Proposed Rule2022-25822
Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-268 and V-474, Revocation of Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal Airway V-119, and Establishment of Area Navigation Route Q-178 in the Vicinity of Indian Head, PA
Primary source
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Published
November 28, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes to amend VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways V-268 and V-474, revoke Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal airway V-119, and establish Area Navigation (RNAV) route Q-178. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Indian Head, PA, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Indian Head VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 227 (Monday, November 28, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 227 (Monday, November 28, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 72904-72906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-25822]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2022-1424; Airspace Docket No. 22-AEA-11]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Amendment of VOR Federal Airways V-268 and V-474,
Revocation of Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal Airway V-119, and
Establishment of Area Navigation Route Q-178 in the Vicinity of Indian
Head, PA
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 airways V-268 and V-474, revoke Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal
airway V-119, and establish Area Navigation (RNAV) route Q-178. The FAA
is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR
portion of the Indian Head, PA, VOR/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC)
navigational aid (NAVAID). The Indian Head VOR is being decommissioned
in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 12, 2023.
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-2022-1424; Airspace Docket No. 22-AEA-11 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
FAA Order JO 7400.11G, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points,
and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at <a href="http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/">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.
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 National Airspace System (NAS) 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-2022-1424 Airspace; Docket No. 22-AEA-11) 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="http://www.regulations.gov">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-2022-1424; Airspace Docket No. 22-AEA-11.'' 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
[[Page 72905]]
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="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>. Recently published rulemaking
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at
<a href="http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/">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 JO 7400.11G, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 19, 2022, and effective
September 15, 2022. FAA Order JO 7400.11G is publicly available as
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11G
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 Indian Head, PA, VOR in
June 2023. The Indian Head 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.
Although the VOR portion of the Indian Head, PA, VORTAC is planned
for decommissioning, the co-located Distance Measuring Equipment (DME)
portion of the NAVAID is being retained to support NextGen PBN flight
procedure requirements.
The air traffic service (ATS) routes effected by the Indian Head
VOR decommissioning are Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal airways V-119,
V-268, and V-474. With the planned decommissioning of the Indian Head
VOR, the remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is
insufficient to enable the continuity of the affected ATS routes. As
such, proposed modifications to V-268 and V-474 would result in the
affected airway segments being removed and the airways being shortened;
and to J-518 and V-119 would result in the ATS routes being revoked.
To overcome the proposed modifications and revocations to the
affected ATS routes, instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could use
portions of adjacent ATS routes, including Jet Routes J-60, J-162, and
J-211 in the high altitude enroute structure and V-12, V-44, V-469, and
V-501 in the low altitude enroute structure, or receive air traffic
control (ATC) radar vectors to circumnavigate or fly through the
affected area. Pilots equipped with RNAV capabilities could also
navigate in the high altitude and low altitude enroute structures point
to point using existing NAVAIDs and fixes that would remain in place to
support continued operations through the affected area. Visual flight
rules (VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the affected ATS routes
could also take advantage of the adjacent ATS routes or ATC services
listed previously.
The FAA also proposes to establish RNAV route Q-178 between the
Dryer, OH, VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) and the
Baltimore, MD, VORTAC NAVAIDs. The new Q-route would mitigate the
proposed revocation of J-518 due to the planned decommissioning of the
Indian Head VOR, reduce ATC sector workload and complexity, and reduce
pilot-to-controller communications. The new Q-route would also provide
RNAV equipped aircraft an ATS route alternative and support the FAA's
NextGen efforts to modernize the NAS navigation system from a ground-
based system to a satellite-based system.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to amend VOR
Federal airways V-268 and V-474, revoke Jet Route J-518 and VOR Federal
airway V-119, and establish RNAV route Q-178. The ATS route amendments,
revocations, and establishment are due to the planned decommissioning
of the Indian Head, PA, VOR. The proposed ATS route actions are
described below.
J-518: J-518 currently extends between the Dryer, OH, VOR/DME and
the Baltimore, MD, VORTAC via the Indian Head, PA, VORTAC. The FAA
proposes to remove the route in its entirety.
Q-178: Q-178 is a new RNAV route proposed to extend between the
Dryer, OH, VOR/DME and the Baltimore, MD, VORTAC via the LEJOY, PA, Fix
located approximately 4 nautical miles (NM) northwest of the Indian
Head VORTAC. This new Q-route would mitigate the proposed revocation of
J-518 and provide RNAV routing between the Cleveland, OH, area and the
Baltimore, MD, area. The new Q-178 would provide the high altitude
enroute structure necessary to replace the loss of J-518 and maintain
the connectivity to multiple instrument approach procedures for various
airports.
V-119: V-119 currently extends between the Parkersburg, WV, VOR/DME
and the Indian Head, PA, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway
in its entirety.
V-268: V-268 currently extends between the intersection of the
Morgantown, WV, VOR/DME 010[deg] and Johnstown, PA, VOR/DME 260[deg]
radials (NESTO Fix) and the Augusta, ME, VOR/DME. The airspace within
restricted area R-4001B and the airspace below 2,000 feet mean sea
level (MSL) outside the United States is excluded. The FAA proposes to
remove the airway segment overlying the Indian Head VORTAC between the
NESTO Fix and the Hagerstown, MD, VOR. As amended, the airway would
extend between the Hagerstown VOR and the Augusta VOR/DME.
V-474: V-474 currently extends between the intersection of the
Morgantown, WV, VOR/DME 010[deg] and Johnstown, PA, VOR/DME 260[deg]
radials (NESTO Fix) and the Modena, PA, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to
remove the airway segment overlying the Indian Head VORTAC between the
NESTO Fix and the St. Thomas, PA, VORTAC. As amended, the airway would
extend between the St. Thomas VORTAC and the Modena VORTAC.
The NAVAID radials listed in the ATS route descriptions below are
unchanged and stated in True degrees.
Jet Routes are published in paragraph 2004, United States Area
Navigation Routes (Q-routes) are published in paragraph 2006, and VOR
Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order JO
7400.11G, dated August 19, 2022, and effective September 15, 2022,
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR
[[Page 72906]]
71.1. The ATS routes and reporting point listed in this document would
be published subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11.
FAA Order JO 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
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
7400.11G, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 19,
2022, and effective September 15, 2022, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 2004 Jet Routes.
* * * * *
J-518 [Removed]
* * * * *
Paragraph 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes.
* * * * *
Q-178 Dryer, OH (DJB) to Baltimore, MD (BAL) [New]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dryer, OH (DJB) VOR/DME (Lat. 41[deg]21'29.03'' N, long. 082[deg]09'43.09'' W)
LEJOY, PA FIX (Lat. 40[deg]00'12.22'' N, long. 079[deg]24'53.61'' W)
Baltimore, MD (BAL) VORTAC (Lat. 39[deg]10'15.83'' N, long. 076[deg]39'40.52'' W)
* * * * *
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-119 [Removed]
* * * * *
V-268 [Amended]
From Hagerstown, MD; Westminster, MD; Baltimore, MD; INT
Baltimore 093[deg] and Smyrna, DE, 262[deg] radials; Smyrna; INT
Smyrna 086[deg] and Sea Isle, NJ, 050[deg] radials; INT Sea Isle
050[deg] and Hampton, NY, 223[deg] radials; Hampton; Sandy Point,
RI; INT Sandy Point 031[deg] and Kennebunk, ME, 180[deg] radials;
INT Kennebunk 180[deg] and Boston, MA, 032[deg] radials; INT Boston
032[deg] and Augusta, ME, 195[deg] radials; to Augusta. The airspace
within R-4001B and the airspace below 2,000 feet MSL outside the
United States is excluded.
* * * * *
V-474 [Amended]
From St. Thomas, PA; INT St. Thomas 088[deg] and Modena, PA,
274[deg] radials; to Modena.
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 21, 2022.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-25822 Filed 11-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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