[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34080-34082]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15100]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2019-0542; Airspace Docket No. 19-ASW-6]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Revocation of VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal
Airway V-369 Due to the Decommissioning of the Groesbeck, TX, VOR
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to remove VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR)
Federal airway V-369 in its entirety between Navasota, TX, and Dallas-
Fort Worth, TX. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned
decommissioning of the Groesbeck, TX (GNL), VOR navigation aid (NAVAID)
which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS
routes. The Groesbeck VOR is being decommissioned in support of the
FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 3, 2019.
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-2019-0542; Airspace Docket No. 19-ASW-6 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
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: 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 National Airspace System as
[[Page 34081]]
necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.
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-2019-0542; Airspace Docket No. 19-ASW-6) 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-2019-0542; Airspace Docket No. 19-ASW-6.'' 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 7400.11C, 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.
Background
The FAA is planning to decommission the Groesbeck, TX (GNL), VOR in
March 2020. The Groesbeck VOR was 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.
With the planned decommissioning of the Groesbeck VOR, the
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to
enable the continuity of V-369. As such, proposed removal of V-369 will
result in a gap in the en route structure between Navasota, TX, and
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX. To overcome the gap that would result in the en
route structure, the FAA plans to amend the current fixes located along
V-369 by converting them into RNAV waypoints that would remain in place
to assist pilots and air traffic controllers already familiar with
them, for navigation purposes. Instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic
could file point-to-point through the affected area using the waypoint
fixes that will remain in place, or could receive air traffic control
(ATC) radar vectors through the area. Additionally, the Groesbeck
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) facility is planned to be retained
and charted as a DME facility with the ``GNL'' three-letter identifier.
Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the airways
through the affected area could also take advantage of the ATC services
previously listed.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to remove the description of VOR Federal
airway V-369. The planned decommissioning of the Groesbeck, TX, VOR has
made this action necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway action is
described below.
V-369: V-369 currently extends between the Navasota, TX, VOR/DME
and the Maverick, TX, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway in
its entirety.
VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) 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 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 34082]]
PART 71--DESIGNATION OF CLASS A, B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR
TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS
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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 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
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V-369 [Removed]
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Issued in Washington, DC, on July 8, 2019.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2019-15100 Filed 7-16-19; 8:45 am]
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