82 FR 41304 - Reduction of Remote Communications Outlets Used by Flight Service Stations in the Conterminous United States

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 167 (August 30, 2017)

This action sets forth the final policy determination for the FAA's proposed plan to decommission remote communications outlets (RCO) used by Flight Service Stations in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Based on comments, the FAA has decreased the number of RCOs planned for decommissioning from 666 to 641, which includes 404 RCOs and 237 VOR outlets.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41304-41306]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18398]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No.: FAA-2016-4756]


Reduction of Remote Communications Outlets Used by Flight Service 
Stations in the Conterminous United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of final policy.

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SUMMARY: This action sets forth the final policy determination for the 
FAA's proposed plan to decommission remote communications outlets (RCO) 
used by Flight Service Stations in the conterminous United States, 
Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Based on comments, the FAA has decreased the 
number of RCOs planned for decommissioning from 666 to 641, which 
includes 404 RCOs and 237 VOR outlets.

DATES: Applicable: August 30, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teri Bristol, ATO Chief Operating 
Officer, Office of the Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, 
800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 
267-1240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The FAA maintains a network of over 2,100 remote communications 
outlets (RCOs) throughout the conterminous United States, Hawaii and 
Puerto Rico. The RCOs are used by a contract service provider to 
communicate with pilots in flight. By using these frequencies, pilots 
can obtain weather briefings and file flight plans and receive numerous 
other services.
    On April 28, 2016, the FAA published a notice of proposed policy 
outlining the plan to reduce the number of radio frequencies used by 
Flight Service Stations to communicate with aircraft in flight (81 FR 
25484). The FAA noted that a network of 1,223 RCOs and 398 VOR 
frequencies cover a vast majority of the conterminous United States and 
include duplicate, overlapping, and seldom used frequencies. Based on a 
study conducted by MITRE, the FAA proposed a policy to decommission 666 
RCOs in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.\1\ The 
FAA estimated that, by reducing radio coverage, the agency could save 
approximately $2.5 million annually in

[[Page 41305]]

maintenance costs alone. Additional savings would be realized once 
property leases are terminated and voice-switch communications 
infrastructure is decreased.
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    \1\ The FAA noted that the following frequencies would not be 
considered for decommissioning: frequencies for emergency use only; 
frequencies for military use only, frequencies in the State of 
Alaska, and Ground Communications Outlets.
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Discussions of Comments

    The FAA received 13 comments on the proposed policy. The following 
summary of comments reflects the major issues raised and does not 
restate each comment received. The FAA considered all comments received 
even if not specifically identified and responded to in this notice. 
The FAA made revisions to the policy based on comments received.
    1. An individual commented that the same frequency, 122.2, was 
listed twice for Princeton, Minnesota (PNM), one indicated that it 
would be retained, and one indicated that it would be removed. The FAA 
will retain PNM 122.2. The commenter also indicated that we have an RCO 
at Minneapolis that is not on either list. The RCO at Minneapolis, 
122.3, will be decommissioned.
    2. Two commenters noted that the Duluth, Minnesota (DLH) frequency 
124.8 is not a Flight Service Station frequency. The FAA will remove 
DLH frequency 124.8 from the decommissioning list as it is not a Flight 
Service Station frequency.
    3. Six commenters requested that the FAA not decommission the 
Galian, Ohio (GQQ) remote communications outlet. Several of these 
commenters suggested that the frequency was important to corporate, 
business, and general aviation traffic using the airport. The FAA will 
not decommission 126.8 at GQQ.
    4. Another commenter recommended retaining Du Page, Illinois (DPA) 
frequency 122.3. The commenter noted that, if both Waukegan, Illinois 
(UGN) and DuPage, Illinois RCOs were decommissioned, the closest remote 
communications outlet for pilots flying in the area would be 40-50 
miles away--MKE to the North, RFD to the West, IKK to the South and VPZ 
to the East. The FAA will not decommission DPA frequency 122.3.
    5. A commenter noted that RCO usage is not uniformly distributed 
across the RCO coverage area and asked whether an analysis has been 
done to determine what percentage of actual FSS transactions would be 
affected. The individual commented that, if, for instance, there is a 
mountain pass with notoriously bad weather and pilots frequently call 
FSS inflight to get the conditions in that area then reduction of 
service in this area should not be considered equivalent to reduction 
of service in an area where there are few contacts made to FSS due to 
benign weather, few flights, etc.
    Response: Usage data is not available for individual RCOs. The FAA 
is retaining coverage across the conterminous United States, Hawaii and 
Puerto Rico of greater than 98% at 5,000 agl, 97% at 3,000 agl, and 92% 
at 1,000 agl. The FAA specifically excluded mountainous areas in the 
western US and also avoided areas where no other Air Traffic 
frequencies were available.
    6. The same commenter indicated that he believed that the baseline 
coverage should not have excluded VORs that are proposed to be 
decommissioned. He suggested that not including these VORs in the 
baseline artificially reduces the baseline coverage with respect to the 
actual current coverage. He noted that the stated goal was to reduce 
coverage by less than 10% but, if the baseline is already reduced, the 
result may be a reduction of more than 10% compared with today.
    Response: The VORs proposed for decommissioning were considered a 
given and not considered for retention in the proposal. Approximately 
237 individual VORs with voice capability, scheduled for 
decommissioning through the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) 
program, will be reviewed on a case by case basis. If it is determined 
that a significant degradation of service capability exists with the 
decommissioning of a specific VOR, steps will be taken to replace it 
with a separate RCO.
    7. The same commenter also stated that the proposal reduces 
redundancy which is good from a fiscal and complexity standpoint but is 
bad when considering that equipment failures happen. He asked whether 
an analysis had been done of the current and expected reliability of 
the RCO MON including an assessment of how quickly it can be repaired 
and what the impact will be on pilots?
    Response: Most, if not all, of our RCOs have standby receivers and 
transmitters in case of mechanical malfunction or for use during 
routine maintenance. In case of a line outage, FTI has a goal of a 
four-hour restoration time and, in case of major equipment malfunction, 
Technical Operations has a response time for RCO outages of either 24 
or 96 hours depending upon backup and other facilities co-located or 
nearby. Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) are issued for RCO outages as they 
occur. The FAA has concluded that, given these facts, there is no 
discernable safety impact on the pilot.
    8. Finally, this commenter noted that he was concerned that, with 
the elimination of Flight Watch, there would be a further reduction of 
inflight weather resources available to pilots. He noted that, while 
FIS-B is now available, the coverage area is not 100%, many pilots do 
not have the necessary equipment to receive FIS-B information, and many 
pilots do not have the skills necessary to interpret the FIS-B data and 
rely on FSS personnel. FSS also provides services that FIS-B cannot 
duplicate such as opening and closing VFR flight plans.
    Response: The current RCO coverage area was designed at a time when 
FSS personnel were handling over 10,000 radio calls per day, today they 
handle less than 1,000 calls per day. Technological advances, including 
FIS-B, are providing pilots with greater access to inflight weather 
resources than ever before. This reduction is meant to align the RCO 
infrastructure with pilot demand. While it is true that FIS-B cannot 
open or close flight plans, other methods are available for this 
service including using another nearby RCO, activation and closure 
using the telephone, assumed departures, etc.
    9. Another commenter stated that, with the demise of the En Route 
Flight Advisory Service (EFAS), he believed it was unwise to eliminate 
122.2 MHz and noted that 122.2 and 121.5 are two of the frequencies 
that pilots are taught to commit to memory as they were ``go to'' 
frequencies in a crisis.
    Response: Where there are multiple frequencies in the same 
geographic area, the FAA will retain 122.2 to the degree possible (this 
was the case for the RCO located at Columbus, NE). Over 95% of the 
current 122.2s are being retained. In addition, Flight Service is 
moving to retain 103 frequencies which were previously dedicated to 
EFAS. A number of these will be retuned to 122.2 vice 122.0 which will 
increase the coverage of 122.2's across the country. The FAA conducts 
safety seminars and other outreach programs to educate pilots on the 
need to ensure they obtain frequency information for their route of 
flight prior to departure.

Final Policy

    In accordance with the above, the FAA is adopting the following 
policy statement on the decommissioning of Remote Communications 
Outlets used by Flight Service Stations in the conterminous United 
States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
    The FAA will reduce the number of radio frequencies used by Flight 
Service Stations to communicate with aircraft in flight. Remote 
communications outlets in 641 locations will be decommissioned 
beginning in late fiscal year 2017. Notices to Airmen

[[Page 41306]]

(NOTAMs) will be issued as each frequency is decommissioned. 
Frequencies in Alaska and those designated for emergency or military 
use are not included.
    A link to maps showing the approximate frequency coverage after the 
reduction at various altitudes, with percentages of coverage can be 
found here: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs/media/Radio_Reduction_Fed_Reg.pdf.
    A link to the frequencies that will be decommissioned can be found 
here: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs/media/RCO_Master_List.xlsx.
    The FAA posted frequently asked Questions and Answers regarding the 
Reduction of Remote Communications Outlets Used by Flight Service 
Stations in the Conterminous United States on http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/systemops/fs/media/RCO_Reduction_FAQ_030217.pdf.
    These Questions and Answers will be periodically updated until FAA 
charts and publications are revised to reflect the changes in this 
notice.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 23, 2017.
Michael P. Huerta,
Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-18398 Filed 8-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P