[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 186 (Wednesday, September 27, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44914-44915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20591]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0183; Airspace Docket No. 17-ASW-4]


Amendment of Class E Airspace for the Following Louisiana Towns; 
Leesville, LA; and Patterson, LA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 
feet above the surface at Leesville City Airport, Leesville, LA, and 
Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA. Airspace redesign is 
necessary due to the decommissioning of the Leesville non-directional 
radio beacon (NDB), and the Patterson radio beacon (RBN), and 
cancellation of NDB and RBN approaches, and for the safe management of 
instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at these airports. 
Additionally, this action amends the geographic coordinates at Harry P. 
Williams Memorial Airport, to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical 
database.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, December 7, 2017. The Director of the 
Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 
Title 1, Code of Federal Regulations, part 51, subject to the annual 
revision of FAA Order 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments.

ADDRESSES: 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 http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Shelby, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5857.

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 
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 amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Leesville City Airport, Leesville, LA and Harry P. Williams 
Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA, to support standard instrument 
approach procedures for IFR operations at the airport.

History

    On April 10, 2017, the FAA published in the Federal Register (82 FR 
17160) Docket No. FAA-2017-0183, a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) 
to amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at:
    Leesville Airport, Leesville, LA, and Harry P. Williams Memorial 
Airport, Patterson, LA, due to the decommissioning of the Leesville NBD 
and Patterson RBN.
    Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking 
effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No 
comments were received.
    Subsequent to publication, the FAA realized that it had 
inadvertently failed to include updates to the geographic coordinates 
for Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database in the NPRM. Those geographic coordinates are 
updated in this final rule.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005, 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 Class E 
airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in the Order.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

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

The Rule

    This amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 
part 71 modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface at:
    Leesville Airport, Leesville, LA, to within a 6.4-mile radius 
(reduced from a 6.5-mile radius) of Leesville Airport, and within 3.7 
miles each side of the 360[deg] bearing from the airport (modified from 
3.6 miles from each side of the 345[deg] bearing) extending from the 
6.4-

[[Page 44915]]

mile radius (reduced from a 6.5-mile radius) to 12.3 miles (increased 
from 12.2 miles) north of the airport, and removing the segment within 
2.5 miles each side of the 000[deg] bearing of the Leesville NDB 
extending from the 6.5-mile radius to 7.3 miles north of the airport; 
and
    Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, Patterson, LA, by removing the 
segment within 2.5 mile each side of the 233[deg] bearing from the 
Patterson RBN extending from the 6.5-mile radius to 7.5 miles southwest 
of the airport. Additionally, the geographic coordinates for Harry P. 
Williams Memorial Airport, are adjusted to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautical database.
    Airspace reconfiguration is necessary due to the decommissioning of 
the Leesville NBD and Patterson RBN, and cancellation of the navigation 
aid approaches at these airports. Controlled airspace is necessary for 
the safety and management of standard instrument approach procedures 
for IFR operations at these airports.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 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 Class E 
airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in the Order.

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, is 
non-controversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative 
comments. 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 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5.a. 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).

Adoption of 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 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 6005. Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

ASW LA E5 Leesville, LA [Amended]

Leesville Airport, LA
    (Lat. 31[deg]10'06'' N., long. 93[deg]20'33'' W.).

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Leesville Airport, and within 3.7 miles 
each side of the 360[deg] bearing from the airport extending from 
the 6.4-mile radius to 12.3 miles north of the airport, excluding 
that airspace within the Fort Polk, LA, Class D airspace area, and 
excluding that airspace within restricted area R-3803A.
* * * * *

ASW LA E5 Patterson, LA [Amended]

Patterson, Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport, LA
    (Lat. 29[deg]42'34'' N., long. 91[deg]20'20'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.5-mile radius of Harry P. Williams Memorial Airport.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on September 19, 2017.
Walter Tweedy,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2017-20591 Filed 9-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P