[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 244 (Friday, December 19, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70862-70863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-31245]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Informal Airspace Workshop; Proposed Instrument Procedures to 
Runway 24, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public workshop.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA intends to hold two informal airspace workshops to 
solicit comments regarding operational and environmental concerns from 
airspace users and others concerning traffic flows for aircraft 
operating to Runway 24R and Runway 24L at Ted Stevens Anchorage 
International Airport (ANC). The workshops will be presented on January 
20 and January 22, 2004. The purpose of these workshops is to provide 
interested parties an opportunity to comment on the proposed conversion 
of a random flight track into a published Charted Visual Flight 
Procedure (CVFP) to Runway 24R and Runway 24L.
    Date/Time: The first workshop will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., 
Tuesday, January 20, 2004.
    Place: Multi-Purpose Room, Spenard Community Recreation Center, 
2020 West 48th Avenue, Anchorage, Alaska; telephone: (907) 343-4160.
    Date/Time: The second workshop will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., 
Thursday, January 22, 2004.
    Place: Auditorium room 127, University of Alaska Anchorage, 
Aviation Technology Division, 2811 Merrill Field Drive, Anchorage, 
Alaska; telephone: (907) 264-7400.
    Public Comments: The FAA actively solicits public comments. 
Comments may be presented at the workshop or submitted afterwards via 
letter, fax, or email. Comments should be received on or before 
February 23, 2004, to be included as part of the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert van Haastert, Operations 
Branch, AAL-535, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, 
Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587; telephone number (907) 271-5863; fax: 
(907) 271-2850; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 70863]]

History and Background

    Due to mountainous terrain within ten miles east of the ANC, there 
are no instrument approaches to Runways 24R or 24L. When wind 
conditions dictate the use of these runways, the only option available 
for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) arrivals is a visual approach. Since 
aircraft on a visual approach are not restricted to a specific route 
and since high minimum vectoring altitudes prohibit giving subsequent 
aircraft an extended downwind leg, excessive spacing must be used to 
ensure aircraft separation.
    The establishment of the CVFPs to Runways 24R and 24L would keep 
aircraft as close to ANC as possible and within Class C airspace to 
avoid the Seward Highway Segment by heavily used Visual Flight Rules 
(VFR) aircraft.
    The fleet mix and number of aircraft into ANC would not change. The 
percentage of time Runway 24 would be utilized would also not change. 
Additionally, the CVFPs would result in a slight average increase in 
aircraft altitudes over the proposed flight track.

Workshop Agenda

    This workshop is intended to involve the community in our decision 
making process. The workshop will be set up in an open house fashion 
with stations attended by FAA representatives. These stations are 
intended to provide information and collect comments on the development 
of new Charted Visual Flight Procedures for Runway 24R and Runway 24L.

Workshop Procedures

    (a) The workshop will be informal in nature and will be conducted 
by representatives of the FAA Alaskan Region.
    (b) The workshop will be open to all persons on a space-available 
basis. Every effort was made to provide a workshop site with sufficient 
capacity for expected participation. There will be no admission fee nor 
other charges to attend and participate.
    (c) Representatives of Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 
Traffic Control Tower and Anchorage Terminal Radar Approach Control 
will be present to discuss procedural concepts. FAA Air Traffic 
Division representatives will be present to discuss environmental 
concerns.
    (d) Any person who wishes to submit a position paper to FAA 
representatives pertinent to the establishment of Charted Visual Flight 
Procedures may do so.
    (e) The workshop will not be formally recorded. However, informal 
tape recordings may be made to ensure that each respondent's comments 
are noted accurately.
    (f) An official verbatim transcript or minutes of the informal 
airspace workshop will not be made. However, a list of the attendees, 
written statements received from attendees during and after the 
workshop and a digest of discussions during the workshop will be 
included in the administrative record for the project.
    (g) Every reasonable effort will be made to hear the concerns of 
interested persons consistent with a reasonable closing time for the 
workshop.

    Issued in Anchorage, AK, on December 12, 2003.
Trent S. Cummings,
Manager, Air Traffic Division, Alaskan Region.
[FR Doc. 03-31245 Filed 12-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M