What the Heck is a Letter to Airman NOTAM?

[ARFlyer]

While at work today, looking up a historical NOTAM, I came across a NOTAM titled LTA that I’ve never seen before. When I clicked on the NOTAM a PDF letter popped up titled “Letter to Airman”. This letter talked about how Local TRACON will be conducting IFR separation services for VFR practices approaches. Which explains the extremely odd phraseology that I and others have noticed when conducting checkrides over the last few months.

Can anyone explain the purpose of these letters? From what I can tell they only show up on one NOTAM website and seem to be almost like MOUs. The only information I’ve found is in the controllers handbook which states they originate from the ATC Manager and state information to pilots. Which seems odd as I literally stumbled across this by accident and can’t find reference to it anywhere else but that one site.

 

[denverpilot]

“Cleared practice XXX approach, no separation services provided...”?

We’ve had that around here for a long time. Don’t know if that is what you’re getting now.

As far as the LTA, have seen them before. Seems to be the way TRACONs communicate with the public.

Just more noise for the utterly broken NOTAM system...

 

[midlifeflyer]

They are what you found. A way for ATC to advise pilots of local pricedures policies. I used to see them printed out and posted on FBO bulletin boards. Most do have to do with local practice approach service preferences, but there are others. For example, one out of RDU advises pilots there are portions if taxiways they can't see and to use extra caution. https://notams.aim.faa.gov/lta/main/viewlta?lookupid=1663835192822862949
https://notams.aim.faa.gov/lta/main/viewlta?lookupid=1663835192822862949
They are searchable on the pilot web site. They are not well publicized in instruction, which is unfortunate.

 

[luvflyin]

While at work today, looking up a historical NOTAM, I came across a NOTAM titled LTA that I’ve never seen before. When I clicked on the NOTAM a PDF letter popped up titled “Letter to Airman”. This letter talked about how Local TRACON will be conducting IFR separation services for VFR practices approaches. Which explains the extremely odd phraseology that I and others have noticed when conducting checkrides over the last few months.

Can anyone explain the purpose of these letters? From what I can tell they only show up on one NOTAM website and seem to be almost like MOUs. The only information I’ve found is in the controllers handbook which states they originate from the ATC Manager and state information to pilots. Which seems odd as I literally stumbled across this by accident and can’t find reference to it anywhere else but that one site.

That's pretty much it. They aren't really a NOTAM but you find them in the faa.gov NOTAM page.

faa.gov
Air Traffic
Flight Information
NOTAMS (I Agree)
upper right you'll see >Letters to Airmen
(read and understand)
pick location
you can select LTA as filter if that's all you want to see

This got cleaned up awhile back. It used to be just searching an airport wouldn't work. You would have to know the Identifier of the ATC Facility to find some of them. Now you can find them by an Airport search.

Like said above these things used to get out there. FBO's, flight schools etc would have them and post/distribute them. The FAA used to mail them to pilots. Have a Zipcode in the area and you got one in the mail. No more.

 

[NoHeat]

That's pretty much it. They aren't really a NOTAM but you find them in the faa.gov NOTAM page.

faa.gov
Air Traffic
Flight Information
NOTAMS (I Agree)
upper right you'll see >Letters to Airmen
(read and understand)
pick location
you can select LTA as filter if that's all you want to see

That's very helpful, thanks.

I can see that my nearby Class-C airport does have a Letter to Airman, signed by someone from the Tower, that basically says you can ask for practice approaches.

Chicago O'Hare has an LTA that I was unaware of, suggesting VFR altitudes over Lake Michigan, to keep clear of Midway traffic.

 

[ARFlyer]

“Cleared practice XXX approach, no separation services provided...”?

We’ve had that around here for a long time. Don’t know if that is what you’re getting now.

As far as the LTA, have seen them before. Seems to be the way TRACONs communicate with the public.

Just more noise for the utterly broken NOTAM system...

They’re actually providing separation services. So you never get that call. The strange part is when you switch over to CTAF. You’ll get “NXXXX, Approach Clearance canceled”. It confuses the crap out of everyone because no one knew this letter existed.

Thanks for the replies. It clears it up somewhat.

 

[steingar]

Someone was paying the OP to look up historical NOTAMs?

 

[luvflyin]

They’re actually providing separation services. So you never get that call. The strange part is when you switch over to CTAF. You’ll get “NXXXX, Approach Clearance canceled”. It confuses the crap out of everyone because no one knew this letter existed.

Thanks for the replies. It clears it up somewhat.

Yeah. It’s the places that don’t have an LTA about it where you get the no separation speech. At the ones with LTA’s IFR separation is provided with some exceptions. Vertical separation can be reduced from 1000’ to 500’. The Missed Approach is not protected. They can withdraw the clearance at any time. Now in order for all of that to work you can’t go flying into clouds. That is why “Maintain VFR” is included even though you are getting an actual Approach Clearance. It doesn’t surprise me they might routinely ‘withdraw’ the Clearance with change to CTAF at uncontrolled airports.