83 FR 12883 - Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes in the Vicinity of Mattoon and Charleston, IL

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 58 (March 26, 2018)

This action proposes to modify two VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airways (V-72 and V-429) in the vicinity of Mattoon and Charleston, IL. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Mattoon, IL (MTO), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. The Mattoon VOR is being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) program.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 58 (Monday, March 26, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 12883-12885]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05974]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0219; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-23]


Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes in the 
Vicinity of Mattoon and Charleston, IL

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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

SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify two VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airways (V-72 and V-429) in the vicinity of Mattoon and 
Charleston, IL. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned 
decommissioning of the Mattoon, IL (MTO), VOR/Distance Measuring 
Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation 
guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. The Mattoon VOR is 
being decommissioned in support of the FAA's VOR Minimum Operational 
Network (MON) program.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of 
Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 
1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. 
FAA-2018-0219 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-23 at the beginning of 
your comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov.
    FAA Order 7400.11B, 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 7400.11B at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/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

[[Page 12884]]

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 support the route structure in the Mattoon and 
Charleston, IL, area as necessary to preserve the safe and efficient 
flow of air traffic within the National Airspace System.

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-2018-0219 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-23) 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-2018-0219 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-23.'' 
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 NPRMs

    An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the 
internet at http://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking 
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.
    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 Operations Support Group, Central 
Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 10101 Hillwood Blvd., 
Fort Worth, TX 76177.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace 
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017, and effective 
September 15, 2017. FAA Order 7400.11B is publicly available as listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11B lists 
Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

Background

    The FAA is planning to decommission the Mattoon, IL (MTO), VOR/DME 
in November 2018. The Mattoon VOR was one of the candidate VORs 
identified for discontinuance by the FAA's VOR MON program and listed 
in the Final policy statement notice, ``Provision of Navigation 
Services for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) 
Transition to Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for Establishing 
a VOR Minimum Operational Network),'' published in the Federal Register 
of July 26, 2016 (81 FR 48694), Docket No. FAA-2011-1082.
    With the planned decommissioning of the Mattoon, IL, VOR/DME, the 
remaining ground-based NAVAID coverage in the area is insufficient to 
enable the continuity of the affected airways. As such, proposed 
modifications to VOR Federal airways V-72 and V-429 would result in a 
gap in the enroute ATS route structure in the Mattoon and Charleston, 
IL, area. To overcome the gap in the enroute structure, instrument 
flight rules (IFR) traffic could use adjacent VOR Federal airways 
(including V-5, V-7, V69, V-171, V-191, V-192, V-262, and V-586) to 
circumnavigate the affected area, file point to point through the 
affected area using fixes that will remain in place, or receive air 
traffic control (ATC) radar vectors through the area. Additionally, the 
Mattoon DME facility is planned to be retained and charted as a DME 
facility with the ``MTO'' three-letter identifier. Visual flight rules 
(VFR) pilots who elect to navigate via the airways through the affected 
area could also take advantage of the adjacent VOR Federal airways or 
ATC services previously listed.

The Proposal

    The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify the descriptions of VOR Federal 
airways V-72 and V-429. The planned decommissioning of the Mattoon, IL, 
VOR has made these actions necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway 
changes are described below.
    V-72: V-72 currently extends between the Razorback, AR, VOR/
Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Bloomington, IL, VOR/DME. The 
FAA proposes to remove the airway segment between the Bible Grove, IL, 
VORTAC and the Bloomington, IL, VOR/DME. The unaffected portions of the 
existing airway would remain as charted.
    V-429: V-429 currently extends between the Cape Girardeau, MO, VOR/
DME and the Joliet, IL, VORTAC. The FAA proposes to remove the airway 
segment between the Bible Grove, IL, VORTAC and the Champaign, IL, 
VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway would remain as 
charted.
    All radials in the route descriptions below are unchanged and 
stated in True degrees.
    VOR Federal airways are published in paragraph 6010(a) of FAA Order 
7400.11B dated August 3, 2017, and effective September 15, 2017, which 
is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The VOR Federal airways 
listed in this document would be subsequently published 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

[[Page 12885]]

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 FAA Order 7400.11B, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017 and 
effective September 15, 2017, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010(a) Domestic VOR Federal Airways.

* * * * *

V-72 [Amended]

    From Razorback, AR; Dogwood, MO; INT Dogwood 058[deg] and 
Maples, MO, 236[deg] radials; Maples; Farmington, MO; Centralia, IL; 
to Bible Grove, IL.
* * * * *

V-429 [Amended]

    From Cape Girardeau, MO; Marion, IL; INT Marion 011[deg] and 
Bible Grove, IL, 207[deg] radials; to Bible Grove. From Champaign, 
IL; Roberts, IL; to Joliet, IL.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 19, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-05974 Filed 3-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P