[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8727-8729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-03651]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2415; Airspace Docket No. 25-AGL-3]
RIN 2120-AA66
Amendment of Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range Federal
Airways V-14, V-192, V-210, and V-221 in the Vicinity of Muncie,
Indiana
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action amends Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range
(VOR) Federal Airways V-14, V-192, V-210, and V-221 in the vicinity of
Muncie, Indiana. The FAA is taking these actions due to the planned
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Muncie, IN, VOR/Distance
Measuring Equipment (DME) navigational aid (NAVAID). This NAVAID is
being decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational
Network (MON) program.
DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, May 14, 2026. 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. An electronic
copy of this document may also be downloaded from
www.federalregister.gov.
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, Office of Policy, 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 modifies the Air Traffic Services (ATS) route structure
as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic
within the National Airspace System.
History
The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-2415 in the
Federal Register (90 FR 43578; September 10, 2025), proposing to amend
Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-14,
V-192, V-210, and V-221 in the vicinity of Muncie, Indiana. Interested
parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by
submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. Four comments
were received, but one comment was a duplicate of another with an added
PDF attachment the commenter referred to as a ``petition.'' One comment
relating to the decommissioning of the VOR portion of the VOR/DME
NAVAID is outside of the scope of this action. While this rule involves
removing routes that will become unusable due to the decommissioning of
the VOR portion of the NAVAID, the decommissioning is a separate action
from this rule, and therefore, it is outside the scope of this rule.
Another commenter stated they oppose the action proposed in the
NPRM. The commenter asserted that pilots and many older general
aviation aircraft rely on VOR navigation for situational awareness and
emergency planning. The commenter claimed that eliminating these route
segments would force pilots to shift their navigational planning or
require RNAV/GPS equipment not available in all general aviation
aircraft. The commenter also asserted that VOR navigation is essential
for flight training. The commenter urged the FAA to preserve the airway
segments for general aviation or provide clear, equivalent
alternatives. In response to this comment, the FAA offers that
transitioning the National Airspace System from a ground-based system
of VORs to Performance Based Navigation (PBN) increases safety,
efficiency, and capacity in the NAS. PBN allows for more direct flight
paths, which leads to reduced fuel consumption, fewer emissions, and
lower noise pollution. It also enables more efficient use of airspace
by allowing aircraft to fly more precise routes, especially in
congested terminal areas, and helps manage the projected increase in
air traffic.
The VOR Minimum Operating Network (VOR MON) program will not
eliminate all the VORs in the NAS. Instead, this program identified
which VORs would need to be retained. MIE was not one of those needed
to provide a conventional backup service in the
[[Page 8728]]
event of an unplanned Global Positioning System (GPS) outage. During an
unplanned GPS outage, aircraft will be able to continue VOR to VOR
navigation or proceed to a MON airport and conduct a VOR, Localizer
(LOC), or Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach. The VOR MON program
assures that at least one airport will be within 100 Nautical Miles
(NM).
When the MIE VOR is decommissioned, there will remain numerous MON
airports within this 100 NM range. The closest four are Shelbyville,
IN, (GEZ) at 41 NM; Fort Wayne, IN, (FWA) at 45 NM; Dayton, OH, (DAY)
at 48 NM; and Indianapolis, IN, (IND) at 52 NM. Shelbyville and Fort
Wayne each have a VOR instrument approach procedure. In addition, there
are nearby federal airways that will remain to provide navigation
service: V-11 between the Indianapolis (VHP) VORTAC and the Fort Wayne,
IN (FWA) VORTAC; V-50 between the VHP VORTAC and Dayton, OH (DQN) VOR/
DME; and V-55 between the FWA VORTAC and the DQN VOR/DME. Lastly, a
pilot can request air traffic control radar vectors through the area.
Another commenter submitted a ``petition'' and raised issues with
amending the routes listed in this rule but referenced the changes as
occurring in the Salt Lake City area. This rule involves airspace in
the vicinity of Muncie, Indiana, which is nowhere near Salt Lake City.
Additionally, these routes do not even run in the vicinity of Salt Lake
City. The commenter's assertions about potentially higher operational
costs in the intermountain west or the need for an analysis of this
rule's impact on the Salt Lake City airspace or operators are
inapplicable to this rule.
The petition further asserts that the FAA did not comply with the
Regulatory Flexibility Act because of alleged boilerplate language. The
petition makes assumptions that because standard language is used in
the NPRM, the FAA did not perform the requisite analysis to comply with
applicable rules and regulations. The FAA reviews updates to each piece
of airspace individually and conducts all necessary analyses on its
airspace actions in accordance with applicable law, authority, and
agency guidance, including the Administrative Procedures Act; the
Regulatory Flexibility Act; E.O. 12866; FAA Order JO 7400.2R,
Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; and FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA
National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures. Language in
the NPRM and final rule for this action utilizes certain standardized
text common to similar routine airspace actions, but is tailored to the
specific action. Use of standardized text ensures consistency among
similar routine actions, and allows FAA to streamline one of its most
prolific rulemaking portfolios. However, adoption of standardized text
does not indicate a lack of thorough and adequate analysis.
The petition also referenced the National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) and requested certain actions. However, there was no requirement
for an environmental review to be performed prior to the NPRM stage.
The NPRM contained an ``Environmental Review'' section noting that the
proposal was subject to an environmental analysis in accordance with
FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing
Procedures, before any FAA final regulatory action.
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 amends the current version of that order, FAA Order JO
7400.11K, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025. These
amendments will 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.
The Rule
This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying VOR Federal Airways
V-14, V-192, V-210 and V-221 in the vicinity of Muncie, Indiana.
V-14: Prior to this rule, V-14 extended between the Chisum, NM,
VORTAC and the Flag City, OH, VORTAC. A portion of V-14, between the
Brickyard, IN, VORTAC and the Flag City, VORTAC will become unusable
with the decommissioning of Muncie, IN, VOR. Additionally, the portion
of V-14 between the Terre Haute, IN, VORTAC and the Brickyard VORTAC is
redundant as it is overlaid by V-50. As amended, V-14 extends between
the Chisum VORTAC and the St. Louis, MO, VORTAC.
V-192: Prior to this rule, V-192 extended between the Champaign,
IL, VORTAC and the Dayton, OH, VOR/DME. The portion of V-192 between
the Brickyard, IN VORTAC and the Dayton VOR/DME will become unusable
with the decommissioning of the Muncie, IN, VOR. As a mitigation,
aircraft can utilize nearby V-50 to navigate between the Brickyard
VORTAC and the Dayton VOR/DME. As amended, V-192 extends between the
Champaign VORTAC and the Brickyard VORTAC.
V-210: Prior to this rule, V-210 extended between the Los Angeles,
CA, VORTAC and the Lamar, CO, VOR/DME, between the Will Rogers, OK,
VORTAC and the Okmulgee, OK, VOR/DME, between the Brickyard, IN, VORTAC
and the Rosewood, OH, VORTAC, and between the Harrisburg, PA, VORTAC
and the Yardley, PA, VOR/DME. The portion of V-210 between the
Brickyard and Rosewood VORTACs will become unusable with the
decommissioning of the Muncie, IN, VOR. As amended, V-210 extends
between the Los Angeles VORTAC and the Lamar VOR/DME, between the Will
Rogers VORTAC and the Okmulgee VOR/DME, and between the Harrisburg
VORTAC and the Yardley VOR/DME.
V-221: Prior to this rule, V-221 extended between the Bible Grove,
IL, VORTAC and the intersection of the Fort Wayne, IN, VORTAC 016[deg]
and the Goshen, IN, TACAN 092[deg] radials. The portion of V-221
between the Shelbyville, IN, NDB and the Fort Wayne VORTAC will become
unusable with the decommissioning of the Muncie, IN, VOR. As amended,
V-221 extends between the Bible Grove VORTAC and the Shelbyville NDB.
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 of amending Very High
Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-14, V-192, V-
210, and V-221 qualifies for categorical exclusion under the National
Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C.
[[Page 8729]]
4321, et seq.) and in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1G, FAA National
Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures, paragraph B-2.5(a)
which categorically excludes from further environmental impact review
rulemaking actions that designate or modify classes of airspace areas,
airways, routes, and reporting points (see 14 CFR part 71, Designation
of Class A, B, C, D, and E Airspace Areas; Air Traffic Service Routes;
and Reporting Points); and paragraph B-2.5(i), which categorically
excludes from further environmental impact review the establishment of
new or revised air traffic control procedures conducted at 3,000 feet
or more above ground level (AGL); procedures conducted below 3,000 feet
AGL that do not cause traffic to be routinely routed over noise
sensitive areas; modifications to currently approved procedures
conducted below 3,000 feet AGL that do not significantly increase noise
over noise sensitive areas; and increases in minimum altitudes and
landing minima. As such, this action is not expected to result in any
potentially significant environmental impacts. The FAA has determined
that no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of
an environmental assessment or environmental impact study.
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:
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-14 [Amended]
From Chisum, NM; Lubbock, TX; Childress, TX; Hobart, OK; Will
Rogers, OK; INT Will Rogers 052[deg] and Tulsa, OK, 246[deg]
radials; to Tulsa. From Springfield, MO; Vichy, MO; INT Vichy
067[deg] and St. Louis, MO, 225[deg] radials; to St. Louis.
* * * * *
V-192 [Amended]
From Champaign, IL; Terre Haute, IN, INT 079[deg] and Brickyard,
IN, 230[deg] radials; to Brickyard.
* * * * *
V-210 [Amended]
From Los Angeles, CA; INT Los Angeles 083[deg] and Pomona, CA,
240[deg] radials; Pomona; INT Daggett, CA, 229[deg] and Hector, CA,
263[deg] radials; Hector; Goffs, CA; 13 miles, 23 miles 71 MSL, 85
MSL Peach Springs, AZ; Grand Canyon, AZ; Tuba City, AZ; 10 miles 90
MSL, 91 miles 105 MSL Rattlesnake, NM; Alamosa, CO; INT Alamosa
074[deg] and Lamar, CO, 250[deg] radials; 40 miles, 51 miles 65 MSL
to Lamar. From Will Rogers, OK; INT Will Rogers 113[deg] and
Okmulgee, OK, 238[deg] radials; to Okmulgee. From Harrisburg, PA;
Lancaster, PA; INT Lancaster 095[deg] and Yardley, PA, 255[deg]
radials; to Yardley.
* * * * *
V-221 [Amended]
From Bible Grove, IL; Hoosier, IN; to Shelbyville, IN.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 20, 2026.
Alex W. Nelson,
Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2026-03651 Filed 2-23-26; 8:45 am]
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