[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 160 (Friday, August 17, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41021-41022]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17767]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 41021]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0769; Airspace Docket No. 18-ASW-10]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-18, V-102, and V-278 
in the Vicinity of Guthrie, TX

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-18, V-102, and V-278 in the vicinity of Guthrie, TX. 
The modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of 
the Guthrie, TX, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid 
(NAVAID), which provides navigation guidance for portions of the 
affected air traffic service (ATS) routes. The Guthrie VORTAC is being 
decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network 
(MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 1, 2018.

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-2018-0769; Airspace Docket No. 18-ASW-10 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the 
Airspace Policy 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 7400.11B at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group, 
Office of Airspace Services, 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-2018-0769; Airspace Docket No. 18-ASW-10) 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 http://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-2018-0769; Airspace Docket No. 18-ASW-10.'' 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 http://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at http://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 Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017, and effective 
September 15, 2017. FAA Order

[[Page 41022]]

7400.11B is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of 
this document. FAA Order 7400.11B 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 Guthrie, TX, 
VORTAC in 2019 as one of the candidate VORs 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 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. Although the VOR portion 
of the Guthrie, TX, VORTAC NAVAID is planned for decommissioning, the 
Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) portion is being retained. The ATS 
routes effected by the Guthrie VORTAC are VOR Federal airways V-18, V-
102, and V-278.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Guthrie VORTAC, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to 
enable the continuity of the affected airways. As such, proposed 
modifications to V-18, V-102, and V-278 would result in gaps in the 
route structures. To overcome the gaps, instrument flight rules (IFR) 
traffic could use adjacent VOR Federal airways V-14 and V-114 between 
the Lubbock, TX, VORTAC and Wichita Falls, TX, VORTAC; Federal airways 
V-14, V-114, and V-355 between the Lubbock, TX, VORTAC and Bowie, TX, 
VORTAC; or Federal airways V-62 and V-66 between the Lubbock, TX, 
VORTAC and Millsap, TX, VORTAC to circumnavigate the affected area. 
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. 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 by modifying VOR Federal airways V-18, V-
102, and V-278. The planned decommissioning of the Guthrie, TX, VORTAC 
has made these actions necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway 
changes are outlined below.
    V-18: V-18 currently extends between the Guthrie, TX, VORTAC and 
the Charleston, SC, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the Guthrie, TX, VORTAC and the Millsap, TX, VORTAC. 
The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-102: V-102 currently extends between the Salt Flat, TX, VORTAC 
and the Wichita Falls, TX, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the 
airway segment between the Lubbock, TX, VORTAC and the Wichita Falls, 
TX, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain 
as charted.
    V-278: V-278 currently extends between the Texico, NM, VORTAC and 
the Vulcan, AL, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment 
between the Plainview, TX, VOR/DME and the Bowie, TX, VORTAC. The 
unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
7400.11B dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, which 
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airways 
listed in this document would be subsequently published in the Order.

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

0
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.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11B, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017 and 
effective September 15, 2017, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-18 [Amended]

    From Millsap, TX; Glen Rose, TX; Cedar Creek, TX; Quitman, TX; 
Belcher, LA; Monroe, LA; Magnolia, MS; Meridian, MS; Crimson, AL; 
Vulcan, AL; Talladega, AL; Atlanta, GA; Colliers, SC; to Charleston, 
SC.
* * * * *

V-102 [Amended]

    From Salt Flat, TX; Carlsbad, NM; Hobbs, NM; to Lubbock, TX.
* * * * *

V-278 [Amended]

    From Texico, NM; to Plainview, TX. From Bowie, TX; Bonham, TX; 
Paris, TX; Texarkana, AR; Monticello, AR; Greenville, MS; Sidon, MS; 
Bigbee, MS; to Vulcan, AL.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 13, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-17767 Filed 8-16-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P