[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 15883-15884]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-06214]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 61 / Tuesday, March 31, 2026 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 15883]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-5384; Airspace Docket No. 25-ANM-144]
RIN 2120-AA66
Modification of Class E Airspace; Denver International Airport,
Denver, CO
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward
from 700 feet above the surface and removes the Class E airspace
extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Denver
International Airport, Denver, CO. Additionally, this action makes an
administrative modification to the airport's Class E airspace legal
description. These actions support the safety and management of
instrument flight rules (IFR) operations within the airspace described
herein.
DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, July 9, 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: 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 in
Denver, CO.
History
The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-5384 in the
Federal Register (90 FR 61105; December 30, 2025), proposing to modify
the Class E airspace at Denver International Airport, Denver, CO.
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 E5 airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 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 rule modifies the transitional Class E airspace at Denver
International Airport, Denver, CO, by extending the portion of the
Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and
removing the portion extending upward from 1,200 feet above the
surface.
The transitional Class E airspace at Denver serves Denver
International Airport and provides containment for IFR aircraft
operating from Denver's surrounding airports. The Class E airspace at
Denver extends to 17.8 miles south of Centennial Airport, Denver, CO,
to provide containment for Centennial Airport's arriving IFR aircraft
operations below 1,500 feet above the surface. Prior to this final
rule, the extension was not sufficient in size to fully capture the
ZOMBZ SIX ARRIVAL (Area Navigation [RNAV]) procedure that provides
guidance to aircraft arriving at Centennial Airport until established
on an instrument arrival procedure (or otherwise). Accordingly, the
Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at
Denver is extended approximately four miles to the south to better
contain the ZOMBZ SIX ARRIVAL (RNAV) procedure.
Furthermore, the portion of Class E airspace extending upward from
1,200 feet above the surface at Denver is removed, as the Denver Class
E Domestic En Route Airspace provides sufficient containment and
duplication is not necessary.
Finally, the legal description for Denver's Class E airspace
extending upward from at least 700 feet above the surface uses the
Denver Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range/Distance Measuring
Equipment (VOR/DME) as its reference point (which is incorrectly listed
as a VOR). The VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Implementation
Program (81 FR 48694) selected the Denver VOR/DME for Phase 2
discontinuance from the National Airspace System. As such, the Denver
VOR/DME is no longer used to describe the airspace. A ``Point of
Origin'' with identical geographical coordinates as
[[Page 15884]]
the Denver VOR/DME now describes the airspace in its place.
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 1050.1G, ``FAA National Environmental Policy Act
Implementing Procedures,'' Appendix B-2.5. 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.
Lists 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 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700
feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth
* * * * *
ANM CO E5 Denver, CO [Amended]
Point of Origin
(Lat. 39[deg]48'45'' N, long. 104[deg]39'39'' W)
That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface
within a 28-mile radius of the Point of Origin, and within 13 miles
west of the Point of Origin's 178[deg] bearing extending to 37 miles
south.
* * * * *
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on March 26, 2026.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2026-06214 Filed 3-30-26; 8:45 am]
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