The Republic of South Africa's government, the continent's southernmost nation has been open for business, both regionally and internationally, and trade has been deemed “vital.”

BCA had hoped to discuss the U.S. NOTAM situation with officials at the FAA, but we were repeatedly rebuffed, with the explanation that the agency's aviation information management group was too understaffed and overworked to talk to the press. Nevertheless, a sympathetic public affairs officer was able to circulate some questions around the agency's NOTAM experts, and the following emailed answers were received just as we went to press.

In 2008-09, Eurocontrol, Swedish air navigation service provider Luftfartsverket (LFV) and Jeppesen cooperated in a series of demonstrations of digital NOTAM transmission via data link to an aircraft on the ground and in flight.