[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 96 (Thursday, May 16, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 42828-42829]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10274]



[[Page 42828]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2024-1364; Airspace Docket No. 24-ACE-1]
RIN 2120-AA66


Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-216 and V-380, and Revocation 
of VOR Federal Airways V-549 and V-551 in the Vicinity of Mankato, KS

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Very High Frequency 
Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-216 and V-380, and to 
revoke VOR Federal Airways V-549 and V-551. The FAA is proposing this 
action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the 
Mankato, KS (TKO), VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigational 
aid (NAVAID). The Mankato VOR is being decommissioned in support of the 
FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2024-1364 and 
Airspace Docket No. 24-ACE-1 using any of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov and follow 
the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.
    Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, West Building 
Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in 
Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at (202) 493-2251.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions for 
accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of 
the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    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: 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 (NAS) as 
necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this 
rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. Comments are 
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal. The most 
helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain 
the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. To 
ensure the docket does not contain duplicate comments, commenters 
should submit only one time if comments are filed electronically, or 
commenters should send only one copy of written comments if comments 
are filed in writing.
    The FAA will file in the docket all comments it receives, as well 
as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA 
personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Before acting on this 
proposal, the FAA will consider all comments it receives on or before 
the closing date for comments. The FAA will consider comments filed 
after the comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without 
incurring expense or delay. The FAA may change this proposal in light 
of the comments it receives.
    Privacy: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments 
from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts 
these comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

Availability of Rulemaking Documents

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at 
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 
Operations office (see ADDRESSES section for address, phone number, and 
hours of operations). 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.

Incorporation by Reference

    VOR Federal Airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) 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 proposes to amend the current version of that order, FAA Order 
JO 7400.11H, dated August 11, 2023, and effective September 15, 2023. 
These updates would be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 
7400.11. That order is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES 
section of this document.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11H 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 Mankato, KS, VOR in 
February 2025. The Mankato 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

[[Page 42829]]

(NextGen) Transition to Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for 
Establishing a VOR Minimum Operational Network),'' published in the 
Federal Register on July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-
1082.
    Although the VOR portion of the Mankato, KS, VORTAC is planned for 
decommissioning, the co-located Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) portion 
of the NAVAID is being retained. The TACAN would continue to provide 
navigational service for military operations and Distance Measuring 
Equipment (DME) service supporting current and future NextGen PBN 
flight procedure requirements.
    The VOR Federal airways affected by the Mankato VOR decommissioning 
are V-216, V-380, V-549, and V-551. With the planned decommissioning of 
the Mankato VOR, the remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area 
is insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected airways. As 
such, proposed modifications to V-216 would result in an existing gap 
in the airway being expanded; to V-380 would result in the airway being 
shortened; and to V-549 and V-551 would result in the airways being 
revoked.
    To address the proposed modifications to the affected VOR Federal 
airways, pilots operating under instrument flight rules (IFR) may 
circumnavigate or fly through the affected area by requesting air 
traffic control (ATC) radar vectors since there are no alternate 
conventional airways available in the area. Additionally, pilots 
operating aircraft equipped with area navigation (RNAV) capabilities 
could navigate through the affected area point-to-point using the 
existing Fixes and waypoints (WP) that would remain in place or by 
using RNAV routes T-413, T-431, or T-468. Pilots operating under visual 
flight rules who elect to navigate via the affected VOR Federal airways 
may also take advantage of the ATC services and RNAV routes, if 
properly equipped, listed previously.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing to amend 14 CFR part 71 by amending VOR 
Federal Airways V-216 and V-380, and revoking VOR Federal Airways V-549 
and V-551. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned 
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Mankato, KS, VORTAC. The 
proposed airway actions are described below.
    V-216: V-216 currently extends between the Lamar, CO, VOR/Distance 
Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) and the Mankato, KS, VORTAC; and between 
the Lamoni, IA, VOR/DME and the Janesville, WI, VOR/DME. The FAA 
proposes to remove the airway segment between the Hill City, KS, VORTAC 
and the Mankato VORTAC. As amended, the airway would be changed to 
extend between the Lamar VOR/DME and the Hill City VORTAC, and between 
the Lamoni VOR/DME and the Janesville VOR/DME. Additional amendments to 
the airway have been proposed in a separate rulemaking action.
    V-380: V-380 currently extends between the Grand Island, NE, VOR/
DME and the Mankato, KS, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the Hastings, NE, VOR/DME and the Mankato VORTAC. As 
amended, the airway would be changed to extend between the Grand Island 
VOR/DME and the Hastings VOR/DME. Additional amendments to the airway 
have been proposed in a separate rulemaking action.
    V-549: V-549 currently extends between the Hays, KS, VORTAC and the 
Mankato, KS, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway in its 
entirety.
    V-551: V-551 currently extends between the Salina, KS, VORTAC and 
the Mankato, KS, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway in its 
entirety.
    The NAVAID radials listed in the V-216 description in the proposed 
regulatory text of this NPRM are unchanged and stated in degrees True 
north.

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 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 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 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 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways

* * * * *

V-216 [Amended]

    From Lamar, CO; to Hill City, KS. From Lamoni, IA; Ottumwa, IA; 
Iowa City, IA; INT Iowa City 062[deg] and Janesville, WI, 240[deg] 
radials; to Janesville.
* * * * *

V-380 [Amended]

    From Grand Island, NE; to Hastings, NE.
* * * * *

V-549 [Removed]

* * * * *

V-551 [Removed]

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2024.
Frank Lias,
Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2024-10274 Filed 5-15-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P