[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 112 (Wednesday, June 11, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31769-31770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-15309]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 97-AAL-8]


Proposed Revision of Class E Airspace; Ketchikan, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This proposal will revise the Class E airspace designated as 
the surface area for Ketchikan International Airport, Ketchikan, AK. 
The Ketchikan International Airport's surface area is currently 
effective 24 hours a day and has a mandatory communication requirement. 
The wording in the last two sentences in the current description apply 
to surface areas with less than 24 hour operations. These last two 
sentences will be deleted. The intended effect of this proposal is to 
modify the Ketchikan, AK, surface area description to indicate a 
continuous, 24 hour operation.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 28, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to: Manager, 
System Management Branch, AAL-530, Docket No. 97-AAL-8, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK 
99513-7587.
    The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Assistant 
Chief Counsel for the Alaskan Region at the same address.
    An informal docket may also be examined during normal business 
hours in the Office of the Manager, System Management Branch, Air 
Traffic Division, at the address shown above and on the Internet at the 
Alaskan Region's homepage at http://www.alaska.faa.gov/at.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert van Haastert, System Management 
Branch, AAL-538, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, 
Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587; telephone number: (907) 271-5863; 
email: Robert.van.H[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 the airspace docket number and be 
submitted in triplicate to the address listed above. Commenters wishing 
the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments on this notice must 
submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which 
the following statement is made: ``Comments to Airspace Docket No. 97-
AAL-8.'' The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the 
commenter. All communications received on or before the specified 
closing date for comments will be considered before taking action on 
the proposed rule. The proposal contained in this notice may be changed 
in light of comments received. All comments submitted will be available 
for examination in the System Management Branch, Air Traffic Division, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, 
Anchorage, AK, both before and after the closing date for comments. A 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the docket.

[[Page 31770]]

Availability of NPRM's

    Any person may obtain a copy of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 
(NPRM) by submitting a request to the System Management Branch, AAL-
530, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, 
Anchorage, AK 99513-7587. Communications must identify the notice 
number of this NPRM. Persons interested in being placed on a mailing 
list for future NPRM's should also request a copy of Advisory Circular 
No. 11-2A which describes the application procedure.

The Proposal

    The FAA is considering an amendment to part 71 of the Federal 
Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 71) to revise the Class E airspace 
designated as the surface area for Ketchikan International Airport, 
Ketchikan, AK. The Ketchikan International Airport's surface area is 
currently effective 24 hours a day and has mandatory communication 
requirements. The wording in the last two sentences of the current 
description are for surface areas with less than 24 hour operations. 
These last two sentences will be deleted. The coordinates for this 
airspace docket are based on North American Datum 83. The Class E 
airspace areas designated as surface areas are published in paragraph 
6002 of FAA Order 7400.9D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, 
dated September 4, 1996, and effective September 16, 1996, which is 
incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 (61 FR 48403; September 13, 
1996). The intended effect of this proposal is to modify the Ketchikan, 
AK, surface area description to indicate continuous, 24 hour operation. 
The Class E airspace designation listed in this document would be 
published subsequently in the Order.
    The FAA has determined that these proposed regulations only involve 
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. Since this is a routine matter that 
will only affect air traffic procedures and air navigation, it is 
certified that this 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.

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--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 14 CFR Part 71 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 
9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389; 49 U.S.C. 106(g); 14 CFR 
11.69.


Sec. 71.1  [Amended]

    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of Federal 
Aviation Administration Order 7400.9D, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated September 4, 1996, and effective September 16, 
1996, is amended as follows:
* * * * *

Paragraph 6002  Class E airspace areas listed below are designated 
as a surface area for an airport.

* * * * *

AAL AK E2 Ketchikan, AK

Ketchikan International Airport, Ketchikan, AK
    (lat. 55 deg.21'20'' N, long. 131 deg.42'49'' W)
Ketchikan Localizer
    (lat. 55 deg.20' 51'' N, long. 131 deg.42' 00'' W)

    Within a 3-mile radius of the Ketchikan International Airport 
and within 1 mile each side of the Ketchikan localizer northwest/
southeast courses extending from the 3-mile radius to 4.6 miles 
northwest and 4.1 miles southeast of the airport.
* * * * *
    Issued in Anchorage, AK, on June 3, 1997.
Willis C. Nelson,
Manager, Air Traffic Division, Alaskan Region.
[FR Doc. 97-15309 Filed 6-10-97; 8:45 am]
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