[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 17, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16804-16806]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07902]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0280; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-27]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-170 and V-219 in the 
Vicinity of Fairmont, MN

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 
Federal airways V-170 and V-219 in the vicinity of Fairmont, MN. The 
modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the 
Fairmont, MN (FRM), VOR navigation aid (NAVAID), which provides 
navigation guidance for portions of the affected air traffic service 
(ATS) routes. The Fairmont VOR is being decommissioned as part of the 
VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 1, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 
1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0280; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-27 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11B, 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 Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of FAA Order 7400.11B at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group, 
Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

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 
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 modify the route structure as necessary to 
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National 
Airspace System.

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 (FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0280; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-27) and be submitted in 
triplicate to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES section for 
address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

[[Page 16805]]

    Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments 
on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to FAA Docket No. FAA-2018-0280; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-27.'' The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified comment 
closing date will be considered before taking action on the proposed 
rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of 
comments received. All comments submitted will be available for 
examination in the public docket both before and after the comment 
closing date. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with 
FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket.

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/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 ADDRESSES section for 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 office of the Operations Support Group, Central 
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017, and effective 
September 15, 2017. FAA Order 7400.11B is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11B lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

Background

    The FAA is planning decommissioning activities for the Fairmont, MN 
(FRM), VOR in 2019 as one of the candidate VORs identified for 
discontinuance by the FAA's VOR MON program and listed in the final 
policy statement notice, ``Provision of Navigation Services for the 
Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Transition to 
Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for Establishing a VOR Minimum 
Operational Network),'' published in the Federal Register of July 26, 
2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-1082. Although the VOR portion 
of the Fairmont, MN, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) NAVAID is 
planned for decommissioning, the DME portion is being retained. The ATS 
routes effected by the Fairmont VOR are VOR Federal airways V-170 and 
V-219.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Fairmont VOR, the remaining 
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the 
continuity of the affected airways. As such, proposed modifications to 
V-170 and V-219 would result in gaps in the route structures. To 
overcome the gaps, instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use 
adjacent VOR Federal airways V-24, V-250, and V-398 between the 
Worthington, MN, VOR/DME and Rochester, MN, VOR/DME or Federal airways 
V-100, V-175, V-250, and V-456 between the Sioux City, IA, VOR/Tactical 
Air Navigation (VORTAC) and Mankato, MN, VOR/DME to circumnavigate the 
affected area. Additionally, IFR traffic could file point to point 
through the affected area using fixes that will remain in place, or 
receive air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors through the area. 
Visual flight rules pilots who elect to navigate via the airways 
through the affected area could also take advantage of the adjacent VOR 
Federal airways or ATC services listed previously.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify VOR Federal airways V-170 and V-
219. The planned decommissioning of the Fairmont, MN, VOR has made 
these actions necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway changes are 
outlined below.
    V-170: V-170 currently extends between the Devils Lake, ND, VOR/DME 
and the Salem, MI VORTAC; and between the Erie, PA, VORTAC and the 
intersection of the Andrews 060[deg] and Baltimore, MD, 165[deg] 
radials (POLLA fix); excluding the airspace within R-5802 when active. 
In a separate rulemaking action, the FAA is removing the airway segment 
between the Erie, PA, VORTAC and the Bradford, PA, VOR/DME effective 
May 24, 2018 (83 FR 13404, March 29, 2018). The FAA now proposes to 
remove the airway segment between the Worthington, MN, VOR/DME and the 
Rochester, MN, VOR/DME. The unaffected portions of the existing airway 
would remain as charted.
    V-219: V-219 currently extends between the Hayes Center, NE, VORTAC 
and the Mankato, MN, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the Sioux City, IA, VORTAC and the Mankato, MN, VOR/
DME. The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as 
charted.
    All radials in the route descriptions below are unchanged and 
stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
7400.11B dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, which 
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airways 
listed in this document would be subsequently published in the Order.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    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. 
It, therefore: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under 
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under 
Department of Transportation (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 proposed rule, 
when promulgated, will 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

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:

[[Page 16806]]

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 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 7400.11B, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017 and 
effective September 15, 2017, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-170 [Amended]

    From Devils Lake, ND; INT Devils Lake 187[deg] and Jamestown, 
ND, 337[deg] radials; Jamestown; Aberdeen, SD; Sioux Falls, SD; to 
Worthington, MN. From Rochester, MN; Nodine, MN; Dells, WI; INT 
Dells 097[deg] and Badger, WI, 304[deg] radials; Badger; INT Badger 
121[deg] and Pullman, MI, 282[deg] radials; Pullman; to Salem, MI. 
From Bradford, PA; Slate Run, PA; Selinsgrove, PA; Ravine, PA; INT 
Ravine 125[deg] and Modena, PA, 318[deg] radials; Modena; Dupont, 
DE; INT Dupont 223[deg] and Andrews, MD, 060[deg] radials; to INT 
Andrews 060[deg] and Baltimore, MD, 165[deg] radials. The airspace 
within R-5802 is excluded when active.
* * * * *

V-219 [Amended]

    From Hayes Center, NE; INT Hayes Center 059[deg] and Wolbach, 
NE, 251[deg] radials; Wolbach; Norfolk, NE; to Sioux City, IA.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 9, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-07902 Filed 4-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P