[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 21, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 9876-9877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3820]



[[Page 9876]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2012-0055; Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-12]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Modification of VOR Federal Airways V-10, V-12, and V-
508 in the Vicinity of Olathe, KS

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify three VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airways V-10, V-12, and V-508 in the vicinity of Olathe, 
KS. The FAA is proposing this action to adjust the airway route 
structure due to the planned decommissioning of the Johnson County VOR/
DME navigation aid located on Johnson County Executive Airport, Olathe, 
KS.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 6, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 
telephone: (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2012-
0055 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-12 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace, Regulations 
and ATC Procedures Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 
telephone: (202) 267-8783.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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-2012-0055 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-12) 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-2012-0055 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ACE-12.'' 
The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified closing date 
for comments 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 closing date 
for comments. 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 
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. An 
informal docket may also be examined during normal business hours at 
the office of the Central Service Center, Operations Support Group, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 
76137.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRMs should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Background

    The Kansas City Air Route Traffic Control Center requested the 
decommissioning of the Johnson County (OJC) VOR/DME navigation aid 
located on the Johnson County Executive Airport, Olathe, KS, due to 
poor performance of the navigation aid. The OJC VOR/DME performs poorly 
due to suburban encroachment into the facility's critical areas. 
Approach procedures using the facility as the primary navigational aid 
have been cancelled while other procedures serving the airport are 
being amended to discontinue use of the facility. Additionally, 
building infrastructure housing the VOR/DME equipment is deteriorating 
rapidly. The building is prone to water leakage jeopardizing the 
equipment and creating hazardous working conditions for maintenance 
personnel. As a result, the OJC VOR/DME is no longer cost effective to 
maintain and operate and is planned to be decommissioned without 
replacement.
    The FAA conducted an aeronautical study of the proposal to 
decommission the Johnson County VOR/DME in 2009 and issued a 
determination of non-objection with the special provision that all 
instrument procedures that utilize the OJC VOR/DME be modified with 
minimal impact to the aviation community. This proposed action would 
modify the affected airways to provide continued navigation capability 
in the Olathe, KS, area.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify V-10, V-12, and V-508 in the 
vicinity of Olathe, KS. These changes are required due to the planned 
decommissioning of the OJC VOR/DME in July 2012.
    The proposed changes to V-10 and V-12 are administrative in nature 
and intended to keep the route segments in the vicinity of Olathe, KS, 
between Emporia, KS, and Napoleon, MO, unchanged. To retain the airway 
structure of these airways, the FAA would establish the WETZL fix at 
the same location depicting the OJC VOR/DME navigation aid. The 
modification to V-10 and V-12 would replace the OJC VOR/DME in the 
current airway descriptions with the WETZL fix (described as the 
intersection of the navigation aid radials that define WETZL). 
Specifically, the proposed modification to the V-10 and V-12 
descriptions would replace the ``Johnson County, KS'' reference with 
``INT Emporia 063[deg](T)/055[deg](M) and Napoleon, MO, 242[deg](T)/
235[deg](M) radials''. The magnetic radial information would be removed 
in the final rule.
    As currently established, V-508 ends at the OJC VOR/DME. The 
proposed change to V-508 would eliminate the

[[Page 9877]]

last 21 NM of the airway; terminating the route at the existing RUGBB 
fix, shared with V-502. Ending the modified V-508 at the RUGBB fix 
would provide eastbound IFR aircraft with the ability to continue to 
destinations further east or northeast via transition from V-508 to V-
502.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
7400.9V dated August 9, 2011, and effective September 15, 2011, 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.
    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. 
Therefore, this proposed regulation: (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.
    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 proposes to modify VOR Federal Airways in the vicinity of Olathe, 
KS.

Environmental Review

    This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in 
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, ``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(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 
24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

    2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of the FAA Order 
7400.9V, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 9, 
2011, and effective September 15, 2011, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR federal airways.

* * * * *

V-10 [Amended]

    From Pueblo, CO; 18 miles, 48 miles, 60 MSL, Lamar, CO; Garden 
City, KS; Dodge City, KS; Hutchinson, KS; Emporia, KS; INT Emporia 
063[deg](T)/055[deg](M) and Napoleon, MO, 242[deg](T)/235[deg](M) 
radials; Napoleon; Kirksville, MO; Burlington, IA; Bradford, IL; to 
INT Bradford 058[deg] and Joliet, IL, 287[deg] radials. From INT 
Chicago Heights, IL, 358[deg] and Gipper, MI, 271[deg] radials; 
Gipper; Litchfield, MI; INT Litchfield 101[deg] and Carleton, MI, 
262[deg] radials; Carleton; INT Jefferson, OH, 279[deg] and 
Youngstown, OH, 320[deg] radials; Youngstown; INT Youngstown 
116[deg] and Revloc, PA, 300[deg] radials; Revloc; INT Revloc 
107[deg] and Lancaster, PA, 280[deg] radials; to Lancaster. The 
airspace within Canada is excluded.
* * * * *

V-12 [Amended]

    From Gaviota, CA; San Marcus, CA; Palmdale, CA; 38 miles, 6 
miles wide, Hector, CA; 12 miles, 38 miles, 85 MSL, 14 miles, 75 
MSL, Needles, CA; 45 miles, 34 miles, 95 MSL, Drake, AZ; Winslow, 
AZ; 30 miles, 85 MSL, Zuni, NM; Albuquerque, NM; Otto, NM; Anton 
Chico, NM; Tucumcari, NM; Amarillo, TX; Mitbee, OK; Anthony, KS; 
Wichita, KS; Emporia, KS; INT Emporia 063[deg](T)/055[deg](M) and 
Napoleon, MO, 242[deg](T)/235[deg](M) radials; Napoleon; INT 
Napoleon 095[deg] and Columbia, MO, 292[deg] radials; Columbia; 
Foristell, MO; Troy, IL; Bible Grove, IL; Shelbyville, IN; Richmond, 
IN; Dayton, OH; Appleton, OH; Newcomerstown, OH; Allegheny, PA; 
Johnstown, PA; Harrisburg, PA; INT Harrisburg 092[deg] and 
Pottstown, PA, 278[deg] radials; to Pottstown.
* * * * *

V-508 [Amended]

    From Hill City, KS; Hays, KS; Salina, KS, INT Salina 082[deg] 
and Manhattan, KS, 207[deg] radials; Manhattan; INT Manhattan 
078[deg] and Topeka, KS, 293[deg] radials; Topeka; to INT Topeka 
112[deg](T)/107[deg](M) and Kansas City, MO, 228[deg](T)/223[deg](M) 
radials.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 9, 2012.
Gary A. Norek,
Acting Manager, Airspace, Regulations & ATC Procedures Group.
[FR Doc. 2012-3820 Filed 2-17-12; 8:45 am]
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