[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 174 (Monday, September 9, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 73022-73024]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20197]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2024-1857; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-99]
RIN 2120-AA66


Modification of Class D and Class E Airspace; Revocation of Class 
E Airspace; Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, CO

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify the Class D and Class E 
airspace designated as a surface area and revoke the Class E airspace 
designated as an extension to a Class D or Class E surface area at 
Buckley Space Force Base (BKF), Aurora, CO. Additionally, this action 
proposes administrative amendments to update the airport's legal 
description to match the FAA database. These actions would support the 
safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual 
flight rules (VFR) operations at the airport.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 24, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2024-1857 and 
Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-99 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: Keith T. Adams, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200 
S. 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-2428.

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 Class D and Class E airspace designated as 
a surface area and revoke Class E airspace designated as an extension 
to a Class D and Class E surface area to support IFR and VFR operations 
at Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, CO.

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

[[Page 73023]]

operations). An informal docket may also be examined during normal 
business hours at the office at the Northwest Mountain Regional Office 
of the Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Organization, 
Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200 S. 216th Street, 
Des Moines, WA 98198.

Incorporation by Reference

    Class D, E2, and E4 airspace designations are published in 
paragraphs 5000, 6002, and 6004, 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 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

    Buckley Space Force Base (BKF) is located south of Denver 
International Airport (DEN) and is separated by United States 
Interstate 70. Centennial Airport (APA) is located nearby, 
approximately 9.1 nautical miles (NM) southeast of BKF. APA and BKF 
airports have instrument approach procedures (IAP) that involve 
conflicting and overlapping circling maneuver patterns. The circling 
maneuver patterns of category D and E aircraft landing Runway (RWY) 32 
at BKF extend beyond the airport's surface area to the west and 
northwest of the airport. Additionally, APA and BKF Class D airspaces 
are separated by less than 0.30 NM. This area is comprised of 
controlled and uncontrolled airspace, which creates an unfavorable 
passage as VFR aircraft navigate between the two airports' surface 
areas. Lastly, IFR departures from BKF's RWY 14 occur underneath the 
floor of controlled airspace and outside the lateral boundaries of the 
BKF airport; this is due to rising terrain south-through-southeast of 
the airport, and the need to size the surface area airspace based on a 
climb rate of 200 feet per NM.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 that would 
modify Class D airspace, modify Class E airspace designated as a 
surface area, and revoke Class E airspace designated as an extension to 
a Class D or surface area at Buckley Space Force Base, CO.
    The lateral boundaries of the airport's Class D and Class E surface 
areas are insufficiently sized and should be modified to better contain 
IFR arrivals when less than 1,000 feet above the surface of the earth 
and departing IFR aircraft until reaching the next adjacent airspace. 
Additionally, an approximately 0.30 NM gap of Class E and Class G 
airspaces exists between the BKF and APA surface areas. As such, the 
airport's Class D and Class E surface areas should be re-sized to be 
within a 4.4-mile radius of the airport, within 2 miles northeast and 4 
miles southwest of the airport's 151[deg] bearing extending to 7.1 
miles southeast, and within 4 miles south and 4.4 miles north of the 
airport's 270[deg] bearing extending to 4.7 miles west, excluding that 
airspace within the DEN Class B and APA Class D airspace areas. Closing 
this gap would redirect some VFR aircraft to transition a 500-foot 
vertical Class E airspace area between the vertical limits of BKF's 
Class D airspace and the floor of DEN Class B Area E airspace.
    The FAA is proposing to revoke BKF's Class E airspace, which is 
designated as an extension to the Class D and E surface area. The Class 
E airspace area extension is no longer required due to the proposed 
modification of BKF's surface area airspace.
    Finally, the FAA is proposing administrative actions to BKF's 
airspace legal descriptions. The airport's name on line 2 of both legal 
descriptions should state ``Buckley Space Force Base, CO.'' 
Additionally, line four of both surface area legal descriptions should 
include ``Denver International Airport, CO'' and ``Centennial Airport, 
CO'' as references, as they are used to define BKF's surface areas.

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 5000 Class D Airspace.

* * * * *

ANM CO D Aurora, CO [Amended]

Buckley Space Force Base, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]42'06'' N, long. 104[deg]45'07'' W)
Denver International Airport, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]51'42'' N, long. 104[deg]40'23'' W)
Centennial Airport, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]34'12'' N, long. 104[deg]50'57'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface to but not 
including 7,500 feet MSL within a 4.4-mile radius of the airport, 
within 2 miles northeast and 4 miles southwest of the airport's 
151[deg] bearing extending to 7.1 miles southeast, and within 4 miles 
south and 4.4 miles north of the airport's 270[deg] bearing extending 
to 4.7 miles west, excluding that airspace within the Denver 
International Airport, CO, Class B and Centennial Airport, CO, Class D 
airspace areas. This Class D 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.
* * * * *

[[Page 73024]]

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

* * * * *

ANM CO E2 Aurora, CO [Amended]

Buckley Space Force Base, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]42'06'' N, long. 104[deg]45'07'' W)
Denver International Airport, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]51'42'' N, long. 104[deg]40'23'' W)
Centennial Airport, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]34'12'' N, long. 104[deg]50'57'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface to but not 
including 7,500 feet MSL within a 4.4-mile radius of the airport, 
within 2 miles northeast and 4 miles southwest of the airport's 
151[deg] bearing extending to 7.1 miles southeast, and within 4 miles 
south and 4.4 miles north of the airport's 270[deg] bearing extending 
to 4.7 miles west, excluding that airspace within the Denver 
International Airport, CO, Class B and Centennial Airport, CO, Class D 
airspace areas. 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 6004 Class E Airspace Areas Designated as an Extension to a 
Class D or Class E Surface Area.

* * * * *

ANM CO E4 Aurora, CO [Removed]

Aurora, Buckley ANG Base, CO
    (Lat. 39[deg]42'06'' N, long. 104[deg]45'07'' W)
* * * * *

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, August 30, 2024.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2024-20197 Filed 9-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P