[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 88 (Monday, May 10, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24794-24795]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09668]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0324; Airspace Docket No. 21-AGL-9]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of V-37 and V-270; Removal of V-43 in the 
Vicinity of Erie, PA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend two VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airways and remove one VOR Federal airway in the vicinity 
of Erie, Pennsylvania. The FAA proposes this action due to the planned 
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Erie, PA, VOR/Tactical Air 
Navigation (VORTAC) that these airways utilize for navigation guidance. 
The Erie VOR is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum 
Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 24, 2021.

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-2021-0324; Airspace Docket No. 21-AGL-9 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov. FAA Order 7400.11E, 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 7400.11E at NARA, email: 
[email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jesse Acevedo, 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-2021-0324; Airspace Docket No. 21-AGL-9) 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-2021-0324; Airspace Docket No. 21-AGL-9.'' 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 
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX, 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11E, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and effective 
September 15, 2020. FAA Order 7400.11E is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11E 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 Erie, 
PA, VORTAC. This 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

[[Page 24795]]

Federal Register of July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-
1082.
    Although the VOR portion of the Eric VORTAC is planned for 
decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the navigational aid is 
being retained in support of current and future Area Navigation (RNAV) 
procedures. The tactical air navigation (TACAN) system is also being 
retained to support the Department of Defense mission requirements.
    The VOR Federal airways affected by the Erie VOR are V-37, V-270, 
and V-43. With the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the 
Erie VORTAC, the remaining navigational aids in the area are 
insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected airways. As such, 
the proposal would result in the shortening of V-37 and V-270, and 
would result in the revocation of V-43. To overcome the shortening and 
removal of the proposed airways, pilots using RNAV could navigate point 
to point utilizing the fixes that would be retained or request air 
traffic control radar vectors through the area. Additionally, visual 
flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the affected 
airways could also take advantage of the air traffic control (ATC) 
services previously listed.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to amend V-37 
and V-270, and revoke V-43, in the vicinity of Erie, PA. This is 
required due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the 
Erie, PA, VORTAC. The proposed airway changes are described below.
    V-37: V-37 currently extends between the Craig, FL, VORTAC and the 
Erie, PA VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment between 
the Ellwood City, PA, VOR/DME and the Erie VORTAC. As a result, the 
amended airway would extend between the Craig VORTAC and the Ellwood 
City VOR/DME.
    V-270: V-270 currently extends between the Erie, PA, VORTAC and the 
Jamestown, NY, VOR/DME; and between the Elmira, NY, VOR/DME and the 
Boston, MA, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the Erie VORTAC and the Jamestown VOR/DME. As a result, the 
amended airway would extend between the Elmira VOR/DME and the Boston 
VOR/DME.
    V-43: V-43 currently extends between the Youngstown, OH, VORTAC and 
the Erie, PA, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove V-43 in its entirety.
    All radials in the VOR Federal airway descriptions below are 
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    Domestic VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of 
FAA Order 7400.11E, dated July 21, 2020, and effective September 15, 
2020, 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 7400.11E, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and 
effective September 15, 2020, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-37 [Amended]

    From Craig, FL; Brunswick, GA; INT Brunswick 014[deg] and 
Savannah, GA, 177[deg] radials; Savannah; Allendale, SC; Columbia, 
SC; Charlotte, NC; Pulaski, VA; Elkins, WV; Clarksburg, WV; INT 
Clarksburg 359[deg] and Ellwood City, PA, 185[deg] radials; to 
Ellwood City.
* * * * *

V-43 [Removed]

* * * * *

V-270 [Amended]

    From Elmira, NY; Binghamton, NY; DeLancey, NY; Chester, MA; INT 
Chester 091[deg] and Boston, MA, 262[deg] radials; to Boston.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 30, 2021.
George Gonzalez,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2021-09668 Filed 5-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P