Narrative:

While being vectored for the ILS runway 31 into bji; about 10 miles from the outer marker; ATC informs us that they think there is an fdc NOTAM for the ILS runway 31 but not sure what it means. I look it up in our paperwork. It takes a few minutes because there are 49 fdc NOTAMS that affect our flight; some of which are almost a half page long. I finally do locate a NOTAM that says that straight in minimums to ILS runway 31 are na. I request vectors for the ILS runway 25 and we land without incident. 1) fdc NOTAMS are exceptionally difficult to decipher. 2) a better look at the fdc NOTAMS before departure. I did miss this one. 3) fdc NOTAMS are not written in any sort of logical order and in any sort of readable way. 4) training. To this day I have never known anyone who has been taught how to read an fdc NOTAM. I do not blame that on air carrier. 5) in the past I have had multiple conversations with our dispatch in an attempt to interpret an fdc NOTAM; neither one of us ultimately understanding what it meant. 6) in the past I have also had conversations with ATC; with the same result. I will certainly make a better attempt to try and find applicable fdc NOTAMS in our computer flight package. It would also be greatly helpful if the FAA could publish fdc NOTAMS in a very clear way that does not require any need of interpretation. It would also have helped if the msp center controllers knew precisely at any given moment which approaches are not authorized. He did have the fdc NOTAM but admitted that neither he nor his supervisor were 100% certain what it meant. I do not blame the controller for this error. We all must have better training. These are only suggestions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT NOTAM READABILITY WHEN CLEARED FOR RWY 31 APCH AT BJI.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS RWY 31 INTO BJI; ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE OUTER MARKER; ATC INFORMS US THAT THEY THINK THERE IS AN FDC NOTAM FOR THE ILS RWY 31 BUT NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS. I LOOK IT UP IN OUR PAPERWORK. IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES BECAUSE THERE ARE 49 FDC NOTAMS THAT AFFECT OUR FLIGHT; SOME OF WHICH ARE ALMOST A HALF PAGE LONG. I FINALLY DO LOCATE A NOTAM THAT SAYS THAT STRAIGHT IN MINIMUMS TO ILS RWY 31 ARE NA. I REQUEST VECTORS FOR THE ILS RWY 25 AND WE LAND WITHOUT INCIDENT. 1) FDC NOTAMS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO DECIPHER. 2) A BETTER LOOK AT THE FDC NOTAMS BEFORE DEPARTURE. I DID MISS THIS ONE. 3) FDC NOTAMS ARE NOT WRITTEN IN ANY SORT OF LOGICAL ORDER AND IN ANY SORT OF READABLE WAY. 4) TRAINING. TO THIS DAY I HAVE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO READ AN FDC NOTAM. I DO NOT BLAME THAT ON ACR. 5) IN THE PAST I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR DISPATCH IN AN ATTEMPT TO INTERPRET AN FDC NOTAM; NEITHER ONE OF US ULTIMATELY UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANT. 6) IN THE PAST I HAVE ALSO HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH ATC; WITH THE SAME RESULT. I WILL CERTAINLY MAKE A BETTER ATTEMPT TO TRY AND FIND APPLICABLE FDC NOTAMS IN OUR COMPUTER FLIGHT PACKAGE. IT WOULD ALSO BE GREATLY HELPFUL IF THE FAA COULD PUBLISH FDC NOTAMS IN A VERY CLEAR WAY THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY NEED OF INTERPRETATION. IT WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED IF THE MSP CENTER CONTROLLERS KNEW PRECISELY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT WHICH APPROACHES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED. HE DID HAVE THE FDC NOTAM BUT ADMITTED THAT NEITHER HE NOR HIS SUPERVISOR WERE 100% CERTAIN WHAT IT MEANT. I DO NOT BLAME THE CONTROLLER FOR THIS ERROR. WE ALL MUST HAVE BETTER TRAINING. THESE ARE ONLY SUGGESTIONS.

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.