[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 4, 2003)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 5613-5614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2526]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 97-AWA-2]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Modification of the Tampa Class B Airspace Area; FL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: This action withdraws a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 
published in the Federal Register on November 18, 1998. In that action, 
the FAA proposed to modify the Tampa, FL, Class B airspace area by 
renaming two existing subareas, configure the boundaries of three 
subareas, and create an additional subarea. However, the conditions 
that prompted the development of the proposal did not fully 
materialize. Therefore, the FAA has determined that withdrawal of the 
proposed rule is warranted in order to best serve aviation safety and 
the efficient management of aircraft operations in the Tampa terminal 
area.

DATES: This withdrawal is made as of February 4, 2003.

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 basis for the proposed modification of the Tampa Class B 
airspace area was a 1991 recommendation by the Defense Base Realignment 
and Closure Commission that MacDill Air Force Base (AFB) be closed and 
the 56th Tactical Fighter Wing located there be deactivated. That 
action prompted the FAA to conduct a staff study of the Tampa terminal 
area to determine if any modifications to the Tampa Class B airspace 
area were warranted. The staff study resulted in a recommendation to 
raise the floor of Class B airspace over Tampa Bay south of MacDill AFB 
to the boundary of Sarasota-Brandenton Class C airspace area from the 
current 1,200 feet mean sea level (MSL) to 3,000 feet MSL. The airspace 
floor in that area was established at 1,200 feet MSL in 1990 as an 
additional safety measure between civil aircraft operating in the 
vicinity of Tampa International Airport and the F-16 fighter aircraft 
based at MacDill AFB.
    In 1995, however, the Commission amended its findings and 
recommended that MacDill AFB remain open and continue to host an active 
flying mission. The F-16 unit, formerly assigned to the base, was 
replaced by an air refueling wing comprised of KC-135 heavy jet 
aircraft.
    The decision that MacDill AFB would remain open with a continuing 
flying mission was acknowledged in the NPRM. The FAA elected to proceed 
with the proposal to modify the Class B airspace area because it was 
anticipated that the termination of the fighter mission would lead to 
fewer operations at MacDill AFB, as well as less high-speed, low-
altitude military aircraft operations over Tampa Bay.
    It is with this in mind that, on November 18, 1998, the FAA 
published an NPRM in the Federal Register (63 FR 64016) proposing to 
amend 14 CFR part 71 to modify the Tampa, Florida Class B airspace 
area. Interested parties were invited to participate in the rulemaking 
process by submitting written data, views, or arguments regarding the 
proposal.
    The FAA received a total of nine comments on the proposal. The 
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) wrote in support of the 
proposal stating that the elimination of Class B airspace below 3,000 
feet MSL as proposed would result in more efficient use of the airspace 
by segments of the general aviation community. The United States Air 
Force (USAF) submitted two comments opposing the proposal. The USAF was 
concerned that the proposal to raise the floor of Class B airspace 
area, from 1,200 feet MSL to 3,000 feet MSL, south of MacDill AFB would 
pose a hazard to flight operations in the area. Another commenter also 
opposed the proposal stating that the existing 1,200-foot floor is 
necessary based on the amount of aircraft operations in the area, the 
number of airports located within a few miles of each other, and 
weather conditions over Tampa Bay that reduce long-range visibility 
much of the time. Five other commenters supported the proposal stating 
that the changes would benefit general aviation.
    As a result of the NPRM, however, questions arose regarding the 
impacts of the change on the efficiency and safety of operations in the 
Tampa terminal area if the floor of Class B airspace area was raised 
from the current 1,200 feet MSL to 3,000 feet MSL, as proposed. These 
concerns were based on the fact that MacDill AFB did not close and that 
the airspace over Tampa Bay encompasses high density traffic operating 
to and from six airports in the vicinity.

Airspace Study

    In January 2002, the FAA conducted a thorough review of the 
proposed Tampa, FL, Class B airspace area modifications to better 
evaluate these concerns. The review included an analysis of traffic 
flows within the Tampa Approach Control airspace, with special emphasis 
given to that segment of Class B airspace from MacDill AFB south to the 
boundary of the Sarasota-Bradenton Class C airspace area. In its 
review, the FAA considered the following information: MacDill AFB 
remains open and hosts a variety of aircraft operations including KC-
135 heavy jets, aviation elements of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Agriculture, and 
routine transient aircraft. In addition, fighter aircraft from other 
locations frequently deploy to, and operate from, MacDill AFB to 
conduct training in the nearby off-shore and over-land military special 
use airspace areas. The MacDill AFB aircraft operations count for the 
year 2001 totaled more than 30,000 operations, contributing to the 
overall complexity of airspace in the Tampa terminal area.
    The Tampa Class B airspace area was configured to provide Class B 
airspace protection for air carrier aircraft serving the Tampa 
International Airport (the primary airport) and to enhance the 
management of air traffic operations in this high-density terminal 
area. Air traffic control makes extensive use of the Class B airspace 
segment over Tampa Bay to ensure the safe and efficient management of 
aircraft operations in the terminal area. Raising the floor of Class B 
airspace to 3,000 feet MSL, as proposed, would place a significant 
portion of traffic in the Tampa terminal area outside of Class B 
airspace during critical phases of flight. For example, arrivals to 
Runways 36L/36R at Tampa International Airport are descended to 2,600 
feet MSL to be at the approach intercept altitude. This altitude is 
1,000 feet above the approach intercept altitude of 1,600 feet MSL used 
for Runway 04 at MacDill AFB. This altitude difference provides the 
required instrument flight rules separation between Tampa and MacDill 
arrivals. Aircraft departing Runway 22

[[Page 5614]]

at MacDill AFB are initially stopped at 1,600 feet MSL, southbound, in 
order to provide separation from Tampa arrivals and departures. When 
multiple aircraft are being vectored in the radar pattern for Runway 04 
at MacDill AFB, the pattern often extends to the southwest of MacDill 
AFB as far as the Skyway Bridge and beyond.
    In addition to the Tampa International Airport and MacDill AFB 
operations described above, the same general airspace is used by other 
aircraft descending into, or departing from, the Albert Whitted (SPG), 
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International (PIE), Peter O. Knight (TPF), 
and Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ) Airports. Arrivals to these 
airports are normally descended to 2,000 feet MSL to intercept the 
approach. The final approach paths for these airports lie within 10 
nautical miles of each other.
    The airspace segment from MacDill AFB southward to the Sarasota-
Bradenton Class C airspace boundary contains a high volume of aircraft 
operations and a widely varied mix of instrument flight rules and 
visual flight rules aircraft operations.

Decision

    Based on this latest study, the FAA has concluded that the current 
configuration of the Tampa Class B airspace area best provides for the 
safety and efficiency of operations within the Tampa terminal area.
    In light of these considerations, the FAA has reexamined the 
proposed modification of the Tampa Class B airspace area and has 
decided to withdraw the proposal.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

The Withdrawal

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, Airspace Docket No. 97-AWA-2, as published in the Federal 
Register on November 18, 1998 (63 FR 64016), is hereby withdrawn.

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

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2003.
Reginald C. Matthews,
Manager, Airspace and Rules Division.
[FR Doc. 03-2526 Filed 2-3-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P