Proposed Rule2023-11375
Amendment of VOR Federal Airway V-233 and Revocation of VOR Federal Airway V-320 Due to the Decommissioning of the Mount Pleasant, MI, VOR
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Published
May 30, 2023
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes to amend Very High Frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-233 and revoke VOR Federal airway V-320. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Mount Pleasant, MI (MOP), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid (NAVAID). The Mount Pleasant VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 103 (Tuesday, May 30, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 34457-34458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11375]
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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. 88, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 30, 2023 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 34457]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2023-1203; Airspace Docket No. 23-AGL-12]
RIN 2120-AA66
Amendment of VOR Federal Airway V-233 and Revocation of VOR
Federal Airway V-320 Due to the Decommissioning of the Mount Pleasant,
MI, VOR
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend Very High Frequency (VHF)
Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway V-233 and revoke VOR Federal
airway V-320. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned
decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Mount Pleasant, MI (MOP),
VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigational aid (NAVAID).
The Mount Pleasant VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's
VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before July 14, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2023-1203 and
Airspace Docket No. 23-AGL-12 using any of the following methods:
* Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and follow
the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.
* Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30; U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room W12-140, West
Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
* Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in
Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
* Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at (202) 493-2251.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> at any time. Follow the online instructions for
accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of
the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except Federal holidays.
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>. You may also contact the Rules and
Regulations Group, Office of Policy, 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
The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this
rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. Comments are
specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic,
environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal. The most
helpful comments reference a specific portion of the proposal, explain
the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. To
ensure the docket does not contain duplicate comments, commenters
should submit only one time if comments are filed electronically, or
commenters should send only one copy of written comments if comments
are filed in writing.
The FAA will file in the docket all comments it receives, as well
as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA
personnel concerning this proposed rulemaking. Before acting on this
proposal, the FAA will consider all comments it receives on or before
the closing date for comments. The FAA will consider comments filed
after the comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without
incurring expense or delay. The FAA may change this proposal in light
of the comments it receives.
Privacy: In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments
from the public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts
these comments, without edit, including any personal information the
commenter provides, to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, as described in the system
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at
<a href="http://www.dot.gov/privacy">www.dot.gov/privacy</a>.
Availability of Rulemaking Documents
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
Operations office (see ADDRESSES section for address, phone number, and
hours of operations). 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.
[[Page 34458]]
Incorporation by Reference
VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order
JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, which is
incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 on an annual basis. This
document proposes to amend the current version of that order, FAA Order
JO 7400.11G, dated August 19, 2022, and effective September 15, 2022.
These updates would be published in the next update to FAA Order JO
7400.11. That order 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 VOR portion of the Mount
Pleasant, MI (MOP), VOR/DME in March 2024. The Mount Pleasant 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 Mount Pleasant VOR/DME is planned
for decommissioning, the co-located DME portion of the NAVAID is being
retained to support current and future NextGen PBN flight procedure
requirements.
The Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes affected by the Mount Pleasant
VOR decommissioning are VOR Federal airways V-233 and V-320. The
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to
enable the continuity of the airways within the affected area. As such,
the FAA proposes to remove the affected portion of V-233 and expand the
existing gap in the airway, and to revoke V-320 in its entirety.
To address the proposed removal of the affected airway segment of
V-233 and the revocation of V-320, instrument flight rules traffic
could use adjacent VOR Federal airways V-78, V-133, V-420, and V-609,
or receive air traffic control (ATC) radar vectors to fly through or
around the affected area. Aircraft equipped with Area Navigation (RNAV)
capabilities could also use RNAV route T-265 or file point to point
through the affected area using the fixes and waypoints that will
remain in place. Visual flight rules pilots who elect to navigate via
the affected ATS routes could also take advantage of the adjacent VOR
Federal airways or ATC services listed previously.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 by amending VOR
Federal airway V-233 and revoking VOR Federal airway V-320 due to the
planned decommissioning of the VOR portion of the Mount Pleasant, MI,
VOR/DME. The proposed airway actions are described below.
V-233: V-233 currently extends between the Spinner, IL, VOR/
Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Goshen, IN, VORTAC; and
between the Mount Pleasant, MI, VOR/DME and the Pellston, MI, VORTAC.
The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment overlying the Mount
Pleasant VOR/DME between the Mount Pleasant VOR/DME and the Gaylord,
MI, VOR/DME. As amended, the airway would extend between the Spinner
VORTAC and the Goshen VORTAC, and between the Gaylord VOR/DME and the
Pellston VORTAC.
V-320: V-320 currently extends between the Pellston, MI, VORTAC and
the Saginaw, MI, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the airway segment
overlying the Mount Pleasant, MI, VOR/DME between the Traverse City,
MI, VOR/DME and the Saginaw VOR/DME. Additionally, the FAA proposes to
remove the airway segment between the Pellston VORTAC and the Traverse
City VOR/DME as it overlays the same airway segment as V-193. As a
result, the airway would be removed in its entirety.
The NAVAID radials in the VOR Federal airway V-233 description in
the Proposed Amendment section below are unchanged and stated in
degrees True north.
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 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 7400.11G,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 19, 2022, and
effective September 15, 2022, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.
* * * * *
V-233 [Amended]
From Spinner, IL; INT Spinner 061[deg] and Roberts, IL, 233[deg]
radials; Roberts; Knox, IN; to Goshen, IN. From Gaylord, MI; to
Pellston, MI.
* * * * *
V-320 [Removed]
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on May 17, 2023.
Brian Konie,
Acting Manager, Airspace Rules and Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2023-11375 Filed 5-26-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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