[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 76 (Thursday, April 19, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17327-17329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08033]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0230; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-26]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes in the 
Vicinity of Chicago, IL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify two VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airways (V-217 and V-228) in the vicinity of the Chicago 
O'Hare International Airport, IL. The FAA is proposing this action due 
to the planned decommissioning of the Chicago O'Hare, IL (ORD), VOR/
Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID), which 
provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. 
The Chicago O'Hare VOR/DME is being decommissioned to facilitate the 
construction of a new runway at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 4, 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-2018-0230; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-26 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 amend the route structure in the Chicago, IL, 
area 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-2018-0230; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-26) 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.
    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-2018-0230; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-26.'' 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

[[Page 17328]]

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 to decommission the Chicago O'Hare, IL, VOR/DME 
in January 2019 in support of construction activities for a new runway 
at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Chicago O'Hare VOR/DME, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAIDs in the area do not support the 
continuity of V-217 and V-228. As such, proposed modifications to V-217 
and V-228 would result in a gap in the airways between the BESIE and 
FARMM fixes located northwest of the Chicago O'Hare International 
Airport, IL. To overcome the gaps in the airways and enroute structure, 
instrument flight rules traffic could use adjacent VOR Federal airways 
(including V-2, V-9, V-24, V-97, V-177, and V-191) to circumnavigate 
the affected area, 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, fixes, or ATC services 
previously listed.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify the descriptions of VOR Federal 
airways V-217 and V-228. The planned decommissioning of the Chicago 
O'Hare, IL, VOR/DME has made these actions necessary. The proposed VOR 
Federal airway changes are described below.
    V-217: V-217 currently extends between the intersection of the 
Chicago O'Hare, IL, 316[deg]/DuPage, IL, 359[deg] and Northbrook, IL, 
291[deg] radials (FARMM fix) and the Winnipeg, MB, Canada, VOR/Tactical 
Air Navigation (VORTAC). The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the Chicago O'Hare, IL, 316[deg]/DuPage, IL, 359[deg] and 
Northbrook, IL, 291[deg] radials (FARMM fix) and the intersection of 
the Chicago O'Hare 316[deg] and Badger, WI, 193[deg] radials (BESIE 
fix). Additionally, the BESIE fix would be amended in the airway 
description to describe it as the intersection of the Madison, WI, 
138[deg](T)/135[deg](M) radial and the existing Badger, WI, 193[deg] 
radial, and the spelling of the Winnipeg VORTAC name would be corrected 
from ``Winnepeg'' to ``Winnipeg.'' The unaffected portions of the 
existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-228: V-228 currently extends between the Dells, WI, VORTAC and 
the Gipper, MI, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the intersection of the Madison, WI, 138[deg] and Chicago 
O'Hare, IL, 316[deg] radials (BESIE fix) and the intersection of the 
Chicago O'Hare, IL, 316[deg] and Northbrook, IL, 291[deg] radials 
(FARMM fix). Additionally, the BESIE fix will be amended in the airway 
description to describe it as the intersection of the existing Madison, 
WI, 138[deg] radial and the Badger, WI, 193[deg](T)/191[deg](M) radial, 
and the FARMM fix will be amended in the airway description to describe 
it as the intersection of the DuPage, IL, 359[deg](T)/357[deg](M) 
radial and the existing Northbrook, IL, 291[deg] radial. The unaffected 
portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    All radials in the route descriptions below that are unchanged are 
stated in True degrees. Radials that are stated in True and Magnetic 
degrees are new computations based on available NAVAIDS.
    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:

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-217 [Amended]

    From INT Madison, WI, 138[deg](T)/135[deg](M) and Badger, WI, 
193[deg] radials; Badger; Green Bay, WI; Rhinelander, WI; Duluth, 
MN; Hibbing, MN; Baudette, MN; INT Baudette 313[deg] and Winnipeg, 
MB, Canada, 117[deg] radials; to Winnipeg. The airspace within 
Canada is excluded. In addition, the portion of this airway that 
lies within the Beaver MOA is excluded when the Beaver MOA is 
active.
* * * * *

[[Page 17329]]

V-228 [Amended]

    From Dells, WI; Madison, WI;to INT Madison 138[deg] and Badger, 
WI, 193[deg](T)/191[deg](M) radials. From INT DuPage, IL, 
359[deg](T)/357[deg](M) and Northbrook, IL, 291[deg] radials; 
Northbrook; INT Northbrook 110[deg] and Gipper, MI, 290[deg] 
radials; to Gipper.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-08033 Filed 4-18-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P