Proposed Rule2026-02986
Establishment, Modification, and Revocation of Class E Airspace; Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, Palm Springs, CA
Primary source
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Published
February 13, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes to establish Class E airspace area designated as an extension to a Class E surface area (Class E4 airspace area), modify Class E airspace area designated as a surface area (Class E2 airspace area), and revoke Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface (Class E5 airspace area) at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM), Palm Springs, CA. These actions support the safe and efficient management of instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) operations at the airport. Additionally, the FAA proposes administrative revisions to TRM's legal descriptions of the controlled airspace areas associated with TRM's to ensure consistency within the FAA's aeronautical database.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 30 (Friday, February 13, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 30 (Friday, February 13, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6807-6808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02986]
[[Page 6807]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2244; Airspace Docket No. 24-AWP-113]
RIN 2120-AA66
Establishment, Modification, and Revocation of Class E Airspace;
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, Palm Springs, CA
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish Class E airspace area
designated as an extension to a Class E surface area (Class E4 airspace
area), modify Class E airspace area designated as a surface area (Class
E2 airspace area), and revoke Class E airspace area extending upward
from 700 feet or more above the surface (Class E5 airspace area) at
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport (TRM), Palm Springs, CA. These
actions support the safe and efficient management of instrument flight
rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) operations at the airport.
Additionally, the FAA proposes administrative revisions to TRM's legal
descriptions of the controlled airspace areas associated with TRM's to
ensure consistency within the FAA's aeronautical database.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 30, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2025-2244 and
Airspace Docket No. 24-AWP-113 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 7400.11K, 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,
600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington DC, 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Keith T. Adams, Federal Aviation
Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200
S 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-2428.
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 establish, modify, and revoke Class E airspace to
support IFR and VFR operations at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport,
Palm Springs, CA.
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 Northwest Mountain Regional Office of the
Federal Aviation Administration, Air Traffic Organization, Western
Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200 S 216th Street, Des
Moines, WA 98198.
Incorporation by Reference
Class E2, E4 and E5 airspace areas are published in paragraphs
6002, 6004, and 6005, respectively, 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 7400.11K, dated August 8,
2025, and effective September 15, 2025. These updates would be
published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11. FAA Order JO
7400.11K, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air
traffic service routes, and reporting points, is publicly available as
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.
[[Page 6808]]
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 that would
establish a Class E4 airspace area, modify the Class E2 airspace area,
and revoke the Class E5 airspace area at TRM, Palm Springs, CA.
The Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR)-A approach
procedure serving TRM has a final approach segment where IFR aircraft
descend to 1,000 feet above the surface. This arrival point is located
beyond two miles from the existing lateral boundaries of the Class E2
airspace area and is not currently contained within controlled airspace
extending upward from the surface. In accordance with FAA airspace
design criteria, a surface-based controlled airspace area for an
airport should contain arriving aircraft descending to 1,000 feet above
the surface. The FAA proposes establishing a Class E4 airspace area,
designated as an extension to the Class E2 airspace area, to more
appropriately contain the airport's arrival procedures. The proposed
Class E4 airspace area would extend upward from the surface within 2.5
miles either side of TRM's 140[deg] bearing, from the airport's 4.4-
mile arc extending 7.1 miles southeast.
The existing Class E2 airspace area at TRM does not fully contain
Category D aircraft conducting circling maneuvers. The authorized
circling radius of 3.6 miles from each landing threshold point extends
beyond the current 4.2-mile radius of the Class E2 airspace area. To
more appropriately contain IFR aircraft within the surface-based
controlled airspace area during circling operations, the FAA proposes
to extend the Class E2 radius from 4.2 to 4.4 miles.
The Class E5 airspace area associated with TRM is no longer
required. The Class E5 airspace area for Palm Springs International
Airport, Palm Springs, CA fully encompasses the TRM Class E5 airspace
area and would serve as the transitional airspace extending upward from
700 feet above the surface to facilitate the transition between the
terminal and en-route air traffic environments. The Los Angeles En-
Route Domestic airspace area would fulfill the role of transitional
controlled airspace area extending upward from 1,200 feet above the
surface, supporting the transition between the terminal and en-route
air traffic environments.
Additionally, the FAA proposes several administrative updates to
the TRM's airspace legal descriptions. The airport reference point
should reflect the following geographical coordinates: lat.
33[deg]37'36'' N, long. 116[deg]09'35'' W, formerly lat. 33[deg]37'35''
N, long. 116[deg]09'39'' W. Lastly, the airport name should be changed
from Thermal Airport, CA to Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, CA.
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 the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.
4321, et seq., 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
7400.11K, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 8,
2025, and effective September 15, 2025, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace Area Designated as a Surface Area.
* * * * *
AWP CA E2 Palm Springs, CA [Amended]
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, CA
(Lat. 33[deg]37'36'' N, Long. 116[deg]09'35'' W)
That airspace extending upward from the surface within a 4.4-
mile radius from the airport.
Paragraph 6004 Class E Airspace Designated as an Extension to a
Class D or Class E Surface Area.
* * * * *
AWP CA E4 Palm Springs, CA [New]
Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, CA
(Lat. 33[deg]37'36'' N, Long. 116[deg]09'35'' W)
That airspace extending upward from the surface within 2.5 miles
either side of the airport's 140[deg] bearing from the airport's
4.4-mile arc extending 7.1 miles southeast.
* * * * *
Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward from 700
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.
* * * * *
AWP CA E5 Thermal, CA [Removed]
Thermal VORTAC
(Lat. 33[deg]37'41'' N, Long. 116[deg]09'37'' W)
* * * * *
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on February 11, 2026.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2026-02986 Filed 2-12-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on February 13, 2026.
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