82 FR 26987 - Amendment and Removal of VOR Federal Airways; Eastern United States

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 112 (June 13, 2017)

This action modifies VOR Federal airways V-14, V-265, V-464, and V-552, and removes V-90 in the eastern United States due to the planned decommissioning of the Dunkirk, NY, VORTAC navigation aid, which provides navigation guidance for portions of the above routes.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 13, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26987-26988]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12111]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0107; Airspace Docket No. 16-AEA-11]


Amendment and Removal of VOR Federal Airways; Eastern United 
States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action modifies VOR Federal airways V-14, V-265, V-464, 
and V-552, and removes V-90 in the eastern United States due to the 
planned decommissioning of the Dunkirk, NY, VORTAC navigation aid, 
which provides navigation guidance for portions of the above routes.

DATES: Effective date 0901, August 17, 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 7400.11 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: Paul Gallant, 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 
eastern United States to maintain the efficient flow of air traffic.

History

    On March 6, 2017, the FAA published in the Federal Register a 
notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) (82 FR 12523) Docket No. FAA-2017-
0107, to amend VOR Federal airways V-14, V-265, V-464, and V-552, and 
remove V-90, due to the planned decommissioning of the Dunkirk, NY, 
VORTAC. Interested parties were invited to participate in this 
rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal. One 
comment was received.

Discussion of Comment

    The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) wrote that, for 
those VOR NAVAIDs that are to be decommissioned, and for those airways 
that are correspondingly removed, the FAA should create an RNAV 
waypoint at the previous NAVAID location and retain all fixes and 
intersections along that route by amending their definition to that of 
an RNAV waypoint. For this specific action, there are no plans to 
replace the VORTAC and affected route fixes with RNAV waypoints as 
suggested. However, the distance measuring equipment (DME) function of 
the Dunkirk VORTAC will be retained in operation. In addition, to 
provide alternative navigation guidance in place of the airway segments 
that are being removed, the following routings are available:
    V-14 currently extends between Chisum, NM, and Norwich, CT. This 
action removes the Dunkirk, NY, VORTAC from the route resulting in a 
gap in the airway between Erie, PA, and Buffalo, NY. The amended route 
extends between Chisum, NM, and Erie, PA; and between Buffalo, NY, and 
Norwich, CT. An alternative around the gap is V-270 from Erie, PA, to 
Jamestown, NY, then V-115 to Buffalo, NY, then rejoin V-14.
    V-90 currently extends between Salem, MI, and Dunkirk, NY. This 
action cancels the entire route. As an alternative, V-418 currently 
overlies the

[[Page 26988]]

same routing between Salem, MI, and the BEWEL, OH, fix. At that point, 
V-418 continues east to the Jamestown, NY, VOR/DME where northbound 
traffic could transition to V-115 to Buffalo, NY.
    V-464 currently extends between Salem, MI, and Geneseo, NY. This 
action terminates the route at Aylmer, ON. After Aylmer, aircraft could 
transition to V-2 to Buffalo, NY, then V-14/V-84 to Geneseo, NY.
    Domestic VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of 
FAA Order 7400.11A dated August 3, 2016, and effective September 15, 
2016, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR 
Federal airways listed in this document will be subsequently published 
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

    This final rule amends Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) part 71 by modifying VOR Federal airways V-14, V-265, V-464, and 
V-552, and removing V-90 due to the planned decommissioning of the 
Dunkirk, NY, VORTAC. The route changes are described below.
    V-14: V-14 extends between Chisum, NM, and Norwich, CT. This rule 
removes the segments between Erie, PA, and Buffalo, NY, thus 
eliminating Dunkirk, NY from the route. The amended route extends 
between Chisum, NM, and Erie, PA, and between Buffalo, NY, and Norwich, 
CT.
    V-90: V-90 extends between Salem, MI, and Dunkirk, NY. V-90 is 
removed in its entirety.
    V-265: V-265 extends between the intersection of the Washington, 
DC, 043[deg] and the Westminster, MD, 179[deg] radials and Toronto, ON, 
Canada. This rule removes the segments between Jamestown, NY, and 
Toronto, ON, Canada, thus terminating the northern end of the route at 
Jamestown, NY.
    V-464: V-464 extends from Salem, MI, through Aylmer, Ontario, 
Canada to Geneseo, NY. This rule removes the segment between Aylmer, 
Ontario, Canada, and Geneseo, NY, thus terminating the route at Aylmer, 
Ontario, Canada.
    V-522: V-522 extends between Dryer, OH, and Toronto, Ontario, 
Canada. This rule eliminates the route segments between Erie, PA, and 
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The amended route extends between Dryer, OH, 
and Erie, PA.

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 because 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 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 of modifying VOR Federal 
airways in the eastern United States due to the planned decommissioning 
of the Dunkirk, NY VORTAC navigation aid qualifies for categorical 
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act and its agency-
specific implementing regulations in FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental 
Impacts: Policies and Procedures'' regarding categorical exclusions for 
procedural actions at paragraph 5-6.5a, which categorically excludes 
from full environmental impact review rulemaking actions that designate 
or modify classes of airspace areas, airways, routes, and reporting 
points. Therefore, this airspace action is not expected to result in 
any significant environmental impacts. In accordance with FAA Order 
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).

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 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-14 [Amended]

    From Chisum, NM; Lubbock, TX; Childress, TX; Hobart, OK; Will 
Rogers, OK; INT Will Rogers 052[deg] and Tulsa, OK 246[deg] radials; 
Tulsa; Neosho, MO; Springfield, MO; Vichy, MO; INT Vichy 067[deg] 
and St. Louis, MO, 225[deg] radials; St. Louis; Vandalia, IL; Terre 
Haute, IN; Brickyard, IN; Muncie, IN; Flag City, OH; INT Flag City 
079[deg] and Dryer, OH, 240[deg] radials; Dryer; Jefferson, OH; to 
Erie, PA. From Buffalo, NY; Geneseo, NY; Georgetown, NY; INT 
Georgetown 093[deg] and Albany, NY, 270[deg] radials; Albany; INT 
Albany 084[deg] and Gardner, MA, 284[deg] radials; Gardner; to 
Norwich, CT.

V-90 [Removed]

V-265 [Amended]

    From INT Washington, DC, 043[deg] and Westminster, MD, 179[deg] 
radials; via Westminster;
    Harrisburg, PA; Philipsburg, PA; Keating, NY; Bradford, PA; to 
Jamestown, NY.

V-464 [Amended]

    From Salem, MI; via INT Salem 082[deg] and Aylmer, ON, Canada, 
261[deg] radials; to Aylmer, ON. The airspace within Canada is 
excluded.

V-522 [Amended]

    From Dryer, OH; INT Dryer 049[deg] and Erie, PA, 258[deg] 
radials; to Erie.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on June 6, 2017.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2017-12111 Filed 6-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P