[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 61 (Thursday, March 29, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13410-13411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-06335]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 93

[Docket No. FAA-2004-17005; Amdt. No. 93-91A]
RIN 2120-AI17


Washington, DC Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area; 
Technical Amendment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: Currently, FAA regulations require all pilots operating 
aircraft to or from College Park Airport, Potomac Airfield or 
Washington Executive/Hyde Field Airport to file instrument flight rules 
(IFR), DC Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), or DC Special Flight Rules Area 
(SFRA) flight plans with the Washington Hub Flight Service Station 
(FSS). The FAA is transferring the responsibility for processing flight 
plans within the DC FRZ from the Washington Hub FSS to the Washington 
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). This document revises the 
regulations by updating the organization responsible for processing the 
flight plans and by updating the flight plans required for flight 
operations in the DC FRZ.

DATES: Effective on March 29, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Rosenbloom, Airspace and Rules, 
AJV-113, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-3783; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Good Cause for Immediate Adoption Without Prior Notice

    Section 553(b)(3)(B) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 
U.S.C. 551 et seq.) authorizes agencies to dispense with notice and 
comment procedures for rules when the agency for ``good cause'' finds 
that those procedures are ``impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
the public interest.'' Under this section, an agency, upon finding good 
cause, may issue a final rule without seeking comment prior to the 
rulemaking.
    Section 553(d)(3) of the Administrative Procedure Act requires that 
agencies publish a rule not less than 30 days before its effective 
date, except as otherwise provided by the agency for good cause found 
and published with the rule.
    This document revises Sec.  93.343(a) of title 14 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (14 CFR) by updating the organization responsible 
for processing IFR and FRZ flight plans from/to College Park, Potomac 
Airfield, and Washington Executive/Hyde Field airports. This revision 
will not impose any additional restrictions on the persons affected by 
these regulations. Furthermore, any additional delay in revising the 
regulations would be contrary to the public interest because it would 
create confusion among pilots operating in the DC SFRA including the DC 
FRZ. Accordingly, the FAA finds that (i) public comment on this change 
prior to promulgation is unnecessary and contrary to public interest, 
and (ii) good cause exists to make this rule effective in less than 30 
days.

Background

    Currently, Sec.  93.343(a) requires pilots to file IFR, DC FRZ, or 
DC SFRA flight plans with the Washington Hub FSS for each departure and 
arrival from/to College Park, Potomac Airfield, and Washington 
Executive/Hyde Field Airports, whether or not the aircraft makes an 
immediate stop.
    An objective of the Administrator's Flight Service National 
Airspace System (NAS) Efficient Streamlined Services Initiative is to 
realign activities through more efficient delivery of services. As part 
of this initiative, the FAA is

[[Page 13411]]

transferring the responsibility for processing IFR and DC FRZ flight 
plans within the Washington DC Flight Restricted Zone from the 
Washington Hub FSS to the Flight Data Unit (FDU) at Washington ARTCC. 
This transition will occur on March 29, 2018. As a result, the FAA is 
updating Sec.  93.343(a) to reflect the change in responsibility.\1\
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    \1\ The FAA notes that this change in responsibility will also 
generate a change in the dedicated phone number used for pilots to 
confirm their flight plan. Therefore, the FAA is also revising its 
Orders to update the phone number and organization responsible for 
filing IFR and DC FRZ flight plans.
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    Also as a result of the transition, the FAA is removing from 
Sec. Sec.  93.341(d) and 93.343(a)(2) the references to the DC SFRA 
flight plan. Both regulations govern flight operations within the DC 
FRZ, which require a DC FRZ flight plan. Because a single entity was 
responsible for processing both DC SFRA and DC FRZ flight plans, the 
FAA has effectively construed any request for a DC SFRA flight plan to/
from a location within the DC FRZ as a DC FRZ flight plan. Once the 
responsibilities for processing DC SFRA and DC FRZ flight plans are 
divided between two entities, however, the FAA will no longer be able 
to re-characterize a DC SFRA flight plan as a DC FRZ flight plan. The 
FAA is, therefore, removing the references to the DC SFRA from 
Sec. Sec.  93.341(d) and 93.343(a)(2) to make clear that a pilot must 
file either an IFR or DC FRZ flight plan when operating to or from the 
DC FRZ.
    Furthermore, the FAA notes that it has communicated with the 
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) about a corresponding 
technical amendment that must be made to 49 CFR 1562.3(g)(1) to include 
the new organization responsible for processing IFR and DC FRZ flight 
plans.

Technical Amendment

    In this technical amendment, the FAA is revising Sec.  93.343(a)(2) 
and (3) by removing the references to the Washington Hub FSS. In their 
place, the FAA is inserting references to the Washington ARTCC, which 
is the new organization responsible for processing the flight plans. 
Furthermore, the FAA is revising Sec. Sec.  93.341(d) and 93.343(a)(2) 
by removing the references to the DC SFRA flight plan.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 93

    Air traffic control, Airports, Navigation (air), Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements.

The Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends chapter I of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations as follows:

PART 93--SPECIAL AIR TRAFFIC RULES

0
1. The authority citation for part 93 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40103, 40106, 40109, 
40113, 44502, 44514, 44701, 44715, 44719, 46301.


0
 2. Amend Sec.  93.341 by revising paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  93.341   Aircraft operations in the DC FRZ.

* * * * *
    (d) Before departing from an airport within the DC FRZ, or before 
entering the DC FRZ, all aircraft, except DOD, law enforcement, and 
lifeguard or air ambulance aircraft operating under an FAA/TSA airspace 
authorization must file and activate an IFR or a DC FRZ flight plan and 
transmit a discrete transponder code assigned by an Air Traffic Control 
facility. Aircraft must transmit the discrete transponder code at all 
times while in the DC FRZ or DC SFRA.


0
 3. Amend Sec.  93.343 by revising paragraphs (a)(2) and (a)(3) to read 
as follows:


Sec.  93.343  Requirements for aircraft operations to or from College 
Park Airport, Potomac Airfield, or Washington Executive/Hyde Field 
Airport.

    (a) * * *
    (2) Before departing, the pilot files an IFR or DC FRZ flight plan 
with the Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center for each departure 
and arrival from/to College Park, Potomac Airfield, and Washington 
Executive/Hyde Field airports, whether or not the aircraft makes an 
intermediate stop;
    (3) When filing a flight plan with the Washington Air Route Traffic 
Control Center, the pilot identifies himself or herself by providing 
the assigned pilot identification code. The Washington Air Route 
Traffic Control Center will accept the flight plan only after verifying 
the code; and
* * * * *

    Issued under the authority of 49 U.S.C. 106(f) and (g) and 40103 
in Washington, DC.
Lirio Liu,
Executive Director, Office of Rulemaking.
[FR Doc. 2018-06335 Filed 3-28-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P