Document ID: FAA-2019-0677-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Revocation of VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airway V-61 and Amendment of Area Navigation Route T-286 Due to the Decommissioning of the Robinson, KS, VOR
Posted Date: 2019-09-06T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46905-46907]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19112]

[[Page 46905]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0677; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-5]
RIN 2120-AA66

Proposed Revocation of VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal 
Airway V-61 and Amendment of Area Navigation Route T-286 Due to the 
Decommissioning of the Robinson, KS, VOR

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to remove VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 
Federal airway V-61 in its entirety and extend area navigation (RNAV) 
route T-286 in its place. The FAA is proposing this action due to the 
planned decommissioning of the Robinson, KS (RBA), VOR portion of the 
Robinson VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid 
(NAVAID). The Robinson VOR is being decommissioned in support of the 
FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 21, 2019.

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-2019-0677; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-5 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov. FAA Order 7400.11C, 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 7400.11C 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, 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 National Airspace System as necessary 
to preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic.

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-2019-0677; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-5) 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-2019-0677; Airspace Docket No. 19-ACE-5.'' 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 7400.11C, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective 
September 15, 2018. FAA Order 7400.11C is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11C lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

Background

    The FAA is planning to decommission the VOR portion of the 
Robinson, KS (RBA), VOR/DME in March 2020. The Robinson VOR was 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.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Robinson VOR, two of the 
three V-61 route segments are impacted and the remaining ground-based 
NAVAID

[[Page 46906]]

coverage in the area is insufficient to enable the continuity of V-61 
as charted. As such, the FAA proposes to remove V-61 in its entirety 
between the Grand Island, NE, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/
DME) NAVAID and the intersection of the Robinson, KS, VOR/DME 141[deg] 
and St. Joseph, MO, VOR Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) 211[deg] 
radials (the BOWLR fix).
    To overcome the gap that would result in the en route structure by 
the removal of V-61, the FAA proposes to extend T-286 between the Grand 
Island VOR/DME and BOWLR fix to overlay the V-61 routing being removed. 
Additionally, adjacent VOR Federal airways V-4, V-50, V-71, V-77, V-
138, V-307, V-380, and V-551 between the St. Joseph, MO, VORTAC and 
Topeka, KS, VORTAC areas and the Grand Island, NE, VOR/DME remain 
available to circumnavigate the affected area. Further, the fixes 
located along V-61 would be retained in place to assist pilots and air 
traffic controllers already familiar with them for navigation purposes. 
Instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use the extended T-286, use 
the adjacent VOR Federal airways, file point-to-point through the 
affected area using the fixes that will remain in place, or receive air 
traffic control (ATC) radar vectors through the area. Lastly, the 
Robinson DME facility is planned to be retained and charted in its 
current location as a DME facility with the ``RBA'' identifier. Visual 
flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the airways through 
the affected area could also take advantage of the air traffic services 
previously listed.
    A number of minor editorial corrections to the T-286 legal 
description are also proposed to correct erroneous information and 
comply with route description policy guidance. The editorial 
corrections do not change the route's structure, operational use, or 
charted depiction.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to remove VOR Federal airway V-61 and 
extend RNAV route T-286 to overlay the V-61 routing being removed. The 
planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Robinson, KS, VOR/DME 
has made this action necessary. The proposed air traffic service (ATS) 
route actions are described below.
    V-61: V-61 currently extends between the Grand Island, NE, VOR/DME 
and the intersection of the Robinson, KS, VOR/DME 141[deg] and St. 
Joseph, MO, VOR Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) 211[deg] radials 
(BOWLR fix). The FAA proposes to remove the airway in its entirety.
    T-286: T-286 currently extends between the Rapid City, SD, VORTAC 
and the Grand Island, NE, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to extend the route 
southeast between the Grand Island VOR/DME and the BOWLR fix. 
Additionally, the Rapid City VORTAC ``RAP'' identifier is added to the 
first line of the route description; the type of fix for EFFEX and the 
type of facility for Grand Island, NE, are corrected; and the 
geographic coordinates of each route point are updated to be expressed 
in degrees, minutes, seconds, and hundredths of a second.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) and low 
altitude RNAV T-routes are published in paragraph 6011 of FAA Order 
7400.11C dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 2018, 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

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 7400.11C, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and 
effective September 15, 2018, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-61 [Removed]

* * * * *

Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes.

* * * * *

T-286 Rapid City, SD (RAP) to BOWLR, KS [Amended]
Rapid City, SD (RAP)                            VORTAC                         (Lat. 43[deg]58'33.74'' N, long. 103[deg]00'44.38'' W)
Gordon, NE (GRN)                                NDB                            (Lat. 42[deg]48'03.90'' N, long. 102[deg]10'45.82'' W)
EFFEX, NE                                       FIX                            (Lat. 42[deg]19'59.17'' N, long. 101[deg]20'11.41'' W)
Thedford, NE (TDD)                              VOR/DME                        (Lat. 41[deg]58'53.99'' N, long. 100[deg]43'08.52'' W)
BOKKI, NE                                       FIX                            (Lat. 41[deg]39'54.99'' N, long. 99[deg]52'17.00'' W)
Grand Island, NE (GRI)                          VOR/DME                        (Lat. 40[deg]59'02.50'' N, long. 98[deg]18'53.20'' W)
Pawnee City, NE (PWE)                           VORTAC                         (Lat. 40[deg]12'01.27'' N, long. 96[deg]12'22.61'' W)
Robinson, KS (RBA)                              DME                            (Lat. 39[deg]51'03.00'' N, long. 95[deg]25'23.00'' W)
BOWLR, KS                                       FIX                            (Lat. 39[deg]37'21.29'' N, long. 95[deg]11'00.26'' W)
 

[[Page 46907]]

* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 28, 2019.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2019-19112 Filed 9-5-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P