[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3455-3456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1577]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14 CFR Part 97

[Docket No. 28779; Amdt. No. 1778]


Standard Instrument Approach Procedures; Miscellaneous Amendments

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This amendment establishes, amends, suspends, or revokes 
Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) for operations at 
certain airports. These regulatory actions are needed because of the 
adoption of new or revised criteria, or because of changes occurring in 
the National Airspace System, such as the commissioning of new 
navigational facilities, addition of new obstacles, or changes in air 
traffic requirements. These changes are designed to provide safe and 
efficient use of the navigable airspace and to promote safe flight 
operations under instrument flight rules at the affected airports.

DATES: An effective date for each SIAP is specified in the amendatory 
provisions.
    Incorporation by reference-approved by the Director of the Federal 
Register on December 31, 1980, and reapproved as of January 1, 1982.

ADDRESSES: Aviailability of matters incorporated by reference in the 
amendment is as follows:
    For Examination--
    1. FAA Rules Docket, FAA Headquarters Building, 800 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591;
    2. The FAA Regional Office of the region in which the affected 
airport is located; or
    3. The Flight Inspection Area Office which originated the SIAP.
    For Purchase--Individual SIAP copies may be obtained from:
    1. FAA Public Inquiry Center (APA-200), FAA Headquarters Building, 
800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; or
    2. The FAA Regional Office of the region in which the affected 
airport is located.
    By Subscription--Copies of all SIAPs, mailed once every 2 weeks, 
are for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul J. Best, Flight Procedures 
Standards Branch (AFS-420), Technical Programs Division, Flight 
Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-8277.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This amendment to part 97 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 97) establishes, amends, suspends, or

[[Page 3456]]

revokes Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs). The complete 
regulatory description of each SIAP is contained in official FAA form 
documents which are incorporated by reference in this amendment under 5 
U.S.C. 552(a), 1 CFR part 51, and Sec. 97.20 of the Federal Aviation 
Regulations (FAR). The applicable FAA Forms are identified as FAA Form 
8260-5. Materials incorporated by reference are available for 
examination or purchase as stated above.
    The large number of SIAPs, their complex nature, and the need for a 
special format make their verbatim publication in the Federal Register 
expensive and impractical. Further, airmen do not use the regulatory 
text of the SIAPs, but refer to their graphic depiction on charts 
printed by publishers of aeronautical materials. Thus, the advantages 
of incorporation by reference are realized and publication of the 
complete description of each SIAP contained in FAA form documents is 
unnecessary. The provisions of this amendment state the affected CFR 
(and FAR) sections, with the types and effective dates of the SIAPs. 
This amendment also identifies the airport, its location, the procedure 
identification and the amendment number.
    This amendment to part 97 is effective upon publication of each 
separate SIAP as contained in the transmittal. The SIAPs contained in 
this amendment are based on the criteria contained in the United States 
Standard for Terminal Instrument Approach Procedures (TERPS). In 
developing these SIAPs, the TERPS criteria were applied to the 
conditions existing or anticipated at the affected airports.
    The FAA has determined through testing that current non-localizer 
type, non-precision instrument approaches developed using the TERPS 
criteria can be flown by aircraft equipped with Global Positioning 
System (GPS) equipment. In consideration of the above, the applicable 
Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) will be altered to 
include ``or GPS'' in the title without otherwise reviewing or 
modifying the procedure. (Once a stand alone GPS procedure is 
developed, the procedure title will be altered to remove ``or GPS'' 
from these non-localizer, non-precision instrument approach procedure 
titles.) Because of the close and immediate relationship between these 
SIAPs and safety in air commerce, I find that notice and public 
procedure before adopting these SIAPs are, impracticable and contrary 
to the public interest and, where applicable, that good cause exists 
for making some SIAPS effective in less than 30 days.
    The FAA has determined that this 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 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. For the same reason, the FAA 
certifies that this amendment will not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 97

    Air traffic control, Airports, Navigation (air).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 10, 1997.
Thomas C. Accardi,
Director, Flight Standards Service.

Adoption of the Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, part 97 of 
the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 97) is amended by 
establishing, amending, suspending, or revoking Standard Instrument 
Approach Procedures, effective at 0901 UTC on the dates specified, as 
follows:

PART 97--STANDARD INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES

    1. The authority citation for part 97 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 40103, 40113, 40120, 44701; 49 U.S.C. 
106(g); and 14 CFR 11.49(b)(2).

    2. Part 97 is amended to read as follows:


Secs. 97.23, 97.27, 97.33, 97.35  [Amended]

    By amending: Sec. 97.23 VOR, VOR/DME, VOR or TACAN, and VOR/DME or 
TACAN; Sec. 97.27 NDB, NDB/DME; Sec. 97.33 RNAV SIAPs; and Sec. 97.35 
COPTER SIAPs; identified as follows:

* * * Effective January 30, 1997

De Queen, AR, J. Lynn Helms Sevier County, NDB or GPS RWY 8, Amdt 4A 
CANCELLED
De Queen, AR, J. Lynn Helms Sevier County, NDB RWY 8, Amdt 4A
Holdenville, OK, Holdenville Muni, NDB or GPS RWY 17, Amdt 3 
CANCELLED
Holdenville, OK, Holdenville Muni, NDB RWY 17, Amdt 3
Houston, TX, Ellington Field, VOR or TACAN or GPS RWY 22, Amdt 2 
CANCELLED
Houston, TX, Ellington Field, VOR or TACAN RWY 22, Amdt 2

[FR Doc. 97-1577 Filed 1-22-97; 8:45 am]
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