Proposed Rule2021-18515
Proposed Amendment of United States Area Navigation Route (RNAV) Q-15; Western United States
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
August 30, 2021
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes to amend United States Area Navigation route (RNAV) Q-15 in order to safely segregate overflight, arrival and departure traffic, and military operations in the high altitude airspace between Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 165 (Monday, August 30, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48345-48346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18515]
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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.
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 165 / Monday, August 30, 2021 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 48345]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2021-0676; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-33]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of United States Area Navigation Route (RNAV)
Q-15; Western United States
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend United States Area Navigation
route (RNAV) Q-15 in order to safely segregate overflight, arrival and
departure traffic, and military operations in the high altitude
airspace between Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 14, 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: 1
(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No.
FAA-2021-0676; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-33 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#ff998dd196918c8f9a9c8b969091bf919e8d9ed1989089"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3b5d49155255484b5e584f5254557b555a495a155c544d">[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>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher McMullin, 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-
2021-0676; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-33) 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-2021-0676; Airspace Docket No. 21-AWP-33.'' 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 NPRM
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, Western
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St.,
Des Moines, WA 98198.
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.
[[Page 48346]]
Background
One of the main responsibilities of the Los Angeles Air Route
Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) (ZLA) is separating and sequencing en
route, arrival, and departure traffic in the vicinity of Las Vegas, NV.
The operational complexity of this airspace is affected not only by
traffic volume, but by the airspace limitations imposed by the large
amount of Special Use Airspace (SUA) in the Desert Southwest.
RNAV route Q-13 is the primary route utilized for Phoenix, AZ (PHX)
arrivals from the Bay Area, Seattle, Portland, and the Pacific
Northwest, including Alaska and Canada. The letter of agreement (LOA)
between ZLA and Albuquerque ARTCC (ZAB) requires that aircraft handed
off to ZAB at or below FL290. There has been a significant increase in
traffic filing Q-13 traveling northwest, which has caused increased
complexity for arrivals landing at PHX.
RNAV route Q-15 currently terminates at CHILY, just west of
Prescott Regional airport (PRC) Prescott, AZ. The intention of
extending Q-15 from CHILY to NABOB is to provide air traffic
controllers, through automation and industry outreach, one direction
airways in that area for Q-13 and Q-15 between waypoints where both
would intersect between NABOB and HOUZZ. This proposal would allow
traffic traveling southeast from HOUZZ to NABOB to utilize RNAV route
Q-13 and traffic traveling northwest to utilize RNAV route Q-15,
allowing for a smoother traffic flow in that area.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to amend RNAV
route Q-15 in order to safely segregate overflight, arrival and
departure traffic, and military operations in the high altitude
airspace between Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ. The full legal
description are included in the Rule section below.
Q-15: Q-15 currently extends from CHILY to LOMIA. The FAA proposes
to add an extension to the route from NABOB to CHILY. The rest of the
route will remain unchanged.
RNAV routes are published in paragraph 6009 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 RNAV route 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 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes.
* * * * *
Q-15 NABOB, AZ to LOMIA, NV [Amend]
NABOB, AZ FIX
(Lat. 34[deg]19'40.60'' N, long. 111[deg]18'53.90'' W)
CHILY, AZ WP
(Lat. 34[deg]42'48.61'' N, long. 112[deg]45'42.27'' W)
DOVEE, NV WP
(Lat. 35[deg]26'51.07'' N, long. 114[deg]48'00.94'' W)
SOTOO, NV WP
(Lat. 36[deg]17'22.55'' N, long. 116[deg]13'14.12'' W)
HOUZZ, NV WP
(Lat. 36[deg]36'43.75'' N, long. 116[deg]36'37.60'' W)
FUULL, NV WP
(Lat. 37[deg]16'52.93'' N, long. 117[deg]10'13.96'' W)
SKANN, NV WP
(Lat. 37[deg]22'52.68'' N, long. 117[deg]15'54.53'' W)
LOMIA, NV WP
(Lat. 39[deg]13'11.57'' N, long. 119[deg]06'22.95'' W)
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on August 24, 2021.
George Gonzalez,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2021-18515 Filed 8-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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