AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

This action proposes to amend one domestic Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-187 in the western United States. The modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of McChord, WA, VOR portion of the VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid (NAVAID), which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS route. The McChord, WA, VOR is being decommissioned due to ongoing maintenance problems.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before April 20, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17 at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/​air_​traffic/​publications/​. For further information, you can contact the Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, 20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783. The Order is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of FAA Order 7400.11D at NARA, email: fedreg.legal@nara.gov or go to https://www.archives.gov/​federal-register/​cfr/​ibr-locations.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher McMullin, 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 route structure as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National Airspace System.

Comments Invited

Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic, environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.

Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17) and be submitted in triplicate to the Docket Management Facility (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number). You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.

Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments on this action must submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: “Comments to FAA Docket No. FAA-2020-0135; Airspace Docket No. 19-ANM-17.” The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.

All communications received on or before the specified comment closing date will be considered before taking action on the proposed rule. The proposal contained in this action may be changed in light of comments received. All comments submitted will be available for examination in the public docket both before and after the comment closing date. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will be filed in the docket.

Availability of NPRMs

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://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 Office (see ADDRESSES section for address and phone number) between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. An informal docket may also be examined during normal business hours at the office of the Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019. FAA Order 7400.11D is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11D lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points.

Background

The DoD requested decommissioning of the McChord, WA, VOR due to ongoing maintenance issues, but have agreed to continue operation of the TACAN portion of the NAVAID to support the Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) needs of NexGen procedures in the area. The remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected airway. As such, proposed modification to V-187 would result in a gap in the ATS route structure. To overcome the gap in V-187, instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use VOR Federal airway V-298 at THICK INT (INT Yakima 331° (T) 310° (M) and Ellensburg, 274°(T) 253°(M) radials) to BEEZR INT. Follow V-2 or V-298 northwest bound to Seattle, WA VORTAC, and then southwest bound on V-27 to CARRO INT. From there, follow V-165 or V-287 southbound to Olympia VORTAC and resume V-187 from there. Alternatively, aircraft could follow V-25 from Ellensburg, WA, VOR southbound to Yakima, WA, VORTAC and intercept V-204 westbound to Olympia, WA, VORTAC and resume V-187 from there. Additionally, IFR traffic could file point to point through the affected area using fixes that will remain in place, or receive air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors through the area. Furthermore, the loss of the segment on V-187 will be mitigated through the establishment of the T-137 airway for RNAV equipped aircraft, which overlays the gap in V-187. Visual flight rules pilots who elect to navigate via the airways through the affected area could also take advantage of the adjacent VOR Federal airways or ATC services listed previously.

The Proposal

The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify VOR Federal airway V-187. Full route description is in “The Proposed Amendment” section of this notice.

The proposed ATS route change is outlined below.

V-187: V-187 currently extends between the Socorro, NM, VORTAC to the Astoria, OR, VOR. V-187 will be amended on the segment between the intersection of Yakima 310° (M) 331° (T) and Ellensburg 253° (M) 274° (T) radials and the Olympia, WA, VOR. The proposed amendment would stop at THICK intersection (INT Yakima, WA 310°(M) 331°(T) and Ellensburg, WA, 253°(M) 274°(T) radials) and then resume at the Olympia, WA VOR. The unaffected portion of the existing route will remain as charted.

Domestic VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010 of FAA Order 7400.11D dated August 8, 2019, and effective September 15, 2019, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Domestic VOR Federal airway listed in this document will be subsequently published in the Order.

FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is published yearly and effective on September 15.

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 Department of Transportation (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

1. The authority citation for 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.

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11D, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8, 2019 and effective September 15, 2019, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010 Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

V-187 [Amended]

From Socorro, NM; via INT Socorro 015° and Albuquerque, NM, 160° radials: Albuquerque, Rattlesnake, NM; 50 miles, 62 miles, 115 MSL, Grand Junction, CO; 75 miles, 50 miles, 112 MSL, Rock Springs, WY; 20 miles, 37 miles, 95 MSL, INT Rock Springs 026° and Riverton, WY, 180° radials; Riverton; Boysen Reservoir, WY; 9 miles, 78 miles, 105 MSL, Billings, MT; INT Billings 317° and Great Falls, MT, 122° radials; Great Falls; Missoula, MT; Nez Perce, ID; Pasco, WA; INT Pasco 321° and Ellensburg, WA, 107° radials; Ellensburg; INT Yakima 310° (M) 331° (T) and Ellensburg 253° (M) 274° (T) radials; then from Olympia; to Astoria, OR.