Proposed Rule2026-07612
Modification of Class E Airspace; Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK
Primary source
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Published
April 20, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action updates a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published by the FAA in the Federal Register on November 24, 2025, proposing to modify the Class E airspace area designated as a surface area (Class E2 airspace area) and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface (Class E5 700-foot (ft) airspace area) to optimize instrument flight procedure (IFP) containment at the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK. This proposal supports the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport. The proposal has been updated based on amendments to four IFPs.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 75 (Monday, April 20, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20944-20945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07612]
[[Page 20944]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2423; Airspace Docket No. 23-AAL-10]
RIN 2120-AA66
Modification of Class E Airspace; Ralph Wien Memorial Airport,
Kotzebue, AK
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action updates a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM)
published by the FAA in the Federal Register on November 24, 2025,
proposing to modify the Class E airspace area designated as a surface
area (Class E2 airspace area) and Class E airspace extending upward
from 700 feet above the surface (Class E5 700-foot (ft) airspace area)
to optimize instrument flight procedure (IFP) containment at the Ralph
Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK. This proposal supports the safety
and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the
airport. The proposal has been updated based on amendments to four
IFPs.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 4, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by FAA Docket No. FAA-2025-2423 and
Airspace Docket No. 23-AAL-10 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 20597; telephone: (202) 267-
8783.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: BryantJay Toves, Federal Aviation
Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200
S 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-3465.
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 Class E airspace to support IFR operations
at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK.
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 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 and E5 airspace designations are published in paragraphs
6002 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 4,
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.
Background
The FAA published an NPRM in the Federal Register for Docket No.
FAA-2025-2423 (90 FR 52899; November 24, 2025), proposing to modify the
Class E2 airspace area and Class E5 700-ft
[[Page 20945]]
airspace area to optimize instrument flight procedure containment at
the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK. Following the above NPRM
publication, four procedures were amended due to magnetic variation
changes and/or procedure updates. Accordingly, this SNPRM updates the
proposal based on those changes.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 that would
modify the Class E2 airspace area and Class E5 700-ft airspace area at
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport to optimize instrument flight procedures
containment.
The NPRM proposed modifying the Class E2 airspace area by
increasing the radius from 4.3 miles to 4.4 miles to better accommodate
the circling maneuvering areas to runways (RWYs) 18 and 19.
Additionally, the FAA proposed 1.4 mile and .6 mile extensions to the
southeast and west, respectively, to contain departing aircraft until
reaching the base of the next adjacent airspace when executing the
COGAS TWO Area Navigation (RNAV) (Required Navigation Performance
[RNP]) DEPARTURE and BALIN TWO RNAV (RNP) DEPARTURE from RWYs 9 and 27.
Under this modified proposal, the FAA proposes shift the western
extension 0.5 miles west to more appropriately contain the BALIN TWO
Area Navigation (RNAV) (Required Navigation Performance [RNP]) Runway
(RWY) 27 instrument approach procedure.
The NPRM proposed modifying the Class E5 airspace extending upward
from 700 feet above the surface to remove unneeded controlled airspace
to the northeast, east, southwest, and west, and to expand the E5
airspace to targeted areas southeast and northwest of the airport. The
expansion to the southeast was proposed to better contain aircraft
until reaching 1,200 feet above the surface on the RNAV (Global
Positioning System [GPS]) RWY 27 missed approach procedure and BALIN
TWO RNAV (RNP) DEPARTURE RWY 9. The FAA proposed an expansion to the
northwest of an additional 1x5-mile area of airspace to provide
sufficient containment for arriving aircraft that descend to below
1,500 feet above the surface on the instrument landing system (ILS) or
localizer (LOC) RWY 9 approach. Under this modified proposal, the FAA
would also extend the eastern boundary approximately 1.6 miles and the
western boundary by approximately 10.7 miles to more appropriately
contain the Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) RWY 9 and
the VOR RWY 27 instrument approach procedures, respectively.
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
Order 2100.6B, ``Rulemaking and Guidance Procedure'' (March 10, 2025);
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 1050.1G, ``FAA National Environmental Policy
Act Implementing 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 JO
7400.11K, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 4,
2025, and effective September 15, 2025, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace Areas Designated as Surface Areas.
* * * * *
AAL AK E2 Kotzebue, AK [Amended]
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK
(Lat. 66[deg]53'05'' N, long. 162[deg]35'53'' W)
That airspace extending upward from the surface up to and
including 2,500 feet above the surface and within a 4.4-mile radius
of the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, within 2.9 miles northeast and
0.8 miles southwest of the airport's 130[deg] bearing extending from
its 4.4-mile radius to 5.8 miles southeast, and within 0.8 miles on
either side of the airport's 266[deg] bearing extending from its
4.4-mile radius to 4.9 miles west.
* * * * *
Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700
Feet Or More Above the Surface of the Earth.
* * * * *
AAL AK E5 Kotzebue, AK [Amended]
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, AK
(Lat. 66[deg]53'05'' N, long. 162[deg]35'53'' W)
That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface
within a 6.8-mile radius of the airport, within 3-miles north and
3.2-miles south of the airport's 095[deg] bearing extending from its
6.8-mile radius to 13.6 miles east, within the airport's 118[deg]
bearing clockwise to its 137[deg] bearing along the airport's 8.3-
mile radius, and within 4 miles either side of the airport's
280[deg] bearing extending from its 6.8-mile radius to 10.7 miles
west; that airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the
surface within a 45-mile radius of the airport, excluding that
airspace extending beyond 12 miles from the coast.
* * * * *
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on April 15, 2026.
B.G. Chew,
Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2026-07612 Filed 4-17-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 20, 2026.
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