Document ID: FAA-2018-0020-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Amendment of Class E Airspace and Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace: Flint, MI, and Owosso, MI
Posted Date: 2018-02-28T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8638-8640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03958]

 ========================================================================
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 40 / Wednesday, February 28, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 8638]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0020; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-28]

Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace; Flint, MI, and Proposed 
Establishment of Class E Airspace; Owosso, MI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Class E airspace extending 
upward from 700 feet above the surface at Bishop International Airport, 
Flint, MI, and establish separate Class E airspace extending upward 
from 700 feet above the surface at Owosso Community Airport, Owosso, 
MI. The FAA is proposing this action due to the closure of the Athelone 
Williams Memorial Airport, Davison, MI, which is included in the Flint, 
MI, airspace description, and the cancellation of the instrument 
approach procedures at the Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand 
Blanc, MI, also included in the Flint, MI, airspace description, and to 
update the Bishop International Airport airspace and the Owosso 
Community Airport airspace to comply with FAA Order 7400.2L, Procedures 
for Handling Airspace Matters. The geographic coordinates of the Bishop 
International Airport and Prices Airport, Linden, MI, would also be 
updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 16, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590; telephone 
(202) 366-9826, or (800) 647-5527. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0020; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-28, at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov. You may review the public docket containing the 
proposal, any comments received, and any final disposition in person in 
the Dockets Office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except federal holidays.
    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 7400.11A 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: Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711.

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 would amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface at Bishop International Airport, Flint, MI, and establish 
separate Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Owosso Community Airport, Owosso, MI, to support instrument 
flight rules (IFR) operations at these airports, and remove Class E 
airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface that is no 
longer required at Athelone Williams Memorial Airport and Genesys 
Regional Medical Center.

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 and be submitted in 
triplicate to the address listed above. Commenters wishing the FAA to 
acknowledge receipt of their comments on this notice must submit with 
those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the 
following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. FAA-2018-0020; 
Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-28.'' The postcard will be date/time stamped 
and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received before the specified closing date for 
comments will be considered before taking action on the proposed rule. 
The proposal contained in this notice may be changed in light of the 
comments received. 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 the ADDRESSES section for the address and

[[Page 8639]]

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 Federal Aviation Administration, Air 
Traffic Organization, Central Service Center, Operations Support Group, 
10101 Hillwood Parkway, 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 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 Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by:
    Modifying the Class E airspace designated as a surface area at 
Bishop International Airport, Flint, MI, by updating the geographic 
coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical 
database, and replacing the outdated term ``Airport/Facility 
Directory'' with the term ``Chart Supplement'' in the airspace legal 
description;
    Modifying the Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface to within a 6.9-mile radius (decreased from a 10.5-
mile radius) at Bishop International Airport; removing the extension to 
the north referencing the Flint ILS localizer; adding an extension 2.4 
miles each side of the 016[deg] radial of the Flint VORTAC extending 
from the 6.9-mile radius to 7.9 miles north of the airport; adding an 
extension 2.4 miles each side of the 179[deg] radial of the Flint 
VORTAC extending from the 6.9-mile radius to 7.9 miles south of the 
airport; removing the Owosso Community Airport, Owosso, MI, from the 
airspace description (a separate Class E airspace area extending upward 
from 700 feet above the surface would be created for Owosso Community 
Airport as it no longer adjoins the Flint, MI, Class E airspace area 
extending upward from 700 feet above the surface with this amendment); 
removing Athelone Williams Memorial Airport, Davison, MI, from the 
airspace description; removing the PETLI LOM from the airspace 
description; removing Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc, MI, 
from the airspace description; updating the geographic coordinates for 
Bishop International Airport and Prices Airport, Linden, MI, to 
coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; and removing 
exclusionary language contained in the legal description to comply with 
FAA Order 7400.2L; and
    Establishing Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet 
above the surface to within a 6.4-mile radius of Owosso Community 
Airport, Owosso, MI.
    Airspace reconfiguration is necessary due to the closure of the 
Athelone Williams Memorial Airport and the cancellation of the 
instrument procedures at the Genesys Regional Medical Center, as they 
no longer require a Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 
feet above the surface. This action would enhance safety and the 
management of IFR operations at these airports.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6002 and 
6005, respectively, 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 designation listed in this document will 
be published subsequently 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, 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 will only affect air traffic procedures and air navigation, it is 
certified that this proposed rule, when promulgated, would 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

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, 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 14 CFR 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 6002 Class E Surface Area Airspace.

* * * * *

AGL MI E2 Flint, MI [Amended]

Bishop International Airport, MI
    (Lat. 42[deg]57'56'' N, long. 83[deg]44'41'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface within a 5-mile 
radius of Bishop International Airport. This Class E airspace area 
is effective during the specific dates and times established in 
advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective date and time will 
thereafter be continuously published in the Chart Supplement.

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

* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Flint, MI [Amended]

Bishop International Airport, MI
    (Lat. 42[deg]57'56'' N, long. 83[deg]44'42'' W)
Prices Airport, MI
    (Lat. 42[deg]48'27'' N, long. 83[deg]46'08'' W)
Flint VORTAC
    (Lat. 42[deg]58'00'' N, long. 83[deg]44'49'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.9-mile radius of Bishop International Airport, and within 
2.4 miles each side of the 016[deg] radial of the Flint VORTAC 
extending from the 6.9-mile radius to 7.9 miles north of Bishop 
International Airport, and within 2.4 miles each side of the 
179[deg] radial of the Flint VORTAC extending from the 6.9-mile 
radius to 7.9 miles south of Bishop International Airport, and 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Prices Airport.
* * * * *

AGL MI E5 Owosso, MI [New]

Owosso Community Airport, MI

[[Page 8640]]

    (Lat. 42[deg]59'35'' N, long. 84[deg]08'19'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.4-mile radius of Owosso Community Airport.

    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on February 21, 2018.
Christopher L. Southerland,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2018-03958 Filed 2-27-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P