORS WHILE READING NOTAMS IN THE CURRENT FORMAT. THE REPORTER MAKES THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS: ORGANIZE NOTAMS BY AIRPORT FIRST THEN BY RWY; DELETE EXPIRED NOTAMS; REMOVE NON APPLICABLE NOTAMS SUCH AS DISTANT OBSTACLES; MAKE NOTAM DATE/TIME STAMPS CLEARLY DESCRIBE EITHER LOCAL OR UTC; AND FINALLY MAKE ALL MESSAGES IN PLAIN TEXT; REMOVING ABBREVIATIONS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.