[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2018)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 53979-53981] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2018-23401] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 71 [Docket No. FAA-2018-0094; Airspace Docket No. 18-ASW-4] RIN 2120-AA66 Amendment of Class D Airspace; Tulsa, OK AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This action amends Class D airspace designated as an extension at Tulsa Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, Tulsa, OK. This action is a result of an airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Glenpool VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) navigation aid as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Newtork (MON) Program and the cancellation of the associated instrument procedures. The geographic coordinates of the airport are also updated; to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database, as well as an editorial change removing the city associated with the airport name in the airspace legal description. Also, the outdated term ``Airport/Facility Directory'' is replaced with ``Chart Supplement''. DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, January 3, 2019. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under Title 1, Code of Federal Regulations, part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments. ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11C, 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 7400.11C 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: Rebecca Shelby, Federal Aviation Administration, Operations Support [[Page 53980]] Group, Central Service Center, 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 modifies Class D airspace designated as an extension at Tulsa Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, Tulsa, OK, to support instrument flight rules operations at this airport. History The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register (83 FR 14785; April 6, 2018) for Docket No. FAA-2018-0094 to amend the Class D airspace Designated as an extension at Tulsa Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, Tulsa, OK. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. One comment was received from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). In their comment, AOPA stated that the NPRM did not comply with FAA guidance in FAA Order 7400.2L, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters, because a graphic was not included in the docket. Additionally, AOPA encouraged the FAA to follow their guidance in the Order by making the action effective date coincidental to the sectional chart publication date. The FAA has determined AOPA's comments raised no substantive issues with respect to the proposed changes to the airspace addressed in the NPRM. To the extent the FAA failed to follow its policy guidance reference publishing graphics in the docket and establishing the Class D airspace effective date to match the sectional chart date, we note the following. With respect to AOPA's comment addressing graphics, FAA Order 7400.2L, paragraph 2-3-3.c. requires the official docket to include available graphics. For this airspace action, no graphics were deemed necessary or produced in the review or development of the proposed airspace amendments noted in the NPRM; therefore, no graphics were available to include in the docket. Specific to AOPA's comment regarding the FAA already creating a graphical depiction of new or modified airspace overlaid on a Sectional Chart for quality assurance purposes, this is not correct nor required in all cases. During the airspace reviews, airspace graphics may be created, if deemed necessary, to determine if there are any terrain issues, or if cases are considered complex. However, in many cases when developing an airspace amendment proposal, a graphic is not required. It was unclear if the graphic AOPA argued was already created with a sectional chart background was actually the airspace graphic created by the Aeronautical Informational Services office in preparation of publishing the sectional charts. However, that graphic is normally created after the rulemaking determination is published. With respect to AOPA's comment addressing effective dates, FAA Order 7400.2L, paragraph 2-3-7.a.4. states that, to the extent practicable, Class D airspace area and restricted area rules should become effective on a sectional chart date and that consideration should be given to selecting a sectional chart date that matches a 56- day en route chart cycle date. The FAA does consider publishing Class D airspace amendment effective dates to coincide with the publication of sectional charts, to the extent practicable; however, this consideration is accomplished after the NPRM comment period ends in the final rule. Substantive comments received to NPRMs, flight safety concerns, management of IFR operations at affected airports, and immediacy of required proposed airspace amendments are some of the factors that must be taken into consideration when selecting the appropriate effective date. After considering all factors, the FAA may determine that selecting an effective date that conforms to a 56-day en route chart cycle date that is not coincidental to sectional chart dates is better for the National Airspace System and its users than awaiting the next sectional chart date. Class D airspace designations are published in paragraphs 5000 of FAA Order 7400.11C, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in the Order. Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference This document amends FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018. FAA Order 7400.11C is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11C lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points. The Rule This amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 modifies Class D airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 3,100 feet MSL, within a 4-mile radius of Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, and within 1 mile each side of the 190[deg] radial from the airport RWY 01L-LOC extending from the 4-mile radius to 4.1 miles south of the airport (reduced from 1.3 miles each side of the 350[deg] radial of the Glenpool VOR extending from the 4-mile radius to 4.7 miles south of the airport). This action is necessary due to the decommissioning of the Glenpool VOR as part of the VOR MON Program and cancellation of the associated instrument approach. The geographic coordinates of the airport are also updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. Additionally, this action makes an editorial change to the Class D airspace legal description replacing ``Airport/Facility Directory'' with ``Chart Supplement.'' Also, an editorial change will be made removing the airport name from the airspace designation, and removing the word ``Tulsa'' from the airport name, to comply with a change to FAA Order 7400.2L, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters. 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 only affects air traffic [[Page 53981]] procedures and air navigation, it is certified that this rule, when promulgated, does not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Environmental Review The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5.a. This airspace action is not expected to cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an environmental assessment. Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71 Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air). Adoption of the Amendment In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018, is amended as follows: Paragraph 5000 Class D Airspace. * * * * * ASW OK D Tulsa, OK [Amended] Richard Lloyd Jones Jr., OK (Lat. 36[deg]02'22'' N, long. 95[deg]59'05'' W) That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 3,100 feet MSL within a 4-mile radius of Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport, and within 1 mile each side of the 190[deg] bearing from the Richard Lloyd Jones Jr. Airport RWY 01L-LOC from the 4 mile radius to 4.1 miles south of the airport, excluding that airspace within the Tulsa International Airport, OK, Class C airspace area. This Class D airspace 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 Chart Supplement. Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 18, 2018. Walter Tweedy, Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center. [FR Doc. 2018-23401 Filed 10-25-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-13-P