[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 124 (Friday, June 26, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 38340-38342]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13658]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0505; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASW-1]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of V-63 in the Vicinity of Texoma, OK
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 airway V-63 due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR
portion of the Texoma, OK, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME)
navigation aid (NAVAID). The Texoma VOR provides navigation guidance
for a portion of V-63 and 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-2020-0505; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASW-1 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 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-2020-0505; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASW-1) 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-2020-0505; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASW-1.'' 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
[[Page 38341]]
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 Texoma,
OK, VOR/DME in December 2020. The Texoma 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 Texoma VOR/DME 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 only Air
Traffic Service (ATS) route dependency to the Texoma VOR is VOR Federal
airway V-63.
With the planned decommissioning of the Texoma VOR, the remaining
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the
continuity of V-63. As such, the proposed amendment to the airway would
result in the airway segment supported by the Texoma VOR being removed
and the airway beginning at the Razorback, AR, VOR/Tactical Air
Navigation (VORTAC) NAVAID. To overcome the loss of the affected airway
segment, instrument flight rules (IFR) pilots could use adjacent VOR
Federal airways, including V15, V-16, V-114, V-124, V-278, and V-583,
or could request air traffic control 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.
Prior to this NPRM, the FAA published a rule for Docket No. FAA-
2020-0010 in the Federal Register (85 FR 27114; May 7, 2020), amending
VOR Federal airway V-63 by removing the airway segment between the
Texoma, OK, VOR/DME and the Razorback, AR, VORTAC. The airway
amendment, effective July 16, 2020, is included in this NPRM.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to amend VOR Federal airway V-63 due to
the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Texoma, OK, VOR/
DME. The proposed VOR Federal airway action is described below.
V-63: V-63 currently extends between the Bowie, TX, VORTAC and the
Texoma, OK, VOR/DME; between the Razorback, AR, VORTAC and the Oshkosh,
WI, VORTAC; and between the Wausau, WI, VORTAC and the Houghton, MI,
VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment between the
Bowie, TX, VORTAC and the Texoma, OK, VOR/DME. The unaffected portions
of the existing airway would remain as charted.
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 airway
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:
[[Page 38342]]
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-63 [Amended]
From Razorback, AR; Springfield, MO; Hallsville, MO; Quincy, IL;
Burlington, IA; Moline, IL; Davenport, IA; Rockford, IL; Janesville,
WI; Badger, WI; to Oshkosh, WI. From Wausau, WI; Rhinelander, WI; to
Houghton, MI. Excluding that airspace at and above 10,000 feet MSL
from 5 NM north to 46 NM north of Quincy, IL, when the Howard West
MOA is active.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on June 18, 2020.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-13658 Filed 6-25-20; 8:45 am]
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