[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2016)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11692-11694]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04742]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2015-3085; Airspace Docket No. 15-ASW-2]


Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace; Little Rock, AR

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Little Rock 
Air Force Base (AFB), Little Rock, AR. Airspace reconfiguration is 
necessary due to closure of the air traffic control tower and 
associated approaches at Dennis F. Cantrell Field, Conway, AR. Dennis 
F. Cantrell Field would be removed from the airspace designation and 
legal description as it is no longer needed to describe the boundaries 
of Little Rock AFB. The FAA is proposing this action for continued 
safety within the National Airspace System (NAS). Additionally, the 
geographic coordinates for Little Rock AFB and Saline County Airport, 
Benton, AR, would be adjusted.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 21, 2016.

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-
3085; Airspace Docket No. 15-ASW-2, 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 7400.9Z, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the 
Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: 202-267-8783. 
The Order is also available for inspection at the National Archives and 
Records

[[Page 11693]]

Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of FAA Order 
7400.9Z 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 CONTACT: Rebecca Shelby, Central Service 
Center, Operations Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 
Southwest Region, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; 
telephone: 817-222-5857.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority for This Rulemaking

    The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is 
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106 
describes the authority of 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 
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 Little Rock AFB, Little Rock, 
AR.

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-2015-3085/
Airspace Docket No. 15-ASW-2.'' 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 Central Service Center, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, 
Fort Worth, TX 76177.
    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 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Availability and Summary of Documents Proposed for Incorporation by 
Reference

    This document would amend FAA Order 7400.9Z, Airspace Designations 
and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and effective September 15, 
2015. FAA Order 7400.9Z is publicly available as listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.9Z 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 amending the Class E airspace area at 
Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB), AR. The air traffic control tower at 
Dennis F. Cantrell Field, Conway, AR, has closed, and approaches 
cancelled. This action would remove Dennis F. Cantrell Field, from the 
airspace designation and description for Little Rock AFB, as they are 
no longer needed to define its boundaries. Additionally, geographic 
coordinates for Little Rock AFB, would be changed from (lat. 
34[deg]54'59'' N., long. 92[deg]08'47'' W.) to (lat. 34[deg]55'03'' N., 
long. 92[deg]08'42'' W.) and Saline County Airport, Benton, AR, 
coordinates would be changed from (lat. 34[deg]33'23'' N., long. 
92[deg]36'25'' W.) to (lat. 34[deg]35'25'' N., long. 92[deg]28'46'' 
W.). These minor adjustments would reflect the current information in 
the FAA's aeronautical database.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of 
FAA Order 7400.9Z, dated August 6, 2015, and effective September 15, 
2015, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E 
airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in the Order.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    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, is 
non-controversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative 
comments. It, therefore: (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 that this 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 1050.1F, ``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 7400.9Z, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and

[[Page 11694]]

effective September 15, 2015, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

ASW AR E5 Little Rock, AR [Amended]

Little Rock AFB, AR
    (Lat. 34[deg]55'03'' N., long. 92[deg]08'42'' W.)
Little Rock, Adams Field, AR
    (Lat. 34[deg]43'46'' N., long. 92[deg]13'29'' W.)
Benton, Saline County Airport, AR
    (Lat. 34[deg]35'25'' N., long. 92[deg]28'46'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
bounded within a 20-mile radius of Little Rock AFB, and within a 22-
mile radius of Adams Field Airport and within a 6.3-mile radius of 
Saline County Airport.

    Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on February 17, 2016.
Walter Tweedy,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2016-04742 Filed 3-4-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P