[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 107 (Wednesday, June 3, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34146-34148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11856]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2020-0497; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASO-1]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of V-5 and V-178, and Revocation of V-513 in 
the Vicinity of New Hope, KY

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 
Federal airways V-5 and V-178, and remove V-513 in the vicinity of New 
Hope, KY. The amendments are due to the planned decommissioning of the 
VOR portion of the New Hope, KY (EWO), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment 
(VOR/DME) navigation aid

[[Page 34147]]

(NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the 
affected airways. The New Hope VOR is being decommissioned as part of 
the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 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-2020-0497; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASO-1 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 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-2020-0497; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASO-1) 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-2020-0497; Airspace Docket No. 20-ASO-1.'' 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 to decommission the VOR portion of the New 
Hope, KY (EWO), VOR/DME in December 2020. The New Hope 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. Although the VOR portion of the New Hope VOR/DME NAVAID is 
planned for decommissioning, the DME portion of the NAVAID is being 
retained to support Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) 
Performance Based Navigation (PBN) flight procedure requirements.
    The VOR Federal airway dependencies to the New Hope VOR are V-5, V-
178, and V-513. With the planned decommissioning of the New Hope VOR, 
the proposed modifications to the dependent airways would result in the 
airway segments supported by the New Hope VOR being removed; creating 
gaps in V-5 and V-178, and removing V-513.
    To overcome the gaps created in V-5 and V-178, and the removal of 
V-513, instrument flight rules (IFR) pilots could use adjacent VOR 
Federal airways, including V-51, V-52, V-140, V-310, and V-493, or 
could request air traffic control radar vectors to fly through or 
circumnavigate the affected area. IFR pilots equipped with area 
navigation (RNAV) PBN could also navigate point to point using the 
existing fixes that will remain in place to support continued 
operations though the affected area. Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots 
who elect to navigate via the airways through

[[Page 34148]]

the affected area could also take advantage of the air traffic services 
previously listed.
    Prior to this NPRM, the FAA published a rule for Docket No. FAA-
2020-0008 in the Federal Register (85 FR 26601; May 5, 2020), amending 
VOR Federal airway V-178 by removing the airway segment between the 
Cunningham, KY, VOR/DME and the New Hope, KY, VOR/DME. The airway 
amendment, effective July 16, 2020, is included in this NPRM. 
Additionally, the FAA published a second rule prior to this NPRM for 
Docket No. FAA-2020-0002 in the Federal Register (85 FR 28852, May 14, 
2020), further amending V-178 by removing the airway segment between 
the Farmington, MO, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the 
Cunningham, KY, VOR/DME. This airway amendment, effective July 16, 
2020, is also included in this NPRM.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to amend VOR Federal airways V-5 and V-
178, and remove V-513. This proposal would also correct the state 
location for the Choo Choo VORTAC to read Tennessee (TN). The planned 
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the New Hope, KY, VOR/DME has 
made this action necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway actions are 
described below.
    V-5: V-5 currently extends between the Pecan, GA, VOR/DME and the 
Appleton, OH, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the Bowling Green, KY, VORTAC and the Louisville, KY, VORTAC. 
Additional changes to other portions of the airway have been proposed 
in a separate NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2020-0188 that published in the 
Federal Register (85 FR16585, March 24, 2020). The unaffected portions 
of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-178: V-178 currently extends between the Hallsville, MO, VORTAC 
and the Farmington, MO, VORTAC; and between the New Hope, KY, VOR/DME 
and the Bluefield, WV, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the New Hope, KY, VOR/DME and the Lexington, KY, VOR/
DME. The unaffected portions of the existing airway remain as charted.
    V-513: V-513 currently extends between the Livingston, TN, VOR/DME 
and the Louisville, KY, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
in its entirety.
    All radials contained in the VOR Federal airway descriptions below 
are unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    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-5 [Amended]

    From Pecan, GA; Vienna, GA; Dublin, GA; Athens, GA; INT Athens 
340[deg] and Electric City, SC, 274[deg] radials; INT Electric City 
274[deg] and Choo Choo, TN, 127[deg] radials; Choo Choo; to Bowling 
Green, KY. From Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; to Appleton, OH.
* * * * *

V-178 [Amended]

    From Hallsville, MO; INT Hallsville l83[deg] and Vichy, MO, 
32l[deg] radials; Vichy; to Farmington, MO. From Lexington, KY; to 
Bluefield, WV.
* * * * *

V-513 [Removed]

* * * * *

Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2020-11856 Filed 6-2-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P