[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3290-3292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00774]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0003; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-11]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-12, V-74, and V-516
in the Vicinity of Anthony, KS
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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[[Page 3291]]
SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend three VHF Omnidirectional Range
(VOR) Federal airways, V-12, V-74, and V-516, in the vicinity of
Anthony, KS. The modifications are necessary due to the planned
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Anthony, KS, VOR/Tactical Air
Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID), which provides navigation
guidance for portions of the affected air traffic service (ATS) routes.
The Anthony VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR
Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 6, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone:
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No.
FAA-2020-0003; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-11 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the
Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783. The Order is also available for inspection at the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the
availability of FAA Order 7400.11D at NARA, email:
[email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Rules and Regulations
Group, Office of Policy, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority for This Rulemaking
The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106
describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII,
Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's
authority. This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described
in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that section,
the FAA is charged with prescribing regulations to assign the use of
the airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the
efficient use of airspace. This regulation is within the scope of that
authority as it would modify the route structure as necessary to
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National
Airspace System.
Comments Invited
Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed
rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they
may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the
views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing
reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic,
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.
Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No.
FAA-2020-0003; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-11) and be submitted in
triplicate to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES section for
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments
on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed,
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments
to FAA Docket No. FAA-2020-0003; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-11.'' The
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
All communications received on or before the specified comment
closing date will be considered before taking action on the proposed
rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for
examination in the public docket both before and after the comment
closing date. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the
docket.
Availability of NPRMs
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any
comments received and any final disposition in person in the Dockets
Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal
holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal
business hours at the office of the Operations Support Group, Central
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Blvd.,
Fort Worth, TX 76177.
Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference
This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective
September 15, 2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D lists
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and
reporting points.
Background
The FAA is planning decommissioning activities for the VOR portion
of the Anthony, KS, VORTAC in July, 2020. The Anthony VOR is one of the
candidate VORs identified for discontinuance by the FAA's VOR MON
program and listed in the final policy statement notice, ``Provision of
Navigation Services for the Next Generation Air Transportation System
(NextGen) Transition to Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for
Establishing a VOR Minimum Operational Network),'' published in the
Federal Register of July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-
1082. Although the VOR portion of the Anthony, KS, VORTAC NAVAID is
planned for decommissioning, the co-located DME is being retained. The
ATS routes affected by the planned Anthony VOR decommissioning are VOR
Federal airways V-12, V-74, and V-516.
With the planned decommissioning of the Anthony VOR, the remaining
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the
continuity of the affected ATS routes. As such, proposed modifications
to the affected VOR Federal airways would result in gaps in the
airways. To overcome the airway gaps, instrument flight rules (IFR)
traffic could use adjacent ATS route segments, including V-73, V-77, V-
256, and V-532, to circumnavigate the affected area. IFR traffic could
also file point to point through the affected area using the existing
airway fixes that will remain in place, as well as adjacent NAVAIDs, or
[[Page 3292]]
receive air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors through the area.
Visual flight rules pilots who elect to navigate via the airways
through the affected area could also take advantage of the adjacent VOR
Federal airways or ATC services listed previously.
Additionally, the Amarillo, TX, VOR NAVAID listed in the V-12
description was actually decommissioned in 1999. The FAA published a
rule in the Federal Register (64 FR 3210, January 21, 1999) for
airspace docket 98-ASW-30 that replaced the decommissioned Amarillo,
TX, VOR with the newly commissioned Panhandle, TX, VORTAC. Subsequent
to that rule, the FAA published another rule in the Federal Register
(64 FR 43069, August 9, 1999) for airspace docket 99-ACE-14 that
erroneously published V-12 with the Amarillo, TX, VOR included instead
of the correct Panhandle, TX, VORTAC. As such, the ``Amarillo, TX,''
NAVAID listed in the V-12 description should reflect the ``Panhandle,
TX,'' NAVAID. This editorial correction to the V-12 description is also
included in this proposed action.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by modifying VOR Federal Airways V-12, V-
74, and V-516. The planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the
Anthony, KS, VORTAC NAVAID has made this action necessary. The proposed
VOR Federal airway changes are outlined below.
V-12: V-12 currently extends between the Gaviota, CA, VORTAC and
the Shelbyville, IN, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME); and
between the Allegheny, PA, VOR/DME and the Pottstown, PA, VORTAC. The
FAA proposes to remove the airway segment between the Mitbee, OK,
VORTAC and the Wichita, KS, VORTAC. Additionally, the Amarillo, TX, VOR
listed in the airway description would be corrected to reflect the
Panhandle, TX, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway
would remain as charted.
V-74: V-74 currently extends between the Garden City, KS, VORTAC
and the Magnolia, MS, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Dodge City, KS, VORTAC and the Pioneer, OK, VORTAC.
The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
V-516: V-516 currently extends between the Liberal, KS, VORTAC and
the Oswego, KS, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment
between the Liberal, KS, VORTAC and the Pioneer, OK, VORTAC. The
unaffected portion of the existing airway would remain as charted.
All radials listed in the route descriptions below are unchanged
and stated in True degrees.
VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order
7400.11D dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019, which
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airways
listed in this document would be subsequently published in the Order.
FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is
published yearly and effective on September 15.
Regulatory Notices and Analyses
The FAA has determined that this proposed regulation only involves
an established body of technical regulations for which frequent and
routine amendments are necessary to keep them operationally current.
It, therefore: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under
Department of Transportation (DOT) Regulatory Policies and Procedures
(44 FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3) does not warrant preparation
of a regulatory evaluation as the anticipated impact is so minimal.
Since this is a routine matter that will only affect air traffic
procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this proposed rule,
when promulgated, will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
Environmental Review
This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies
and Procedures'' prior to any FAA final regulatory action.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71
Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).
The Proposed Amendment
In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:
PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR
TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS
0
1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O.
10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.
Sec. 71.1 [Amended]
0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11D,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019 and
effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-12 [Amended]
From Gaviota, CA; San Marcus, CA; Palmdale, CA; 38 miles, 6
miles wide, Hector, CA; 12 miles, 38 miles, 85 MSL, 14 miles, 75
MSL, Needles, CA; 45 miles, 34 miles, 95 MSL, Drake, AZ; Winslow,
AZ; 30 miles, 85 MSL, Zuni, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Otto, NM; Anton
Chico, NM; Tucumcari, NM; Panhandle, TX; to Mitbee, OK. From
Wichita, KS; Emporia, KS; INT Emporia 063[deg] and Napoleon, MO,
243[deg] radials; Napoleon; INT Napoleon 095[deg] and Columbia, MO,
292[deg] radials; Columbia; Foristell, MO; Troy, IL; Bible Grove,
IL; to Shelbyville, IN. From Allegheny, PA; Johnstown, PA;
Harrisburg, PA; INT Harrisburg 092[deg] and Pottstown, PA, 278[deg]
radials; to Pottstown.
* * * * *
V-74 [Amended]
From Garden City, KS; to Dodge City, KS. From Pioneer, OK;
Tulsa, OK; Fort Smith, AR; 6 miles, 7 miles wide (4 miles north and
3 miles south of centerline) Little Rock, AR; Pine Bluff, AR;
Greenville, MS; to Magnolia, MS.
* * * * *
V-516 [Amended]
From Pioneer, OK; to Oswego, KS.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2020.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-00774 Filed 1-17-20; 8:45 am]
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