Proposed Rule2021-16140
Proposed Amendment of V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233 in the Vicinity of Litchfield, MI
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233 in the vicinity of Litchfield, MI. The air traffic service (ATS) route modifications are necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Litchfield, MI, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Litchfield VOR/DME NAVAID provides navigational guidance for portions of the affected VOR Federal airways listed above and is planned to be decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 144 (Friday, July 30, 2021)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 144 (Friday, July 30, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40969-40972]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16140]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2021-0596; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-15]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233 in the
Vicinity of Litchfield, MI
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR)
Federal airways V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233 in the vicinity of
Litchfield, MI. The air traffic service (ATS) route modifications are
necessary due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the
Litchfield, MI, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational
aid (NAVAID). The Litchfield VOR/DME NAVAID provides navigational
guidance for portions of the affected VOR Federal airways listed above
and is planned to be decommissioned as part of the FAA's VOR Minimum
Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 13, 2021.
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-2021-0596; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-15 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
FAA Order 7400.11E, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at <a href="https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/">https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/</a>. 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. The Order is also available for inspection at the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the
availability of FAA Order 7400.11E at NARA, email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6b0d0e0f190e0c45070e0c0a072b050a190a450c041d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d7b1b2b3a5b2b0f9bbb2b0b6bb97b9b6a5b6f9b0b8a1">[email protected]</span></a> or go to <a href="https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html">https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html</a>.
[[Page 40970]]
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 modify the route structure as necessary to
preserve the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National
Airspace System (NAS).
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-2021-0596; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-15) 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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>.
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-2021-0596; Airspace Docket No. 20-AGL-15.'' 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 <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Recently published rulemaking
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at <a href="https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/">https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/</a>.
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 7400.11E, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and effective
September 15, 2020. FAA Order 7400.11E is publicly available as listed
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11E lists
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and
reporting points.
Background
The FAA is planning decommissioning activities for the VOR portion
of the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME in May 2022. The Litchfield, MI, VOR is
a candidate VOR 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.
Although the VOR portion of the Litchfield VOR/DME is planned for
decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the NAVAID is being
retained.
The existing ATS route dependencies to the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME
NAVAID are VOR Federal airways V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233. With
the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Litchfield VOR/
DME, the remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is
insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected airways. As such,
proposed modifications to the affected VOR Federal airways would result
in expanding the existing gaps in four of the airways (V-6, V-10, V-30,
and V-233) and redefining an airway end point in the remaining airway
(V-100).
To overcome the expanded gaps in four of the airways and the loss
of the airway segment on the end of the fifth airway, instrument flight
rules (IFR) traffic may request air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors
to fly through or circumnavigate the affected area. Additionally, IFR
pilots equipped with RNAV capabilities may also navigate point to point
using the existing fixes that will remain in place as fixes or
waypoints to support continued operations though the affected area.
Visual flight rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the airways
through the affected area could also take advantage of the ATC services
listed previously.
Prior to this NPRM, the FAA published a rule for Docket No. FAA-
2020-0709 in the Federal Register (85 FR 79117; December 9, 2020),
amending VOR Federal airways V-6 and V-30 by removing the airway
segments between the Clarion, PA, VOR/DME and the Philipsburg, PA, VOR/
Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) for each airway. Those airway
amendments, effective February 25, 2021, are included in this NPRM.
Also prior to this NPRM, the FAA published a rule for Docket No.
FAA-2020-0667 in the Federal Register (85 FR 79422; December 10, 2020),
amending VOR Federal airway V-100 by removing the airway segment
between the O'Neill, NE, VORTAC and the Fort Dodge, IA, VORTAC. That
airway amendment, effective February 25, 2021, is also included in this
NPRM.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 by modifying
VOR Federal airways V-6, V-10, V-30, V-100, and V-233. The planned
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME has
made this action necessary.
The proposed VOR Federal airway changes are outlined below.
[[Page 40971]]
V-6: V-6 currently extends between the Oakland, CA, VOR/DME and the
DuPage, IL, VOR/DME; between the intersection of the Chicago Heights,
IL, VORTAC 358[deg] and Gipper, MI, VORTAC 271[deg] radials (NILES fix)
and the intersection of the Gipper, MI, VORTAC 092[deg] and Litchfield,
MI, VOR/DME 196[deg] radials (MODEM fix); and between the Philipsburg,
PA, VORTAC and the La Guardia, NY, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove
the airway segment between the Gipper, MI, VORTAC and the intersection
of the Gipper, MI, VORTAC 092[deg] and Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME 196[deg]
radials (MODEM fix). The unaffected portions of the existing airway
would remain as charted.
V-10: V-10 currently extends between the Pueblo, CO, VORTAC and the
intersection of the Bradford, IL, VORTAC 058[deg] and Joliet, IL, VOR/
DME 287[deg] radials (PLANO fix); between the intersection of the
Chicago Heights, IL, VORTAC 358[deg] and Gipper, MI, VORTAC 271[deg]
radials (NILES fix) and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME; and between the
Youngstown, OH, VORTAC and the Lancaster, PA, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes
to remove the airway segment between the intersection of the Chicago
Heights, IL, VORTAC 358[deg] and Gipper, MI, VORTAC 271[deg] radials
(NILES fix) and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME. The unaffected portions of
the existing airway would remain as charted.
V-30: V-30 currently extends between the Badger, WI, VOR/DME and
the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME; and between the Philipsburg, PA, VORTAC
and the Solberg, NJ, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Pullman, MI, VOR/DME and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/
DME. The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as
charted.
V-100: V-100 currently extends between the Medicine Bow, WY, VOR/
DME and the O'Neill, NE, VORTAC; and between the Fort Dodge, IA, VORTAC
and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Keeler, MI, VOR/DME and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/
DME. Additional changes to other portions of the airway have been
proposed in a separate NPRM. The unaffected portions of the existing
airway would remain as charted.
V-233: V-233 currently extends between the Spinner, IL, VORTAC and
the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME; and between the Mount Pleasant, MI, VOR/
DME and the Pellston, MI, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
segment between the Goshen, IN, VORTAC and the Litchfield, MI, VOR/DME.
The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as charted.
All radials listed in the VOR Federal airway descriptions below are
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order
7400.11E, dated July 21, 2020, and effective September 15, 2020, which
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airways
listed in this document would be published subsequently 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 7400.11E,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated July 21, 2020, and
effective September 15, 2020, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-6 [Amended]
From Oakland, CA; INT Oakland 039[deg] and Sacramento, CA,
212[deg] radials; Sacramento; Squaw Valley, CA; Mustang, NV;
Lovelock, NV; Battle Mountain, NV; INT Battle Mountain 062[deg] and
Wells, NV, 256[deg] radials; Wells; 5 miles, 40 miles, 98 MSL, 85
MSL, Lucin, UT; 43 miles, 85 MSL, Ogden, UT; 11 miles, 50 miles, 105
MSL, Fort Bridger, WY; Rock Springs, WY; 20 miles, 39 miles, 95 MSL,
Cherokee, WY; 39 miles, 27 miles, 95 MSL, Medicine Bow, WY; INT
Medicine Bow 106[deg] and Sidney, NE, 291[deg] radials; Sidney;
North Platte, NE; Grand Island, NE; Omaha, IA; Des Moines, IA; Iowa
City, IA; Davenport, IA; INT Davenport 087[deg] and DuPage, IL,
255[deg] radials; to DuPage. From INT Chicago Heights, IL, 358[deg]
and Gipper, MI, 271[deg] radials; to Gipper. From Philipsburg, PA;
Selinsgrove, PA; Allentown, PA; Solberg, NJ; INT Solberg 107[deg]
and Yardley, PA, 068[deg] radials; INT Yardley 068[deg] and La
Guardia, NY, 213[deg] radials; to La Guardia.
* * * * *
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] and Napoleon, MO, 243[deg] radials; Napoleon; Kirksville,
MO; Burlington, IA; Bradford, IL; to INT Bradford 058[deg] and
Joliet, IL, 287[deg] radials. From Youngstown, OH; INT Youngstown
116[deg] and Revloc, PA, 300[deg] radials; Revloc; INT Revloc
107[deg] and Lancaster, PA, 280[deg] radials; to Lancaster.
* * * * *
V-30 [Amended]
From Badger, WI; INT Badger 102[deg] and Pullman, MI, 303[deg]
radials; to Pullman. From Philipsburg, PA; Selinsgrove, PA; East
Texas, PA; INT East Texas 095[deg] and Solberg, NJ, 264[deg]
radials; to Solberg.
* * * * *
V-100 [Amended]
From Medicine Bow, WY; Scottsbluff, NE; Alliance, NE; Ainsworth,
NE; to O'Neill, NE. From Fort Dodge, IA; Waterloo, IA; Dubuque, IA;
Rockford, IL; INT Rockford 074[deg] and Janesville, WI, 112[deg]
radials; INT Janesville 112[deg] and Northbrook, IL, 291[deg]
radials; Northbrook; INT Northbrook 095[deg] and Keeler, MI,
271[deg] radials; to Keeler.
* * * * *
[[Page 40972]]
V-233 [Amended]
From Spinner, IL; INT Spinner 061[deg] and Roberts, IL, 233[deg]
radials; Roberts; Knox, IN; to Goshen, IN. From Mount Pleasant, MI;
INT Mount Pleasant 351[deg] and Gaylord, MI, 207[deg] radials;
Gaylord; to Pellston, MI.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 26, 2021.
George Gonzalez,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2021-16140 Filed 7-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on July 30, 2021.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.