80 FR 74061 - Proposed Amendment of Class C Airspace; Capital Region International Airport, MI

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 228 (November 27, 2015)

This action proposes to modify Class C airspace at Capital Region International Airport, formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, Lansing, MI, by removing a cutout from the surface area that was put in place to accommodate operations around Davis Airport, now permanently closed. Also, this proposal would update the airport's name and geographic coordinates to reflect the current information in the FAA's aeronautical database. The FAA is proposing this action to enable more efficient operations at Capital Region International Airport.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 228 (Friday, November 27, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74061-74063]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-29912]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2015-4452; Airspace Docket No. 15-AWA-7]
RIN 2120-AA66


Proposed Amendment of Class C Airspace; Capital Region 
International Airport, MI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify Class C airspace at Capital 
Region International Airport, formerly Lansing Capital City Airport, 
Lansing, MI, by removing a cutout from the surface area that was put in 
place to accommodate operations around Davis Airport, now permanently 
closed. Also, this proposal would update the airport's name and 
geographic coordinates to reflect the current information in the FAA's 
aeronautical database. The FAA is proposing this action to enable more 
efficient operations at Capital Region International Airport.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 26, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001; 
telephone: (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2015-
4452 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AWA-7 at the beginning of your 
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. You may review the public docket containing the 
proposal, any comments received, and any final disposition in person in 
the Dockets Office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. The Docket Office (telephone 1-800-
647-5527), is on the ground floor of the building at the above address.
    FAA Order 7400.9Z, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and 
subsequent amendments can be viewed online at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can contact the 
Airspace Policy 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 this material at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go to 
http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal-regulations/ibr_locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.9, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy Group, 
Office of Airspace Services, 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

[[Page 74062]]

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 terminal airspace as required to preserve 
the safe and efficient flow of air traffic in the Lansing, MI, area.

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-2015-4452 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AWA-7) 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 http://www.regulations.gov.
    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-2015-4452 and Airspace Docket No. 15-AWA-7.'' 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's

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
    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 Central Service Center, Operations 
Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76137.
    Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future 
NPRM's should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677, 
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application 
procedure.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.9Z, airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and effective 
September 15, 2015. FAA Order 7400.9Z is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.9Z lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify the Capital Region International 
Airport Class C airspace area by removing the cutout from the Class C 
surface area that excluded the airspace within a 1-mile radius of the 
former Davis Airport and the airspace 1 mile either side of the 
090[deg] bearing from the former Davis Airport. The exclusion from the 
Class C surface area was in place solely to accommodate operations at 
Davis Airport, which was located about 3.5 NM east of the Capital 
Region International Airport. Davis Airport was permanently closed in 
2000, and removed from the FAA's aeronautical database in 2006. Since 
the original purpose of the exclusion no longer exists, the FAA is 
proposing to remove the words ``. . . excluding that airspace within a 
1-mile radius of the Davis Airport and excluding that airspace 1 mile 
either side of the 090[deg] bearing from Davis Airport to the 5-mile 
radius from Capital City Airport . . .'' from the Class C airspace 
description. This would restore the Class C surface area to a standard 
configuration of a 5-NM radius around Capital Region International 
Airport and enhance the management of aircraft operations at the 
airport.
    Also, this action would update the airport name and geographic 
coordinates to reflect the current information in the FAA's 
aeronautical database. This change would replace ``Capital City 
Airport'' with ``Capital Region International Airport'' and replace 
``lat. 42[deg]46'43'' N., long. 84[deg]35'15'' W.'' with ``lat. 
42[deg]46'43'' N., long. 84[deg]35'10'' W.''
    Class C airspace areas are published in paragraph 4000 of FAA Order 
7400.9Z, dated August 6, 2015 and effective September 15, 2015, which 
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class C airspace area 
modification proposed in this document would be published subsequently 
in the Order.

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 the FAA Order 
7400.9Z,

[[Page 74063]]

Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 6, 2015, and 
effective September 15, 2015, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 4000--Subpart C-Class C Airspace

* * * * *

AGL MI C Lansing, MI [Amended]

Capital Region International Airport, MI
    (Lat. 42[deg]46'43'' N., long. 84[deg]35'10'' W.)

    That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 
4,900 feet MSL within a 5-mile radius of Capital Region 
International Airport; and that airspace extending upward from 2,100 
feet MSL to and including 4,900 feet MSL within a 10-mile radius of 
Capital Region International Airport.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 16, 2015.
Gary A. Norek,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2015-29912 Filed 11-25-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P