[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 29, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45601-45603]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21815]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA 2001-10002; Airspace Docket No. 00-ASO-25]
RIN 2120-AA66


Realignment of Jet Routes and VOR Federal Airways; FL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action realigns two jet routes and four Very High 
Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways in the vicinity 
of Gainesville, FL, due to the relocation of the Gainesville, FL, Very 
High Frequency

[[Page 45602]]

Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) facility. This 
action also changes the name of the ``Gainesville VORTAC'' to ``Gators 
VORTAC.'' The FAA is taking this action because the previous VORTAC 
site was unusable due to recurring flooding. The VORTAC has been moved 
to a new location at the Gainesville, FL, Airport. This action will 
enable more efficient management of air traffic in the Gainesville, FL, 
area.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 0901 UTC, November 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, Airspace and Rules 
Division, ATA-400, Office of Air Traffic Airspace Management, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Gainesville, FL, VORTAC was removed from service on February 
24, 1998, due to flooding at the facility site in the Paynes Prairie 
Reserve, FL. Water entered the VORTAC building and covered the access 
road with 2 to 3 feet of water. The Paynes Prairie Reserve site is 
prone to flooding and, therefore, the FAA has determined that the best 
course of action is to move the facility permanently to a new location 
at the Gainesville Airport, FL, approximately 8 miles north of the 
former site. The relocation of the VORTAC requires that segments of the 
affected jet routes and VOR Federal airways be redescribed.

The Rule

    This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by revising the legal 
descriptions of two jet routes (J-55 and J-85) and four VOR Federal 
airways (V-157, V-441, V-537, and V-579), as a result of the relocation 
of the Gainesville, FL, VORTAC. The FAA is taking this action because 
the VORTAC facility has been moved to a new site approximately 8 miles 
north of its former location. The former site was deemed unsuitable due 
to recurring flooding which caused the VORTAC to be shutdown. In 
addition, this action changes the name of the ``Gainesville VORTAC'' to 
``Gators VORTAC.'' This action makes minor amendments in the legal 
descriptions to align the affected jet route and VOR Federal airway 
segments with the new VORTAC site and reflect the new name of the 
facility. This action also restores a necessary navigational aid, and 
portions of the jet route and VOR Federal airway structures near 
Gainesville, FL, that have been unusable since February 1998.
    The FAA obtained a new site, located at the Gainesville Regional 
Airport, to accommodate the move of VORTAC facility. Site preparation, 
construction of the building, and installation of the antenna and 
associated equipment are complete. In addition, required flight 
inspections have been performed. This rule is necessary to revise the 
descriptions of the affected VOR Federal airways and jet routes, as 
described above, to align them with the new geographical position of 
the Gators VORTAC.
    The shutdown of the Gainesville VORTAC in 1998 resulted in the loss 
of an important National Airspace System navigational aid at a key, 
high volume juncture in north central Florida. As a result of this 
outage, a number of factors have impacted system efficiency and safety, 
including: increased air traffic controller workload due to the 
requirement to issue revised routings and air traffic control 
clearances; disruption of transition and arrival routes serving local 
terminal areas; and the loss of a heavily used navigational aid 
important to pilots flying under both instrument flight rules and 
visual flight rules (VFR). The VORTAC's proximity to numerous 
restricted areas, wherein activities hazardous to aviation are 
conducted, make it a particularly important aid to assist VFR pilots in 
avoiding those areas. Because this action is needed for safety and 
system efficiency reasons, the FAA finds that notice and public 
procedure under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) are impracticable and contrary to the 
public interest.
    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. 
Therefore, this regulation: (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 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.
    Jet routes and VOR Federal airways are published in paragraphs 2004 
and 6010(a), respectively, of FAA Order 7400.9H, dated September 1, 
2000, and effective September 16, 2000, which is incorporated by 
reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The jet routes and VOR Federal airways listed 
in this document will be published subsequently in the Order.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

Adoption of Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends 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 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 the Federal 
Aviation Administration Order 7400.9H, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated September 1, 2000, and effective September 16, 
2000, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 2004--Jet Routes.

* * * * *

J-55  [Revised]

    From Dolphin, FL; INT Dolphin 331 deg. and Gators, FL, 160 deg., 
radials; INT Gators 160 deg. and Craig, FL, 192 deg., radials; 
Craig; INT Craig 004 deg. and Savannah, GA, 197 deg. radials; 
Savannah; Charleston, SC; Florence, SC; INT Florence 003 deg. and 
Raleigh-Durham, NC, 224 deg. radials; Raleigh-Durham; INT Raleigh-
Durham 035 deg. and Hopewell, VA, 234 deg. radials; Hopewell; INT 
Hopewell 030 deg. and Nottingham, MD, 174 deg. radials. From Sea 
Isle, NJ; INT Sea Isle 050 deg. and Hampton, NY, 223 deg. radials; 
Hampton; Providence, RI; Boston, MA; Kennebunk, ME; Presque Isle, 
ME; to Mont Joli, PQ, Canada, excluding the portion within Canada.
* * * * *

J-85  [Revised]

    From Dolphin, FL; INT Dolphin 331 deg.and Gators, FL, 160 deg. 
radials; Gators; Taylor, FL; Alma, GA; Colliers, SC; Spartanburg, 
SC; Charleston, WV; INT Charleston 357 deg. and DRYER, OH, 172 deg. 
radials; DRYER. The portion within Canada is excluded.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6010(a)--Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-157  [Revised]

    From Key West, FL; INT Key West 038 deg. and Dolphin, FL, 
244 deg. radials; Dolphin; INT Dolphin 331 deg. and La Belle, FL, 
113 deg. radials; La Belle; Lakeland, FL; Ocala, FL; INT Ocala

[[Page 45603]]

346 deg. and Taylor, FL, 170 deg. radials; Taylor, FL; Waycross, GA; 
Alma, GA; Allendale, SC; Vance, SC; Florence, SC; Fayetteville, NC; 
Kinston, NC; Tar River, NC; Lawrenceville, VA; Richmond, VA; INT 
Richmond 039 deg. and Patuxent, MD, 228 deg. radials; Patuxent; 
Smyrna, DE; Woodstown, NJ; Robbinsville, NJ; INT Robbinsville 
044 deg. and LaGuardia, NY, 213 deg. radials; LaGuardia; INT 
LaGuardia 032 deg. and Deer Park, NY, 326 deg. radials; INT Deer 
Park 326 deg. and Kingston, NY, 191 deg. radials; Kingston, NY; to 
Albany, NY. The airspace within R-4005, R-4006, R-4007A, and R-6602A 
is excluded.
* * * * *

V-441  [Revised]

    From Melbourne, FL, via INT Melbourne 269 deg. and Lakeland, FL, 
081 deg. radials; Lakeland; St. Petersburg, FL; INT St. Petersburg 
011 deg. and Ocala, FL, 208 deg. radials; Ocala; Gators, FL; INT 
Gators 014 deg. and Brunswick, GA, 223 deg. radials; Brunswick; INT 
Brunswick 052 deg. and Savannah, GA, 180 deg. radials; to Savannah.
* * * * *

V-537  [Revised]

    From Vero Beach, FL, via INT Vero Beach 318 deg. and Orlando, 
FL, 140 deg. radials; INT Orlando 140 deg. and Melbourne, FL, 
298 deg. radials; INT Melbourne 298 deg. and Ocala, FL, 145 deg. 
radials; Ocala; Gators, FL; Greenville, FL; Moultrie, GA; Macon, GA.
* * * * *

V-579  [Revised]

    From Lee County, FL; INT Lee County 310 deg. and Sarasota, FL, 
156 deg. radials; Sarasota; St. Petersburg, FL; Gators, FL; Cross 
City, FL; Valdosta, GA; Tift Myers, GA; to Vienna, GA.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 23, 2001.
Reginald C. Matthews,
Manager, Airspace and Rules Division.
[FR Doc. 01-21815 Filed 8-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P