[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 173 (Friday, September 10, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 50686-50687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-19512]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 173 / Friday, September 10, 2021 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 50686]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0741; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-50]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Revocation of United States Area Navigation Routes Q-162 
and Q-166; Bishop, CA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revoke United States Area Navigation 
(RNAV) routes Q-162 and Q-166 in the vicinity of Bishop, CA due to the 
establishment of a new RNAV route, Q-174, that provides better 
connectivity for the Las Vegas Terminal area arrivals.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 25, 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: 1 
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2021-0741; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-50 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: 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 (NAS).

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-2021-0741; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-50) 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-2021-0741; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-50.'' 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 NPRM

    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 Operations Support Group, Western 
Service Center, 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 7400.11E, 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

    In 2003, Congress enacted the Vision 100-Century of Aviation

[[Page 50687]]

Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. 108-176), which established a joint 
planning and development office in the FAA to manage the work related 
to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Today, 
NextGen is an ongoing FAA-led modernization of the nation's air 
transportation system to make flying safer, more efficient, and more 
predictable.
    In support of the NextGen efforts to improve the safety and 
efficiency of the NAS, the Las Vegas Metroplex Project recently 
established a new RNAV route, Q-174, to serve the Las Vegas Terminal 
Area arrivals in conjunction with new standard terminal arrival routes. 
There are two existing airways, Q-162 and Q-166, which had been 
utilized for the same purpose as Q-174, but no longer provide the 
necessary connectivity to the new procedures. The FAA proposes to 
revoke RNAV routes Q-162 and Q-166, since these routes no longer serve 
a purpose in the NAS.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to revoke RNAV 
routes Q-162 and Q-166 due to the establishment of RNAV route Q-174 
that provides better connectivity to the new Las Vegas Terminal Arrival 
routes. The proposed changes are outlined below.
    Q-162: Q-162 currently navigates between the NTELL, CA waypoint 
(WP) and the MYCAL, NV WP. The FAA proposes to revoke the route in its 
entirety.
    Q-166: Q-166 currently navigates between the VIKSN, CA WP and the 
BIKKR, CA WP. The FAA proposes to revoke the route in its entirety.
    United States Area Navigation routes are published in paragraph 
2006 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 RNAV 
routes listed in this document would be published subsequently 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 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

Q-162 NTELL, CA TO MYCAL, NV [Remove]

* * * * *

Q-166 VIKSN, CA TO BIKKR, CA [Remove]

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 3, 2021.
George Gonzalez,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2021-19512 Filed 9-9-21; 8:45 am]
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