[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 10861-10863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4140]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 00-AAL-20]


Proposed Revision of Class E Airspace; Bethel, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revise Class E airspace at Bethel, AK, 
in two ways: (1) The FAA intends to cancel the Bethel Very High 
Frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Range (VOR) instrument approach to 
runway (RWY) 36 at Bethel, AK, and to simultaneously reduce the Class E 
(surface area extension) airspace at Bethel, AK; (2) The FAA intends to 
correct an administrative error by revising the Class E (surface area) 
airspace with an exclusion area for Hanger Lake seaplane base 
operations. This proposed rule would accomplish two actions: (1) Allow 
for the Napakiak Airport to be outside of the Bethel Class E (surface 
area extension) airspace and would reduce the required controlled 
airspace for aircraft flying Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations 
at Bethel, AK; and (2) fix an administrative oversight by adding the 
Hanger Lake exclusion area to the Class E airspace description at 
Bethel, AK.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 6, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to: Manager, 
Operations Branch, AAL-530, Docket No. 00-AAL-20, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587.
    The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Regional 
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, Operations Branch, Air Traffic 
Division, at the address shown above and on the Internet at Alaskan 
Region's homepage at http://www.alaska.faa.gov/at or at address http://162.58.28.41/at.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Durand, Operations Branch,

[[Page 10862]]

Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, 
Anchorage, AK 99513-7587; telephone number (907) 271-5898; fax: (907) 
271-2850; e-mail: [email protected]. Internet address: http://www.alaska.faa.gov/at or at address http://162.58.28.41/at.

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. Commentors 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. 00-
AAL-20.'' The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the 
commentor. 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 Operations 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.

Availability of Notice of Proposed Rulemaking's (NPRM's)

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded, using a 
modem and suitable communications software, from the FAA regulations 
section of the Fedworld electronic bulletin board service (telephone: 
703-321-3339) or the Federal Register's electronic bulletin board 
service (telephone: 202-512-1661).
    Internet users may reach the Federal Register's web page for access 
to recently published rulemaking documents at http://
www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs/aces/aces140.html.
    Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request 
to the Operations 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 contact the 
individual(s) identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section.

Background

    On November 11, 2000, the FAA initiated Airspace Study Number 00-
AAL-077NR, Notice of Proposed Revocation of the VOR RWY 36 Approach 
Procedure at Bethel, Alaska. Comments during several meetings over the 
last year with airspace users in the Bethel area indicated that they 
would like to have Napakiak Airport (WNA) excluded from the Class E 
(surface area extension) airspace at Bethel, AK. The Bethel Airport has 
four approaches to RWY 36: (1) Localizer (LOC)/Distance Measuring 
Equipment (DME) Back Course (BC) RWY 36, (2) VOR/DME RWY 36, (3) Global 
Positioning System (GPS) RWY 36, and (4) the VOR RWY 36. The Bethel VOR 
RWY 36 instrument approach, with a procedure turn at 1,600 feet, allows 
aircraft to descend to 700 feet after the procedure turn is completed. 
The FAA protects airspace from the point an aircraft may legally 
descend below 1,000 feet with Class E (surface area) airspace. For 
aircraft going to Bethel Airport, the Napakiak Airport, located 7.1 
nautical miles on a 200 deg. true bearing from Bethel VORTAC, is an 
alternate place to land and wait for weather to improve when the Bethel 
surface area is restricted due to weather.
    The FAA received favorable comments from Craig Air Incorporated, US 
Coast Guard District 17, Kusko Aviation Incorporated, Alaska Airlines, 
and the US Fish and Wildlife Service--Bethel. With the adoption of this 
proposal, the FAA intends to simultaneously cancel the VOR RWY 36 
instrument approach and shorten the Class E airspace to the southwest 
of Bethel. There would be three remaining instrument approaches to the 
Bethel RWY 36: (1) LOC/DME BC RWY 36, (2) VOR/DME RWY 36, and (3) GPS 
RWY 36. This proposal would allow Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations 
to continue at Napakiak Airport during Special VFR operations at Bethel 
Airport, AK.
    Additionally, this proposal would fix an administrative oversight 
by including an exclusion area for the Hanger Lake seaplane base 
operations to the Class E (surface area) airspace description. Changes 
to the Bethel airspace would incorporate an exclusion below 1,100 feet 
MSL between the 061 deg. radial and the 081 deg. radial from 2.9 
nautical miles northeast of the Bethel VORTAC.

The Proposal

    This amendment to 14 CFR part 71 proposes to revise the Class E 
airspace at Bethel, AK, in two ways: (1) reduce the amount of 
controlled airspace required southwest of the Bethel airport; and (2) 
modify the Class E (surface area) airspace description to exclude the 
Hanger Lake seaplane base operations. The intended effects of this 
proposal are: (1) to reduce the controlled airspace for IFR operations 
at Bethel, AK, thus allowing for VFR operations at Napakiak Airport 
during Special VFR operations at Bethel Airport and (2) fix an 
administrative oversight by adding the Hanger Lake exclusion area to 
the Class E airspace description.
    The area would be depicted on aeronautical charts for pilot 
reference. 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 and the Class E airspace areas 
designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area are 
published in paragraph 6004 in FAA Order 7400.9H, Airspace Designations 
and Reporting Points, dated September 1, 2000, and effective September 
16, 2000, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class 
E airspace designations listed in this document would be published 
subsequently in the Order.
    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 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).

[[Page 10863]]

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, CLASS B, CLASS C, CLASS D, AND 
CLASS E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIRWAYS; ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS

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

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


Sec. 71.1  [Amended]

    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of Federal 
Aviation Administration Order 7400.9H, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated September 1, 2000, and effective September 16, 
2000, is to be amended as follows:
* * * * *

Paragraph 6002  Class E airspace designated as surface areas.

* * * * *

AAL AK E2  Bethel, AK [Revised]

Bethel Airport, AK
    (Lat. 60 deg.46'47" N., long. 161 deg.50'17" W.)
Bethel VORTAC
    (Lat. 60 deg.47'05" N., long. 161 deg.49'27" W.)

    Within a 4.1-mile radius of the Bethel Airport, excluding that 
portion below 1,100 feet MSL between the 061 deg. radial and the 
081 deg. radial from 2.9 miles northeast of the Bethel VORTAC. This 
Class E airspace area is effective during the specific dates and 
times established in advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective 
date and time will thereafter be continuously published in the 
Airport/Facility Directory.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6004  Class E airspace designated as an Extension to a 
Class D or Class E surface area.

* * * * *

AAL AK E4  Bethel, AK [Revised]

Bethel Airport, AK
    (Lat. 60 deg.46'47" N., long. 161 deg.50'17" W.)
Bethel VORTAC
    (Lat. 60 deg.47'05" N., long. 161 deg.49'27" W.)
    That airspace extending upward from the surface within 3 miles 
each side of the 022 deg. radial from the Bethel VORTAC, extending 
from the 4.1-mile radius of the Bethel Airport to 8.2 miles 
northeast of the airport, excluding that portion below 1,100 feet 
MSL between the 061 deg. radial and the 081 deg. radial from 2.9 
miles northeast of the Bethel VORTAC, within 3.4 miles each side of 
the Bethel VORTAC 006 deg. radial, extending from the 4.1-mile 
radius of the Bethel Airport to 11 miles north of the Bethel VORTAC 
and within 3.5 miles each side of the Bethel VORTAC 213 deg. radial 
extending from the 4.1-mile radius of the Bethel Airport to 5 miles 
southwest of the airport.
* * * * *

    Issued in Anchorage, AK, on February 12, 2001.
Stephen P. Creamer,
Assistant Manager, Air Traffic Division, Alaskan Region.
[FR Doc. 01-4140 Filed 2-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P