[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 124 (Friday, June 26, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38343-38345]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13657]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0500; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-9]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of V-221 and V-305 in the Vicinity of
Bloomington, IN
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR)
Federal airways V-221 and V-305 in the vicinity of Bloomington, IN. The
amendments are due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of
the Hoosier, IN, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid
(NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the
affected airways. The Hoosier VOR is being decommissioned as part of
the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 10, 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:
1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No.
FAA-2020-0500; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-9 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 National Airspace System as necessary
to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.
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
[[Page 38344]]
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-2020-0500; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-9) 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-2020-0500; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-9.'' 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 to decommission the VOR portion of the Hoosier,
IN, VORTAC in December 2020. The Hoosier VOR was 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 Hoosier VORTAC NAVAID is planned for
decommissioning, the DME portion of the NAVAID is being retained to
support Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Performance
Based Navigation (PBN) flight procedure requirements.
The VOR Federal airway dependencies to the Hoosier VOR are V-221
and V-305. With the planned decommissioning of the Hoosier VOR, the
proposed modifications to the dependent airways would result in airway
segments supported by the Hoosier VOR being removed; creating gaps in
V-221 and V-305. To overcome the gaps created in V-221 and V-305,
instrument flight rules (IFR) pilots could use adjacent VOR Federal
airways, including V-11, V-12, V-53, and V-171, or could request air
traffic control (ATC) radar vectors to fly through or circumnavigate
the affected area. IFR pilots equipped with area navigation (RNAV) PBN
could also navigate point to point using the existing fixes that will
remain in place to support continued operations though the affected
area. Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the
airways through the affected area could also take advantage of the air
traffic services previously listed.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify VOR Federal airways V-221 and V-
305 due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the
Hoosier, IN, VORTAC. The proposed VOR Federal airway actions are
described below.
V-221: V-221 currently extends between the Bible Grove, IL, VORTAC
and the intersection of the Fort Wayne, IN, VORTAC 016[deg] and Goshen,
IN, VORTAC 092[deg] radials. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Bible Grove, IL, VORTAC and the Shelbyville, IN,
VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME). The unaffected portions of
the existing airway would remain as charted.
V-305: V-305 currently extends between the El Dorado, AR, VOR/DME
and the Kokomo, IN, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Pocket City, IN, VORTAC and the Brickyard, IN,
VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as
charted.
The NAVAID radials contained in the VOR Federal airway 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 ATS routes 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
[[Page 38345]]
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-221 [Amended]
From Shelbyville, IN; Muncie, IN; Fort Wayne, IN; to INT Fort
Wayne 016[deg] and Goshen, IN, 092[deg] radials.
* * * * *
V-305 [Amended]
From El Dorado, AR; Little Rock, AR; Walnut Ridge, AR; Malden,
MO; Cunningham, KY; to Pocket City, IN. From Brickyard, IN; INT
Brickyard 038[deg] and Kokomo, IN, 182[deg] radials; to Kokomo.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 18, 2020.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-13657 Filed 6-25-20; 8:45 am]
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