[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 237 (Friday, December 12, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57722-57724]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22632]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-4609; Airspace Docket No. 25-AGL-9]
RIN 2120-AA66
Revocation of Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Federal
Airway V-320 in the Vicinity of Mount Pleasant, Michigan
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revoke Very High Frequency
Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-320 in the vicinity of
Mount Pleasant, Michigan. The FAA is proposing this action due to the
planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Mount Pleasant, MI
VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) navigational aid (NAVAID). The
VOR portion of this NAVAID is being decommissioned as part of the FAA's
VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program. The DME portion of this
NAVAID will be retained.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2025-4609 and
Airspace Docket No. 25-AGL-9 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
[[Page 57723]]
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 7400.11K, 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, Policy Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration,
600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Roff, Rules and Regulations
Group, Policy Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration, 600
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; 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 amend the airway structure as necessary to
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National
Airspace System.
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 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 7400.11K, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025.
These updates would be published in the next update to FAA Order JO
7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11K, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E
airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points, is
publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
Background
The FAA is planning to decommission the VOR portion of the Mount
Pleasant, MI, VOR/DME in support of the FAA's VOR MON program as listed
in the final policy statement notice, ``Provision of Navigation
Services for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (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) under Docket No. FAA-2011-1082.
Although the VOR portion of the Mount Pleasant VOR/DME is planned
for decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the NAVAID is being
retained. The DME portion is being retained in support of current and
future NextGen PBN procedures. The Air Traffic Service (ATS) route
affected by the planned decommissioning of the Mount Pleasant VOR is V-
320.
V-320 currently extends between the Pellston, MI, VOR/Tactical Air
Navigation (VORTAC), the Traverse City, MI, VOR/DME, the Mount Pleasant
VOR/DME, and the Saginaw, MI, VOR/DME. The segment of V-320 between the
Pellston VORTAC and the Traverse City VOR/DME is not directly supported
by the Mount Pleasant VOR; however, this segment is overlaid by V-193
and therefore duplicative in nature and will therefore further supports
removal of that segment of V-320. The other segments of V-320 are
supported by the Mount Pleasant VOR and will become unusable when the
NAVAID is decommissioned. Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) air traffic
equipped for conventional navigation, flying through and around the
area affected by the loss of V-320, may utilize adjacent VOR Federal
Airways V-78, V-133, V-420. Area Navigation (RNAV) equipped aircraft
may also navigate via RNAV Route T-265 or may utilize point-to-point
navigation via the airspace fixes that remain in place. Visual flight
rules (VFR) pilots, who normally navigate via the impacted Victor
Airways, may also utilize the adjacent VOR Federal Airways, or RNAV
Route T-265, and
[[Page 57724]]
point-to-point navigation, if the aircraft is properly equipped.
Additionally, all aircraft have the option to request and receive radar
vectors from Air Traffic Control, to facilitate navigation.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to revoke VOR
Federal Airway V-320 in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
V-320: V-320 currently extends between the Pellston, MI, VOR/
Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC), the Traverse City, MI, VOR/DME, the
Mount Pleasant VOR/DME, and the Saginaw, MI, VOR/DME. The FAA is
proposing to revoke this route in its entirety.
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 1050.1G, ``FAA National Environmental Policy
Act Implementing 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
7400.11K, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 4,
2025, and effective September 15, 2025, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6010 VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-320 [Removed]
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 8, 2025.
Alex W. Nelson,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2025-22632 Filed 12-11-25; 8:45 am]
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