Document ID: FAA-2022-0333-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Airspace Designations and Reporting Points: Northcentral United States
Posted Date: 2022-04-06T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 66 (Wednesday, April 6, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 19821-19823]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07205]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2022-0333; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-6]
RIN 2120-AA66

Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airway V-36; Northcentral 
United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) 
Federal airway V-36 by establishing an airway segment within United 
States (U.S.) airspace over Lake Superior. The new V-36 airway segment 
would replace a similar segment that was inadvertently removed in a 
previous rulemaking action supporting NAV CANADA's Navigational Aid 
(NAVAID) Modernization Program. This proposed action supports cross 
border airway connectivity with NAV CANADA's V-36 airway between the 
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) and 
the Wawa, ON, Canada, VOR/DME NAVAIDs.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 23, 2022.

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-2022-0333; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-6 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, 
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the 
Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Rules and Regulations 
Group, Office of Policy, 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 expand the availability of RNAV in the 
northcentral United States and improve the efficient flow of air 
traffic crossing the U.S./Canada border flying through U.S. and 
Canadian airspace.

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-2022-0333; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-6) 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 https://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-2022-0333; Airspace Docket No. 22-AGL-6.'' The 
postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
    All communications received on or before the specified comment 
closing

[[Page 19822]]

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 https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://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 
Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective 
September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly available as 
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F 
lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service 
routes, and reporting points.

Background

    On November 23, 2021, the FAA published a final rule in the Federal 
Register for Docket No. FAA-2022-0279 (86 FR 66453; November 23, 2021) 
which inadvertently removed the V-36 airway segment in U.S. airspace 
between the Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, VOR/DME and the Wawa, ON, Canada, 
VOR/DME. As a result, the cross border connectivity of V-36 at the two 
U.S./Canada border crossing points for pilots flying between Thunder 
Bay, ON, Canada, and Wawa, ON, Canada, in Canadian airspace, then U.S. 
airspace, and then Canadian airspace again was lost. Today, V-36 
extends from the Thunder Bay VOR/DME to the U.S./Canada border, is 
gapped through U.S. airspace to the U.S./Canada border located east of 
the first border intersection, and then continues from the U.S./Canada 
border to the Wawa VOR/DME, and onward.
    This action proposes to modify V-36 to establish the missing V-36 
airway segment within U.S. airspace to provide the cross border 
connectivity necessary between the Thunder Bay VOR/DME and Wawa VOR/
DME; thus, making that portion of V-36 whole again.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to modify V-36 
by establishing a segment of the airway within U.S. airspace that was 
inadvertently removed in a previous rulemaking action. Additionally, 
the modification of V-36 will support cross border connectivity of the 
airway between the Thunder Bay VOR/DME and Wawa VOR/DME. The proposed 
airway action is described below.
    V-36: V-36 currently extends between the Wawa, ON, Canada, VOR/DME 
and the Sault Ste. Marie, MI, VOR/DME; and between the Elmira, NY, VOR/
DME and the intersection of the La Guardia, NY, VOR/DME 310[deg] and 
Stillwater, NJ, VOR/DME 043[deg] radials (NEION fix). The airspace 
within Canada is excluded. The FAA proposes to establish an airway 
segment within U.S. airspace that connects to NAV CANADA's V-36 airway 
segments between the Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, VOR/DME and the Wawa, ON, 
Canada, VOR/DME; providing cross border connectivity for the airway 
between the two NAVAIDs. As a result, V-36 would extend between the 
Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, VOR/DME and the Sault Ste. Marie, MI, VOR/DME; 
and between the Elmira, NY, VOR/DME and the intersection of the La 
Guardia, NY, VOR/DME 310[deg] and the Stillwater, NJ, VOR/DME 043[deg] 
radials (NEION fix). The airspace within Canada would continue to be 
excluded.
    The NAVAID radials listed in the VOR Federal airway description 
below are unchanged and stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
JO 7400.11F, dated August 20, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021, 
which are incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal 
airway listed in this document would be published subsequently in FAA 
Order JO 7400.11.
    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 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 JO 
7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 
2021, and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-36 [Amended]

    From Thunder Bay, ON, Canada; Wawa, ON, Canada; to Sault Ste. 
Marie, MI. From Elmira, NY; INT Elmira 110[deg] and LaGuardia,

[[Page 19823]]

NY, 310[deg] radials; to INT LaGuardia 310[deg] and Stillwater, NJ, 
043[deg] radials. The airspace within Canada is excluded.
* * * * *

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 1, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-07205 Filed 4-5-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P