[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 21, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3299-3301]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-00775]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0002; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-10]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-125, V-178, V-313, 
and V-429 in the Vicinity of Cape Girardeau, MO

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend four VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airways, V-125, V-178, V-313, and V-429, in the vicinity 
of Cape Girardeau, MO. The modifications are necessary due to the 
planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Cape Girardeau, MO, 
VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID), 
which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected air 
traffic service (ATS) routes. The Cape Girardeau VOR is being 
decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network 
(MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 6, 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: 
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2020-0002; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-10 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 Rules and Regulations 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, Rules and Regulations 
Group, Office of Policy, 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

[[Page 3300]]

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-2020-0002; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-10) 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 https://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-2020-0002; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-10.'' 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 https://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 decommissioning activities for the VOR portion 
of the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/DME in July, 2020. The Cape Girardeau 
VOR is 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 Cape 
Girardeau, MO, VOR/DME NAVAID is planned for decommissioning, the co-
located DME is being retained. The ATS routes affected by the planned 
Cape Girardeau VOR decommissioning are VOR Federal airways V-125, V-
178, V-313, and V-429.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Cape Girardeau VOR, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to 
enable the continuity of the affected ATS routes. As such, proposed 
modifications to the affected VOR Federal airways would result in gaps 
in the airways. To overcome the airway gaps, instrument flight rules 
(IFR) traffic could use adjacent ATS route segments, including V-9, V-
67, V-190, V-305, and V-540, to circumnavigate the affected area. IFR 
traffic could also file point to point through the affected area using 
the existing airway fixes that will remain in place, as well as 
adjacent NAVAIDs, 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 Airways V-125, V-
178, V-313, and V-429. The planned decommissioning of the VOR portion 
of the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/DME NAVAID has made this action 
necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway changes are outlined below.
    V-125: V-125 currently extends between the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/
DME and the St Louis, MO, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC). The FAA 
proposes to remove the airway segment between the Cape Girardeau, MO, 
VOR/DME and the intersection of the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/DME 
347[deg] and St Louis, MO, VORTAC 148[deg] radials (NIKEL fix). 
Additionally, the NIKEL fix would be amended in the airway description 
to describe it as the intersection of the Farmington, MO, VORTAC 
046[deg](T)/047[deg](M) and Marion, IL, VOR/DME 282[deg](T)/286[deg](M) 
radials. The unaffected portion of the existing airway would remain as 
charted.
    V-178: V-178 currently extends between the Hallsville, MO, VORTAC 
and the Bluefield, WV, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the Farmington, MO, VORTAC and the Cunningham, KY, VOR/
DME. Concurrent changes to other portions of the airway are being 
proposed in separate NPRMs. The unaffected portions of the existing 
airway would remain as charted.
    V-313: V-313 currently extends between the Malden, MO, VORTAC and 
the Pontiac, IL, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the Malden, MO, VORTAC and the Centralia, IL, VORTAC. The 
unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-429: V-429 currently extends between the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/
DME and the Bible Grove, IL, VORTAC; and between the Champaign, IL, 
VORTAC and the Joliet, IL, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the 
airway segment between the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/DME and the Marion, 
IL, VOR/DME. 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 only. Radials that are stated in True (T) and 
Magnetic (M) degrees are new computations based on available NAVAIDS.

[[Page 3301]]

    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 airways 
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-125 [Amended]

    From INT Farmington, MO, 046[deg](T)/047[deg](M) and Marion, IL, 
282[deg](T)/286[deg](M) radials; to St Louis, MO.
* * * * *

V-178 [Amended]

    From Hallsville, MO; INT Hallsville 183[deg] and Vichy, MO, 
321[deg] radials; Vichy; to Farmington, MO. From Cunningham, KY; 
Central City, KY; New Hope, KY; Lexington, KY; to Bluefield, WV.
* * * * *

V-313 [Amended]

    From Centralia, IL; Adders, IL; to Pontiac, IL.
* * * * *

V-429 [Amended]

    From Marion, IL; INT Marion 011[deg] and Bible Grove, IL, 
207[deg] radials; to Bible Grove. From Champaign, IL; Roberts, IL; 
to Joliet, IL.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2020.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-00775 Filed 1-17-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P