[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 25, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50347-50349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20690]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2019-0686; Airspace Docket No. 18-AGL-21]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airway V-7 in the Vicinity of
Sheboygan, WI
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
[[Page 50348]]
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR)
Federal airway V-7 in the vicinity of Sheboygan, WI. The modifications
are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of
the Falls, WI, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation
aid (NAVAID), which provides navigation guidance for portions of the
affected air traffic service (ATS) route. The Falls VOR is being
decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network
(MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 12, 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:
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No.
FAA-2019-0686; Airspace Docket No. 18-AGL-21 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
FAA Order 7400.11D, 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 7400.11D at NARA, email:
[email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
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-2019-0686; Airspace Docket No. 18-AGL-21) 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-2019-0686; Airspace Docket No. 18-AGL-21.'' 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 7400.11D, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective
September 15, 2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D 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 VOR portion
of the Falls, WI, VOR/DME in May 2020, 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 Falls, WI, VOR/DME NAVAID is planned for
decommissioning, the DME portion is being retained. The only ATS route
dependency to the Falls VOR is VOR Federal airway V-7.
With the planned decommissioning of the Falls VOR, the remaining
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the
continuity of the airway. As such, the proposed modification to V-7
would result in a gap in the airway and the PETTY fix, on V-7, being
redefined using new intersecting NAVAID radials. To overcome the gap,
instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use adjacent VOR Federal
airways, including V-9, V-26, V-55, V-63, V-170, V-191, V-217, V-341,
and V-450, to circumnavigate the affected area. Additionally, IFR
[[Page 50349]]
traffic could file point to point through the affected area using the
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 by modifying VOR Federal airway V-7. The
planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Falls, WI, VOR/DME
has made this action necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway change
is outlined below.
V-7: V-7 currently extends between the Dolphin, FL, VOR/Tactical
Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Muscle Shoals, AL, VORTAC; and between
the Central City, KY, VORTAC and the Sawyer, MI, VOR/DME. The airspace
below 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) outside the United States is
excluded. The portion outside the United States has no upper limit. The
FAA proposes to amend the PETTY fix in the airway description to
describe it as the intersection of the existing Chicago Heights, IL,
VORTAC 358[deg] radial and the Badger, WI, VOR/DME 117[deg](T)/
119[deg](M) radial. Additionally, the FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the intersection of the Chicago Heights, IL, VORTAC
358[deg] and Badger, WI, VOR/DME 117[deg](T)/119[deg](M) radials (PETTY
fix) and the Green Bay, WI, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the
existing airway would remain as charted.
All radials in the route description below that are unchanged are
stated in True degrees. Radials that are stated in True (T) and
Magnetic (M) degrees are new computations based on available NAVAIDS.
VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order
7400.11D dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019, which
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airway
listed in this document would be subsequently published in the Order.
FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is
published yearly and effective on September 15.
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 7400.11D,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and
effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-7
From Dolphin, FL; INT Dolphin 299[deg] and Lee County, FL,
120[deg] radials; Lee County; Lakeland, FL; Cross City, FL;
Seminole, FL; Wiregrass, AL; INT Wiregrass 333[deg] and Montgomery,
AL, 129[deg] radials; Montgomery; Vulcan, AL; to Muscle Shoals, AL.
From Central City, KY; Pocket City, IN; INT Pocket City 016[deg] and
Terre Haute, IN, 191[deg] radials; Terre Haute; Boiler, IN; Chicago
Heights, IL; to INT Chicago Heights 358[deg] and Badger, WI,
117[deg](T)/119[deg](M) radials. From Green Bay, WI; Menominee, MI;
to Sawyer, MI. The airspace below 2,000 feet MSL outside the United
States is excluded. The portion outside the United States has no
upper limit.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2019.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2019-20690 Filed 9-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P