[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41632-41633]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14779]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0824; Airspace Docket No. 21-ASO-33]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment and Revocation of Area Navigation (RNAV) 
Routes; Southeastern and Northeastern United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Area Navigation (RNAV) route Q-
81 to realign a portion of the route to improve traffic flows, and to 
remove Canadian RNAV route Q-947 at the request of NavCanada. These 
changes would support the Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Route 
Project.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 12, 2022.

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-
2022-0824; Airspace Docket No. 21-ASO-33 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, 
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, 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 expands the availability of RNAV routes in the National 
Airspace System, increases airspace capacity, and reduces complexity in 
high air traffic volume areas.

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-2022-0824; Airspace Docket No. 21-ASO-33) 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 http://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-2022-0824; Airspace Docket No. 21-ASO-33.'' 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 the Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, Room 
210, 1701 Columbia Ave., College Park, GA 30337.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, issued August 10. 2021, and 
effective September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly 
available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this proposed rule. FAA 
Order JO 7400.11F lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air 
traffic service routes, and reporting points.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to modify Q-81 
in the southeastern United States, and removing Canadian route Q-947 in 
the northeastern United States.
    Q-81: Q-81 currently extends from the TUNSL, FL., waypoint (WP), to 
the HONID, GA, WP. This proposal would amend the current route segments 
between the FIPES, OG, WP and the FARLU, FL, WP, by removing the THMPR, 
FL, WP and the LEEHI, FL, WP, and inserting the ZEILR, FL, Fix, and the 
PIKKR, OG, WP. The effect of this change would be to realign the track

[[Page 41633]]

of Q-81 by between one nautical mile (NM) and 10.5 NM to the west of 
its current path. This change would assist with traffic flow, conflict 
avoidance, and prevent excessive coordination for air traffic 
controllers. In addition, the FAA proposes to remove the following WPs 
from the legal description of Q-81: MGNTY, FL; BITNY, OG; SNAPY, FL; 
and IPOKE, GA. Because they do not denote a route turn point, these WPs 
are not required to be included in the Q-81 legal description. However, 
these points will continue to be depicted on the IFR En Route charts 
because they are used for air traffic control purposes. The proposed 
full route description of Q-81 is set out in the amendments to part 71 
below.
    The abbreviation ``OG'' is used in place of a state abbreviation 
for the FIPES, PIKKR, and BITNY WPs. OG means ``Offshore Gulf of 
Mexico'' indicating that those points overlie international waters.
    This action also proposes to remove portions of Canadian RNAV route 
Q-947.
    Q-947: Segments of Q-947 extend from the REVEN, Canada, WP; to the 
TOPPS, ME, WP; to the CUZWA, ME, WP; then back into Canada at the 
DUVOK, Canada, WP. NavCanada requested that these segments be removed 
due to potential conflicts with aircraft departures from Halifax, Nova 
Scotia (YHZ).
    United States Area Navigation Routes are published in paragraph 
2006 and Canadian Area Navigation Routes are published in paragraph 
2007 of FAA Order JO 7400.11F, dated August 10, 2021, and effective 
September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. 
RNAV routes listed in this document would be subsequently published in 
and removed from FAA Order JO 7400.11.
    FAA Order JO 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 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 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 JO 
7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 
2021 and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

Q-81 TUNSL, FL to HONID, GA [Amended]
 
TUNSL, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 24[deg]54'02.43'' N, long. 081[deg]31'02.80'' W)
KARTR, FL                     FIX                 (Lat. 25[deg]29'45.76'' N, long. 081[deg]30'46.24'' W)
FIPES, OG                     WP                  (Lat. 25[deg]41'30.15'' N, long. 081[deg]37'13.79'' W)
ZEILR, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 26[deg]38'13.17'' N, long. 082[deg]22'27.71'' W)
PIKKR, OG                     WP                  (Lat. 26[deg]56'24.43'' N, long. 082[deg]41'25.28'' W)
FARLU, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 27[deg]45'32.56'' N, long. 082[deg]50'43.77'' W)
ENDEW, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 28[deg]18'01.73'' N, long. 082[deg]55'56.70'' W)
NICKI, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 29[deg]15'20.19'' N, long. 083[deg]20'31.80'' W)
BULZI, FL                     WP                  (Lat. 30[deg]22'24.93'' N, long. 084[deg]04'34.47'' W)
HONID, GA                     WP                  (Lat. 31[deg]38'50.31'' N, long. 084[deg]23'42.60'' W)
 

* * * * *

Paragraph 2007 Canadian Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

Q-947 [Remove]

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 6, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-14779 Filed 7-12-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P