[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 91 (Tuesday, May 11, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26058-26059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-10692]



[[Page 26058]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2004-17596; Airspace Docket No. 04-AEA-06]


Proposed Amendments to Class E Airspace; Norfolk, VA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This notice proposes to amend the Class E airspace area in the 
Norfolk, VA metropolitan area. The development of multiple area 
navigation (RNAV) Standard Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAP), the 
proliferation of airports within the Norfolk, VA metropolitan area with 
approved Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations, and the resulting 
overlap of designated Class E-5 airspace have made this proposal 
necessary. The proposal would consolidate the Class E-5 airspace 
designations for fourteen airports and result in the rescission of 
seven separate Class E-5 descriptions through separate rulemaking 
action. The area would be depicted on aeronautical charts for pilot 
reference.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 10, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the proposal to the Docket Management 
System, U.S. Department of Transportation, Room Plaza 401, 400 Seventh 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001. You must identify the docket 
number FAA-2004-17596/Airspace Docket No. 04-AEA-06 at the beginning of 
your comments. You may also submit comments on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov. You may review the public docket containing the proposal, 
any comments received, and any final disposition in person in the 
Dockets Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-647-5527) is on 
the plaza level of the Department of Transportation NASSIF Building at 
the above address.
    An informal docket may also be examined during normal business 
hours at the office of the Regional Air Traffic Division, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza, Jamaica, NY 
11434-4809.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Francis T. Jordan, Jr., Airspace 
Specialist, Airspace Branch, AEA-520, Eastern Region, 1 Aviation Plaza, 
Jamaica, NY 11434-4809, telephone: (718) 553-4521.

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, 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. FAA-
2004-17596/Airspace Docket No. 04-AEA-06.'' The postcard will be date/
time stamped and returned to the commenter.

Availability of NPRMs

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
Internet at http://dmd.dot.gov. Recently published rulemaking documents 
can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at http://www.faa.gov 
or the Superintendent of Documents web page at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara. Additionally, any person may obtain a copy of 
this notice by submitting a request to the Office of Air Traffic 
Airspace Management, ATA-400, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20591 or by calling (202) 267-8783. Communications must identify 
both the docket numbers for this notice. Persons interested in being 
placed on a mailing list for future NPRMs should contact the FAA's 
Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677 to 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 amend the Class E airspace 
within the Norfolk, VA metropolitan area. The proposal would 
consolidate the following airport Class E-5 airspace designations into 
the Norfolk, VA designation: Norfolk International Airport (ORF), 
Norfolk, VA; Norfolk NAS, Chambers Field (NGU), VA; Langley Air Force 
Base (LFI), VA; Oceana NAS, Apollo Soucek Field (NTU), VA; Fentress 
NALF (NFE), VA; Felker AAF (FAF), Ft. Eustis, VA; Hampton Roads 
Executive Airport (PVG), Portsmouth, VA; Chesapeake Regional Airport 
(CPK), VA; Hummel Field Airport (W75), Saluda, VA; Aberdeen Field 
Airport (31VA), Smithfield, VA; Suffolk Municipal Airport, Suffolk, VA; 
Middle Peninsula Regional Airport (FYJ), West Point, VA; Williamsburg-
Jamestown Airport (JGG), Williamsburg, VA; Newport News/Williamsburg 
International Airport (PHF), Newport News, VA. This action would result 
in the rescission of seven Class E-5 designations under a separate 
docket. The affected airspace would subsequently be incorporated into 
the Norfolk, VA description. The airspace will be defined to 
accommodate the approaches and contain IFR operations to and from those 
airports. This change would have no impact on aircraft operations since 
the type of airspace designation is not changing. Furthermore, the IFR 
approach procedures for the individual airports within the area would 
not be affected. Class E airspace designations for airspace areas 
extending upward from 700 ft or more above the surface are published in 
Paragraph 6005 of FAA order 7400.9L, dated September 2, 2003, and 
effective September 16, 2003, which is incorporated by reference in 14 
CFR 71.1. The Class E airspace designation 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. 
Therefore, this proposed regulation--(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 would only affect air traffic procedures 
and air navigation, it is certified that this proposed rule would not 
have 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

[[Page 26059]]

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. 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 7400.9L, dated September 2, 2003, and 
effective September 16, 2003, is proposed to be amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700 
feet or more above the surface of the earth.

* * * * *

AEA VA E5 Norfolk, VA (Revised)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within an area bounded by a line beginning at lat. 
36[deg]33[min]18[sec] N., long. 75[deg]50[min]31[sec] W., to lat. 
36[deg]33[min]27[sec] N., long. 76[deg]45[min]46[sec] W., to lat. 
36[deg]43[min]32[sec] N., long. 76[deg]46[min]23[sec] W., to lat. 
36[deg]51[min]53[sec] N., long. 76[deg]35[min]05[sec] W., to lat. 
37[deg]14[min]30[sec] N., long. 76[deg]56[min]21[sec] W., to lat. 
37[deg]37[min]33[sec] N., long. 76[deg]53[min]14[sec] W., to lat. 
37[deg]43[min]98[sec] N., long. 76[deg]22[min]17[sec] W., to lat. 
37[deg]14[min]14[sec] N., long. 76[deg]07[min]30[sec] W., to lat. 
36[deg]55[min]06[sec] N., long. 75[deg]53[min]33[sec] W., to the 
point of beginning, excluding that airspace that coincides with W-
50A and R-6606 when they are in effect.
* * * * *

    Issued in Jamaica, New York, on May 4, 2004.
John G. McCartney,
Assistant Manager, Air Traffic Division, Eastern Region.
[FR Doc. 04-10692 Filed 5-10-04; 8:45 am]
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