[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 63516-63518]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19295]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-1471; Airspace Docket No. 22-AAL-63]
RIN 2120-AA66


Modification of Class E Airspace; Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial 
Airport, Tanana, AK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action modifies the Class E airspace designated as a 
surface area and modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 
700 feet above the surface at Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport, 
Tanana, AK. Additionally, this action updates the administrative 
portion of the airport's Class E airspace legal descriptions. These 
modifications support the safety

[[Page 63517]]

and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the 
airport.

DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, November 30, 2023. The Director of the 
Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 
1 CFR part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order JO 7400.11 
and publication of conforming amendments.

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), all 
comments received, this final rule, and all background material may be 
viewed online at www.regulations.gov using the FAA Docket number. 
Electronic retrieval help and guidelines are available on the website. 
It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11H, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, 
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. You may also contact the Rules and 
Regulations Group, Office of Policy, Federal Aviation Administration, 
800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan A. Chaffman, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200 
S 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-3460.

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 modifies Class E airspace to support IFR operations at 
Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport, AK.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking for Docket No. 
FAA-2022-1471 in the Federal Register (88 FR 30687; May 12, 2023), 
proposing to modify Class E airspace at Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial 
Airport, AK. Interested parties were invited to participate in this 
rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the 
FAA. No comments were received.

Incorporation by Reference

    Class E2 and E5 airspace areas are published in paragraphs 6002 and 
6005, respectively, of FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 on 
an annual basis. This document amends the current version of that 
order, FAA Order JO 7400.11H, dated August 11, 2023, and effective 
September 15, 2023. FAA Order JO 7400.11H is publicly available as 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. These amendments will 
be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11H lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, 
air traffic service routes, and reporting points.

The Rule

    This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying the Class E airspace 
designated as a surface area and modifying the Class E airspace 
extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Ralph M. Calhoun 
Memorial Airport, AK.
    The Class E surface area airspace at the airport is increased from 
a 3.9-mile radius around the airport to a 5.1-mile radius to fully 
contain IFR arrival operations between the surface and 1,000 feet above 
the surface when executing the Very High Frequency Omnidirectional 
Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) Runway (RWY) 7 approach or 
the Area Navigation (RNAV) (Global Positioning System [GPS]) RWY 7 
approach. Additionally, the two westward extensions to the Class E 
surface area at the airport are removed, as they are no longer needed 
for containing IFR operations. Finally, the Class E surface area is 
extended 1.4 miles to the southwest to fully contain aircraft departing 
on the RWY 25 Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) between the surface 
and the base of adjacent controlled airspace.
    The Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at the airport is also modified. The Class E airspace area 
extending upward from 700 feet above the surface that provided a 
procedure turn area east of the airport is no longer needed and is 
removed. Furthermore, the airspace radius is increased by 0.2 miles to 
more appropriately accommodate arriving IFR operations below 1,500 feet 
above the surface when executing the VOR/DME RWY 7 or RNAV (GPS) RWY 7 
approaches. Lastly, the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface is extended to 10.5 miles east of the airport to 
fully contain departing IFR operations until they reach 1,200 feet 
above the surface while conducting the RWY 25 ODP.
    Finally, the FAA is modifying the administrative text headers to 
the airport's legal descriptions. The geographic coordinates located on 
line three of both legal description text headers are updated to match 
the FAA's database. The Bear Creek nondirectional beacon was 
decommissioned on December 2, 2021, and reference to it is removed from 
both legal descriptions. Lastly, reference to the Tanana VOR/DME 
navigational aid is no longer needed and is removed from both legal 
descriptions.

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 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 
only affects air traffic procedures and air navigation, it is certified 
that this rule, when promulgated, does not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical 
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance 
with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5.a. This airspace action is not expected 
to cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no 
extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an 
environmental assessment.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

The Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows:

[[Page 63518]]

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 14 CFR 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 part 71.1 of FAA Order JO 
7400.11H, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 11, 
2023, and effective September 15, 2023, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace Areas Designated as a Surface Area.

* * * * *

AAL AK E2 Tanana, AK [Amended]

Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport, AK
    (Lat. 65[deg]10'28'' N, long. 152[deg]06'29'' W)

    That airspace within a 5.1-mile radius of the airport, and 
within 3.6 miles each side of the airport's 214[deg] bearing 
extending from the 5.1-mile radius to 6.5 miles southwest of the 
airport. This Class E airspace area is effective during the specific 
dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Air Missions. 
The effective date and time will thereafter be continuously 
published in the Chart Supplement.
* * * * *

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

AAL AK E5 Tanana, AK [Amended]

Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport, AK
    (Lat. 65[deg]10'28'' N, long. 152[deg]06'29'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.6-mile radius of the airport, and within 1.9 miles each 
side of the airport's 082[deg] bearing extending from the 6.6-mile 
radius to 10.5 miles east of the airport; that airspace extending 
upward from 1,200 feet above the surface within a 73-mile radius of 
the airport.
* * * * *

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on August 31, 2023.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2023-19295 Filed 9-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P