81 FR 66180 - Modification of Colored Federal Airway B-1; Alaska

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 187 (September 27, 2016)

This action renames Blue Federal airway B-1 in Alaska to B-12. This is necessary due to an automation issue that conflicts with an identically named airway in Taiwan. No air traffic services with be affected by this action.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 27, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66180-66181]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23116]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2016-4648; Airspace Docket No. 16-AAL-1]
RIN 2120-AA66


Modification of Colored Federal Airway B-1; Alaska

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action renames Blue Federal airway B-1 in Alaska to B-12. 
This is necessary due to an automation issue that conflicts with an 
identically named airway in Taiwan. No air traffic services with be 
affected by this action.

DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, January 5, 2017. The Director of the 
Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 
Title 1, Code of Federal Regulations, part 51, subject to the annual 
revision of FAA, Order 7400.11A and publication of conforming 
amendments.

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11A, 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 FAA Order 7400.11A at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal-regulations/ibr_locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, 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 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 modifies the air traffic service route structure in the 
northwest United States to maintain the efficient flow of air traffic.

History

    Recently, Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) 
automation was rejecting certain flight plans. The FAA discovered that 
the rejected flight plans contained the airway in Taiwan, B-1. This 
number is also used to identify a route in southern Alaska. When 
Anchorage ARTCC automation tried to parse the route, it would attempt 
to reconcile the filed Taiwanese airway, B-1, with the fixes stored in 
the Anchorage database. The fixes would not match and the flight plan 
would fail the logic check and be rejected, resulting in labor-
intensive manual coordination.
    Colored Federal airways are published in paragraph 6009 of FAA 
Order 7400.11 dated August 3, 2016, and effective September 15, 2016, 
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Colored Federal 
airway listed in this document will be subsequently amended in the 
Order.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document amends FAA Order 7400.11A, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2016, and effective September 15, 
2016. FAA Order 7400.11A is publicly available as listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11A lists Class A, 
B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

The Rule

    The FAA is amending Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) part 71 by removing Colored Federal airway B-1 and adding the 
identical Colored Federal airway B-12, effectively renaming it. This 
action does not affect any air traffic services. Therefore, notice and 
public procedures under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) are unnecessary.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    The FAA has determined that this 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 only affects air traffic procedures 
and air navigation, it is certified that this rule, when

[[Page 66181]]

promulgated, does not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities under the criteria of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical 
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act, and its agency 
implementing regulations in FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: 
Policies and Procedures'' regarding categorical exclusions for 
procedural actions at paragraph 5-6.5k, which categorically excludes 
from full environmental impact review actions that include, 
``Publication of existing air traffic control procedures that do not 
essentially change existing tracks, create new tracks, change altitude, 
or change concentration of aircraft on these tracks.'' Since this 
procedural action consists only of a name change from Blue Federal 
airway B-1 in Alaska to B-12 to de-conflict with an identically named 
airway in Taiwan, this name change action is not expected to cause any 
potentially significant environmental impacts. In accordance with FAAO 
1050.1F, paragraph 5-2 regarding Extraordinary Circumstances, this 
action has been reviewed for factors and circumstances in which a 
normally categorically excluded action may have a significant 
environmental impact requiring further analysis, and it is determined 
that no extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of 
an environmental assessment.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

Adoption of the Amendment

    In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation 
Administration amends 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 FAA Order 7400.11A 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2016 and 
effective September 15, 2016, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6009(d)--Blue Federal airways.

* * * * *

B-1 [Removed]

B-12 [New]

    From Woody Island, AK, NDB to Iliamna, AK, NDB.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 19, 2016.
Leslie M. Swann,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2016-23116 Filed 9-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P