FAA Updates NOTAM to 'Airmen', 'Gulf of America'

DALLAS — The FAA has reverted the term 'Notice to Air Missions' to 'Notice to Airmen' (NOTAM), a move in line with the directive from the White House to update official aviation language.

The FAA has also begun updating its data and charts to rename the 'Gulf of Mexico' as the 'Gulf of America' in compliance with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

NOTAM Terminology Reversal

The NOTAM terminology was changes in 2021 to 'Notice to Air Missions' as a way to include atypical air missions and “unmanned” aerial vehicles (UAVs). 

The instruction from the FAA was meant to boost and represent diversity and the operations of UAVs. However, industry experts condemned the phrasing modification, saying it was unnecessary.

"The FAA will once again use the term 'Notice to Airmen' rather than 'Notice to Air Missions,' in keeping with my commitment to bringing sanity back to the U.S. Department of Transportation," stated Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.

Regardless of the name symbology, the NOTAM system continues to be investigated due to its outdated infrastructure. On February 1, 2025, the system suffered a significant failure two years after a similar incident led to a nationwide ground stop.

The Gulf of Mexico Renamed to Gulf of America

Signed on February 9, 2025,  Executive Order 14172 honors American heritage and historical figures by renaming significant geographic and cultural places, thus the Gulf name change from 'Mexico' to 'America'.

The FAA has started updating aero-nautical charts and flight planning databases.

Safety Priorities and the Reactions of Industry

The aviation business has been at odds over the arrival of "Notice to Airmen" and the renaming of different locations.

In a remark about airplane safety, Duffy's primary goal is system reliability rather than wording modifications driven by political considerations.

While the FAA moves forward with these changes, the industry and public alike continue to focus on broader concerns, particularly the resilience of air traffic control systems.

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