[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 121 (Wednesday, June 24, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 36261-36262]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-15281]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2015-1622; Airspace Docket No. 15-AWP-9]


Proposed Amendment of Class D and Class E Airspace; Stockton, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify Class D airspace, Class E 
surface area airspace, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 
feet above the surface, at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton, CA. 
After a biennial review, and the decommissioning of the Manteca VHF 
omnidirectional radio range and distance measuring equipment (VOR/DME), 
the FAA found it necessary to amend the airspace areas for the safety 
and management of Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations for Standard 
Instrument Approach Procedures (SIAPs) at the airport.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 10, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590; 
telephone (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2015-
1622; Airspace Docket No. 15-AWP-9, at the beginning of your comments. 
You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. You may review the public docket containing the 
proposal, any comments received, and any final disposition in person in 
the Dockets Office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5527), is on the ground floor of the building at the above address.
    FAA Order 7400.9Y, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. The Order is also available for inspection 
at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For 
information on the availability of this material at NARA, call (202) 
741-6030, or go to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal-regulations/ibr_locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.9, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15. For further 
information, you can contact the Airspace Policy and Regulations Group, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Riedl, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center, 1601 
Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98057; telephone (425) 203-4534.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Authority for This Rulemaking

    The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is 
found in Title 49 of the U.S. Code. Subtitle 1, Section 106, describes 
the authority for the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation 
Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's authority. 
This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described in 
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that section, the 
FAA is charged with prescribing regulations to assign the use of the 
airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient 
use of airspace. This regulation is within the scope of that authority 
as it would amend controlled airspace at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, 
Stockton, CA.

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 both docket numbers 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 Docket No. FAA-2015-1622/
Airspace Docket No. 15-AWP-9.'' 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://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's Web page at http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
    You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any 
comments received, and any final disposition in person in the Dockets 
Office (see the ADDRESSES section for the address and phone number) 
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal 
holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal 
business hours at the Northwest Mountain Regional Office of the Federal 
Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Organization, Western Service 
Center, Operations Support Group, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 
98057.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRMs should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed

[[Page 36262]]

Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Availability and Summary of Documents Proposed for Incorporation by 
Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.9Y, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2014, and effective 
September 15, 2014. FAA Order 7400.9Y is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this proposed rule. FAA Order 7400.9Y lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) Part 71 by modifying Class D airspace, Class E 
surface area airspace, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 
feet above the surface at Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Stockton, CA. 
Decommissioning of the Manteca VOR/DME and subsequent review of the 
airspace revealed that airspace redesign is necessary for the safety 
and management of IFR operations for standard instrument approach 
procedures at the airport. The Class D and Class E surface areas would 
be expanded to within a 4.5-mile radius of Stockton Metropolitan 
Airport. The Class D extension to the southeast would be removed as it 
is no longer required for aircraft arriving and departing under IFR 
operations. Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface would be modified to within a 7-mile radius of Stockton 
Metropolitan Airport.
    Class D and Class E airspace designations are published in 
paragraph 5000, 6002, and 6005, respectively, of FAA Order 7400.9Y, 
dated August 6, 2014, and effective September 15, 2014, which is 
incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D and Class E 
airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in the Order.
    The FAA has determined 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 will only affect air traffic procedures 
and air navigation, it is certified this proposed rule, when 
promulgated, would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies 
and Procedures'' prior to any FAA final regulatory action.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

The Proposed Amendment

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, the Federal 
Aviation Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:

PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR 
TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS

0
1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as 
follows:

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


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.9Y, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2014, and 
effective September 15, 2014, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 5000: Class D Airspace

* * * * *

AWP CA D Stockton, CA (Modified)

Stockton Metropolitan Airport, CA
    (lat. 37[deg]53'39'' N., long. 121[deg]14'18'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 
2500 MSL within a 4.5 mile radius of Stockton Metropolitan Airport. 
This Class D 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 6002: Class E Airspace Designated as Surface Areas.
* * * * *

AWP CA E2 Stockton, CA (Modified)

Stockton Metropolitan Airport, CA
    (lat. 37[deg]53'39'' N., long. 121[deg]14'18'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface within a 4.5 
mile radius of Stockton Metropolitan Airport.
    Paragraph 6005: Class E Airspace areas extending upward from 700 
feet or more above the surface of the earth.
* * * * *

AWP CA E5 Stockton, CA (Modified)

Stockton Metropolitan Airport, CA
    (lat. 37[deg]53'39'' N., long. 121[deg]14'18'' W.)
Stockton Metropolitan Airport, point in space coordinates
    (lat. 37[deg]53'04'' N., long. 121[deg]13'18'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface within a 6.5-
mile radius of the Stockton Metropolitan Airport point in space 
coordinates at lat. 37[deg]53'04'' N., long. 121[deg]13'18'' W. That 
airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface bounded 
on the east by long. 120[deg]04'04'' W., on the southeast by a line 
extending from lat. 37[deg]52'00'' N., long. 120[deg]04'04'' W.; to 
lat. 37[deg]38'00'' N., long. 121[deg]00'04'' W., on the south by 
lat. 37[deg]38'00'' N., on the west by long. 121[deg]37'04'' W., and 
on the north by lat. 38[deg]07'00'' N.; excluding that airspace 
within Restricted Area R-2531 when active.

    Issued in Seattle, Washington, on June 11, 2015.
Christopher Ramirez,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2015-15281 Filed 6-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P