[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 45 (Friday, March 6, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 13079-13080]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04417]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Route V-187; 
Western United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend one domestic Very High Frequency 
Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-187 in the western United 
States. The modifications are necessary due to the planned 
decommissioning of McChord, WA, VOR portion of the VOR/Tactical Air 
Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID), which provides navigation 
guidance for portions of the affected ATS route. The McChord, WA, VOR 
is being decommissioned due to ongoing maintenance problems.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 20, 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-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17 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 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: Christopher McMullin, 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 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-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17) 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-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17.'' 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 Western Service Center, Operations 
Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St., 
Des Moines, WA 98198.

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.

[[Page 13080]]

Background

    The DoD requested decommissioning of the McChord, WA, VOR due to 
ongoing maintenance issues, but have agreed to continue operation of 
the TACAN portion of the NAVAID to support the Distance Measuring 
Equipment (DME) needs of NexGen procedures in the area. The remaining 
ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the 
continuity of the affected airway. As such, proposed modification to V-
187 would result in a gap in the ATS route structure. To overcome the 
gap in V-187, instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use VOR 
Federal airway V-298 at THICK INT (INT Yakima 331[deg] (T) 310[deg] (M) 
and Ellensburg, 274[deg](T) 253[deg](M) radials) to BEEZR INT. Follow 
V-2 or V-298 northwest bound to Seattle, WA VORTAC, and then southwest 
bound on V-27 to CARRO INT. From there, follow V-165 or V-287 
southbound to Olympia VORTAC and resume V-187 from there. 
Alternatively, aircraft could follow V-25 from Ellensburg, WA, VOR 
southbound to Yakima, WA, VORTAC and intercept V-204 westbound to 
Olympia, WA, VORTAC and resume V-187 from there. Additionally, IFR 
traffic could file point to point through the affected area using fixes 
that will remain in place, or receive air traffic control (ATC) radar 
vectors through the area. Furthermore, the loss of the segment on V-187 
will be mitigated through the establishment of the T-137 airway for 
RNAV equipped aircraft, which overlays the gap in V-187. 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 to modify VOR Federal airway V-187. Full 
route description is in ``The Proposed Amendment'' section of this 
notice.
    The proposed ATS route change is outlined below.
    V-187: V-187 currently extends between the Socorro, NM, VORTAC to 
the Astoria, OR, VOR. V-187 will be amended on the segment between the 
intersection of Yakima 310[deg] (M) 331[deg] (T) and Ellensburg 
253[deg] (M) 274[deg] (T) radials and the Olympia, WA, VOR. The 
proposed amendment would stop at THICK intersection (INT Yakima, WA 
310[deg](M) 331[deg](T) and Ellensburg, WA, 253[deg](M) 274[deg](T) 
radials) and then resume at the Olympia, WA VOR. The unaffected portion 
of the existing route will remain as charted.
    Domestic VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010 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 Domestic VOR 
Federal airway listed in this document will 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 Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

V-187 [Amended]

    From Socorro, NM; via INT Socorro 015[deg] and Albuquerque, NM, 
160[deg] radials: Albuquerque, Rattlesnake, NM; 50 miles, 62 miles, 
115 MSL, Grand Junction, CO; 75 miles, 50 miles, 112 MSL, Rock 
Springs, WY; 20 miles, 37 miles, 95 MSL, INT Rock Springs 026[deg] 
and Riverton, WY, 180[deg] radials; Riverton; Boysen Reservoir, WY; 
9 miles, 78 miles, 105 MSL, Billings, MT; INT Billings 317[deg] and 
Great Falls, MT, 122[deg] radials; Great Falls; Missoula, MT; Nez 
Perce, ID; Pasco, WA; INT Pasco 321[deg] and Ellensburg, WA, 
107[deg] radials; Ellensburg; INT Yakima 310[deg] (M) 331[deg] (T) 
and Ellensburg 253[deg] (M) 274[deg] (T) radials; then from Olympia; 
to Astoria, OR.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 25, 2020.
Scott Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-04417 Filed 3-5-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P