[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64795-64797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25293]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0799; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-13]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal 
Airway V-71 and Area Navigation Route T-285 Due to the Decommissioning 
of the Winner, SD, VOR

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 airway V-71 and area navigation (RNAV) route T-285. The FAA is 
proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Winner, 
SD (ISD), VOR navigation aid (NAVAID). The Winner VOR is being 
decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network 
(MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 9, 2020.

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-2019-0799; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-13 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://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

[[Page 64796]]

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 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-2019-0799; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-13) 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-2019-0799; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-13.'' 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 https://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 to decommission the Winner, SD (ISD), VOR in 
May 2020. The Winner 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. The ATS routes effected 
by the Winner VOR decommissioning are VOR Federal airway V-71 and RNAV 
route T-285.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Winner VOR, the remaining 
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the 
continuity of V-71 within the affected area. As such, the proposed 
modification to V-71 would result in a gap in the airway with the 
airway segments between the O'Neill, NE, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation 
(VORTAC) and the Pierre, SD, VORTAC NAVAIDs being removed.
    To overcome the removal of the V-71 airway segments, the FAA plans 
to retain the current fixes located along those airway segments to 
assist pilots and air traffic controllers already familiar with them, 
for point-to-point navigation or radar vector purposes. Additionally, a 
new waypoint (LESNR) is being established overhead the Winner VOR 
location (within 60 feet) to retain that route point for navigation and 
radar vector purposes as well.
    Further, the FAA proposes to retain T-285 as it is charted today by 
replacing the Winner VOR route point with the new LESNR waypoint. The 
minor adjustment of the LESNR waypoint overhead the Winner VOR location 
(within 60 feet) is expected to be transparent to pilots flying the 
RNAV route and not change the charted depiction of T-285.
    Instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use the retained T-285 
RNAV route, file point-to-point using the fixes and new LESNR waypoint 
that will remain in place, or receive air traffic control (ATC) radar 
vectors to continue operating through the affected area. Visual flight 
rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the airways through the 
affected area could also take advantage of the air traffic services 
previously listed.
    A number of minor editorial corrections to the T-285 legal 
description are also proposed to comply with RNAV route description 
policy guidance. The editorial corrections do not change the route's 
structure, operational use, or charted depiction.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to amend VOR Federal airway V-71 and RNAV 
route T-285 due to the planned decommissioning of the Winner, SD, VOR. 
The proposed air traffic service (ATS) route actions are described 
below.
    V-71: V-71 currently extends between the Fighting Tiger, LA, VORTAC 
and the Williston, ND, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) 
NAVAIDs. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment between the 
O'Neill, NE, VORTAC and the Pierre, SD, VORTAC. The unaffected portions 
of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    T-285: T-285 currently extends between the North Platte, NE, VORTAC

[[Page 64797]]

and the Huron, SD, VORTAC NAVAIDs. The FAA proposes to retain the route 
by replacing the Winner, SD, VOR route point with the new LESNR 
waypoint being established overhead the Winner VOR location. 
Additionally, the Rapid City VORTAC ``RAP'' identifier and Huron VORTAC 
``HON'' identifier are added to the first line of the route description 
and the geographic coordinates of each route point are updated to be 
expressed in degrees, minutes, seconds, and hundredths of a second. The 
existing route would remain as charted.
    The NAVAID radials listed in the V-71 airway description below are 
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) and RNAV T-
routes are published in paragraph 6011 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 ATS routes 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-71

    From Fighting Tiger, LA; Natchez, MS; Monroe, LA; El Dorado, AR; 
Hot Springs, AR; INT Hot Springs 358[deg] and Harrison, AR, 176[deg] 
radials; Harrison; Springfield, MO; Butler, MO; Topeka, KS; Pawnee 
City, NE; INT Pawnee City 334[deg] and Lincoln, NE, 146[deg] 
radials; Lincoln; Columbus, NE; to O'Neill, NE. From Pierre, SD; 
Bismarck, ND; to Williston, ND.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

T-285 North Platte, NE (LBF) to Huron, SD (HON)
 
North Platte, NE (LBF)                         VORTAC                        (Lat. 41[deg]02'55.34'' N, long. 100[deg]44'49.55'' W)
Thedford, NE (TDD)                             VOR/DME                       (Lat. 41[deg]58'53.99'' N, long. 100[deg]43'08.55'' W)
MARSS, NE                                      Fix                           (Lat. 42[deg]27'48.92'' N, long. 100[deg]36'15.32'' W)
Valentine, NE (VTN)                            NDB                           (Lat. 42[deg]51'41.85'' N, long. 100[deg]32'58.73'' W)
LKOTA, SD                                      WP                            (Lat. 43[deg]15'28.00'' N, long. 100[deg]03'14.00'' W)
LESNR, SD                                      WP                            (Lat. 43[deg]29'16.06'' N, long. 99[deg]45'41.55'' W)
Huron, SD (HON)                                VORTAC                        (Lat. 44[deg]26'24.30'' N, long. 98[deg]18'39.89'' W)
 

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 18, 2019.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2019-25293 Filed 11-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P