Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 16, 2020 / Proposed Rules 81431 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2020–1071; Airspace 

Docket No. 20–ACE–13] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Amendment of V–175 and V– 

586; Establishment of T–397; and 

Revocation of V–424 in the Vicinity of 

Macon, MO 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend VHF Omnidirectional Range 

(VOR) Federal airways V–175 and V– 

586; establish Area Navigation (RNAV) 

route T–397; and remove VOR Federal 

airway V–424 in the vicinity of Macon, 

MO. The Air Traffic Service (ATS) route 

modifications are necessary due to the 

planned decommissioning of the VOR 

portion of the Macon, MO, VOR/ 

Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/ 

DME) navigation aid (NAVAID). With 

the exception of RNAV route T–397 

proposed to be established, the Marion 

VOR/DME NAVAID provides navigation 

guidance for portions of the affected air 

traffic service (ATS) routes. The VOR is 

being decommissioned as part of the 

FAA’s VOR Minimum Operational 

Network (MON) program. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 1, 2021. 

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: (800) 

647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. You must 

identify FAA Docket No. FAA–2020– 

1071; Airspace Docket No. 20–ACE–13 

at the beginning of your comments. You 

may also submit comments through the 

internet at https://www.regulations.gov. 

FAA Order 7400.11E, 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 7400.11E at NARA, email: 

fedreg.legal@nara.gov or go to https://

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colby Abbott, 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 (NAS). 

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– 

2020–1071; Airspace Docket No. 20– 

ACE–13) 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–2020–1071; Airspace 

Docket No. 20–ACE–13.’’ 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 Operations Support Group, Central 

Service Center, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 10101 Hillwood 

Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177. 

Availability and Summary of 

Documents for Incorporation by 

Reference 

This document proposes to amend 

FAA Order 7400.11E, Airspace 

Designations and Reporting Points, 

dated July 21, 2020, and effective 

September 15, 2020. FAA Order 

7400.11E is publicly available as listed 

in the ADDRESSES section of this 

document. FAA Order 7400.11E lists 

Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, 

air traffic service routes, and reporting 

points. 

Background 

The FAA is planning 

decommissioning activities for the VOR 

portion of the Macon, MO, VOR/DME in 

October 2021. Although the VOR 

portion of the Macon VOR/DME is 

planned for decommissioning, the colocated DME portion of the NAVAID is 

being retained. 

The Macon, MO, VOR is a candidate 

VOR identified for discontinuance by 

the FAA’s VOR MON program and 

listed in the final policy statement 

notice, ‘‘Provision of Navigation 

Services for the Next Generation Air 

Transportation System (NextGen) 

Transition to Performance-Based 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
81432 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 16, 2020 / Proposed Rules 

Navigation (PBN) (Plan for Establishing 

a VOR Minimum Operational 

Network),’’ published in the Federal 

Register of July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48694), 

Docket No. FAA–2011–1082. 

The existing ATS route dependencies 

to the Macon, MO, VOR/DME NAVAID 

are VOR Federal airways V–175, V–424, 

and V–586. With the planned 

decommissioning of the VOR portion of 

the Macon VOR/DME, the remaining 

ground-based NAVAID coverage in the 

area is insufficient to enable the 

continuity of the affected airways. As 

such, proposed modifications to the 

affected airways would result in a gap 

in one of the airways (V–175), 

shortening another of the airways (V– 

586), and removing the remaining 

airway completely (V–424). 

To overcome the gap created in V– 

175, the loss of route segments at the 

beginning of V–586, and the loss of V– 

424, instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic 

could use adjacent ATS routes, 

including VOR Federal airways V–4, V– 

10, V–50, V–63, and V–206, or request 

air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors to 

fly through or circumnavigate the 

affected area. Additionally, IFR pilots 

equipped with RNAV PBN capabilities 

could also navigate point to point using 

the existing fixes that will remain in 

place to support continued operations 

though the affected area. Visual flight 

rules (VFR) 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. 

Further, the FAA proposes to 

establish RNAV route T–397 between 

the Walnut Ridge, AR, VORTAC and the 

Waterloo, IA, VOR/DME to, in part, 

mitigate the proposed removal of the V– 

175 airway segment affected by the 

planned decommissioning of the 

Macon, MO, VOR. Additionally, 

establishing T–397 would provide 

airspace users with continued enroute 

ATS route structure, using RNAV 

routing capability, from the Walnut 

Ridge, AR, area northward to the Cedar 

Falls, IA, area; as well as, support 

ongoing FAA NextGen efforts to 

modernize the NAS to performancebased navigation. 

Finally, prior to this NPRM, the FAA 

published a rule for Docket No. FAA– 

2020–0667 in the Federal Register (85 

FR 79422; December 10, 2020), 

amending VOR Federal airway V–175 

by removing the airway segment 

overlying the Sioux City, IA, VOR/ 

Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) 

between the Des Moines, IA, VORTAC 

and the Worthington, MN, VOR/DME; 

and removing the airway segment 

overlying the Park Rapids, MN, VOR/ 

DME between the Alexandria, MN, 

VOR/DME and the Winnipeg, MB, 

Canada, VORTAC. The airway 

amendments, effective February 25, 

2021, are included in this NPRM. 

The Proposal 

The FAA is proposing an amendment 

to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 

(14 CFR) part 71 by modifying VOR 

Federal airways V–175 and V–586; 

establishing RNAV route T–397; and 

removing VOR Federal airway V–424. 

The planned decommissioning of the 

VOR portion of the Macon, MO, VOR/ 

DME has made this action necessary. 

The proposed VOR Federal airway 

changes are outlined below. 

V–175: V–175 currently extends 

between the Malden, MO, VORTAC and 

the Des Moines, IA, VORTAC; and 

between the Worthington, MN, VOR/ 

DME and the Alexandria, MN, VOR/ 

DME. The FAA proposes to remove the 

airway segment overlying the Macon, 

MO, VOR/DME between the Hallsville, 

MO, VORTAC and the Kirksville, MO, 

VORTAC. The unaffected portions of 

the existing airway would remain as 

charted. 

V–424: V–424 currently extends 

between the Napoleon, MO, VORTAC 

and the Macon, MO, VOR/DME. The 

FAA proposes to remove the airway in 

its entirety. 

V–586: V–586 currently extends 

between the intersection of the Kansas 

City, MO, VORTAC 077° and Napoleon, 

MO, VORTAC 005° radials (EXCEL fix) 

and the Joliet, IL, VORTAC. The FAA 

proposes to remove the airway segment 

overlying the Macon, MO, VOR/DME 

between the intersection of the Kansas 

City, MO, VORTAC 077° and Napoleon, 

MO, VORTAC 005° radials (EXCEL fix) 

and the Quincy, IL, VORTAC. The 

unaffected portions of the existing 

airway would remain as charted. 

The proposed new RNAV T-route is 

outlined below. 

T–397: T–397 is a proposed new route 

that would extend between the Walnut 

Ridge, AR, VORTAC and the Waterloo, 

IA, VOR/DME. This RNAV route would 

mitigate the proposed loss of the V–175 

airway segment proposed to be removed 

as noted above and provide RNAV 

routing capability from the Walnut 

Ridge, AR, area northward to the Cedar 

Falls, IA, area. 

VOR Federal airways are published in 

paragraph 6010(a) and United States 

RNAV T-routes are published in 

paragraph 6011 of FAA Order 7400.11E 

dated July 21, 2020, and effective 

September 15, 2020, which is 

incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 

71.1. The ATS routes listed in this 

document would 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. 

§ 71.1 [Amended] 

■ 2. The incorporation by reference in 

14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11E, 

Airspace Designations and Reporting 

Points, dated July 21, 2020, and 

effective September 15, 2020, is 

amended as follows: 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 16, 2020 / Proposed Rules 81433 

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal 

Airways. 

* * * * * 

V–175 [Amended] 

From Malden, MO; Vichy, MO; to 

Hallsville, MO. From Kirksville, MO; to Des 

Moines, IA. From Worthington, MN; 

Redwood Falls, MN; to Alexandria, MN. 

* * * * * 

V–424 [Removed] 

* * * * * 

V–586 [Amended] 

From Quincy, IL; Peoria, IL; Pontiac, IL; to 

Joliet, IL. 

* * * * * 

Paragraph 6011 United States Area 

Navigation Routes. 

* * * * * 

T–397 Walnut Ridge, AR (ARG) to Waterloo, IA (ALO) [New] 

Walnut Ridge, AR (ARG) VORTAC (Lat. 36°06′36.07′′ N, long. 090°57′13.30′′ W). 

Vichy, MO (VIH) VOR/DME (Lat. 38°09′14.66′′ N, long. 091°42′24.38′′ W). 

LEWRP, MO WP (Lat. 40°08′06.06′′ N, long. 092°35′30.15′′ W). 

OHGEE, IA FIX (Lat. 40°49′06.04′′ N, long. 093°08′24.11′′ W). 

LACON, IA FIX (Lat. 41°08′23.43′′ N, long. 093°24′09.22′′ W). 

Des Moines, IA (DSM) VORTAC (Lat. 41°26′15.45′′ N, long. 093°38′54.81′′ W). 

Waterloo, IA (ALO) VOR/DME (Lat. 42°33′23.39′′ N, long. 092°23′56.13′′ W). 

* * * * * 

Issued in Washington, DC, on December 

11, 2020. 

George Gonzalez, 

Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations 

Group. 

[FR Doc. 2020–27631 Filed 12–15–20; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2020–1100; Airspace 

Docket No. 20–AGL–1] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Amendment of V–9, V–63, V– 

100, V–158, V–171, and T–325; and 

Revocation of V–127 in the Vicinity of 

Rockford, IL 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend VHF Omnidirectional Range 

(VOR) Federal airways V–9, V–63, V– 

100, V–158, and V–171; amend Area 

Navigation (RNAV) route T–325; and 

remove VOR Federal airway V–127 in 

the vicinity of Rockford, IL. The air 

traffic service (ATS) route modifications 

are necessary due to the planned 

decommissioning of the VOR portion of 

the Rockford, IL, VOR/Distance 

Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) 

navigation aid (NAVAID). Except for 

RNAV route T–325, the Rockford VOR/ 

DME NAVAID provides navigation 

guidance for portions of the affected 

routes listed above. The Rockford VOR 

is being decommissioned as part of the 

FAA’s VOR Minimum Operational 

Network (MON) program. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 1, 2021. 

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: (800) 

647–5527, or (202) 366–9826. You must 

identify FAA Docket No. FAA–2020– 

1100; Airspace Docket No. 20–AGL–1 at 

the beginning of your comments. You 

may also submit comments through the 

internet at https://www.regulations.gov. 

FAA Order 7400.11E, 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 7400.11E at NARA, email: 

fedreg.legal@nara.gov or go to https://

www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ 

ibr-locations.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Colby Abbott, 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 (NAS). 

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– 

2020–1100; Airspace Docket No. 20– 

AGL–1) 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–2020–1100; Airspace 

Docket No. 20–AGL–1.’’ 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 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS