Narrative:

There is plenty of discussion about pilots missing NOTAM information and this producing dangerous situations. I believe part of the crisis is the total number of NOTAMS issued for various airports where construction is taking place. An excellent example is den. While en route at cruise I began to read the NOTAMS for den. As of this flight there were 58 NOTAMS. Of this total 22 dealt with all the associated items concerning a closed runway and its closed adjacent taxiway. Is it not obvious that the taxiway and runway lighting would not be working and the txwys off the closed runway would be closed. Why would a PAPI be operational for a closed runway? Most of these NOTAMS could be eliminated by just stating that taxiway M is closed between certain txwys and runway 17R/35L is closed and all its associated turnoffs are closed and its lights are not working. What makes this a trap is that buried within this extraneous mess is the NOTAM stating that the ILS to an open runway 7 is inoperative. To add to the confusion; air carrier has added a NOTAM concerning a de-icing procedure. Lets get real; today's date is june and I truly doubt their will be any de-icing here in den till next fall. A similar mess is occurring at ord as well as las. The entire NOTAM system needs to be rethought so that these construction projects do not create hordes of unimportant NOTAMS that have an important one buried in among the mess.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT LAMENTS THE NUMBER OF NOTAMS BEING ISSUED FOR LARGE ACR ARPTS FOR TRIVIAL OR NONESSENTIAL REASONS.

Narrative: THERE IS PLENTY OF DISCUSSION ABOUT PLTS MISSING NOTAM INFORMATION AND THIS PRODUCING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. I BELIEVE PART OF THE CRISIS IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTAMS ISSUED FOR VARIOUS ARPTS WHERE CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING PLACE. AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE IS DEN. WHILE ENRTE AT CRUISE I BEGAN TO READ THE NOTAMS FOR DEN. AS OF THIS FLT THERE WERE 58 NOTAMS. OF THIS TOTAL 22 DEALT WITH ALL THE ASSOCIATED ITEMS CONCERNING A CLOSED RWY AND ITS CLOSED ADJACENT TXWY. IS IT NOT OBVIOUS THAT THE TXWY AND RWY LIGHTING WOULD NOT BE WORKING AND THE TXWYS OFF THE CLOSED RWY WOULD BE CLOSED. WHY WOULD A PAPI BE OPERATIONAL FOR A CLOSED RWY? MOST OF THESE NOTAMS COULD BE ELIMINATED BY JUST STATING THAT TXWY M IS CLOSED BETWEEN CERTAIN TXWYS AND RWY 17R/35L IS CLOSED AND ALL ITS ASSOCIATED TURNOFFS ARE CLOSED AND ITS LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. WHAT MAKES THIS A TRAP IS THAT BURIED WITHIN THIS EXTRANEOUS MESS IS THE NOTAM STATING THAT THE ILS TO AN OPEN RWY 7 IS INOP. TO ADD TO THE CONFUSION; ACR HAS ADDED A NOTAM CONCERNING A DE-ICING PROC. LETS GET REAL; TODAY'S DATE IS JUNE AND I TRULY DOUBT THEIR WILL BE ANY DE-ICING HERE IN DEN TILL NEXT FALL. A SIMILAR MESS IS OCCURRING AT ORD AS WELL AS LAS. THE ENTIRE NOTAM SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE RETHOUGHT SO THAT THESE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS DO NOT CREATE HORDES OF UNIMPORTANT NOTAMS THAT HAVE AN IMPORTANT ONE BURIED IN AMONG THE MESS.

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.