83 FR 12887 - Proposed Amendment and Revocation of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes in the Vicinity of Manistique, MI

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

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

This action proposes to modify one VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal airway (V-78) and remove one VOR Federal airway (V-224) in the vicinity of Manistique, MI. The FAA is proposing this action due to the planned decommissioning of the Schoolcraft County, MI (ISQ), VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS routes. The Schoolcraft County 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 12887-12888]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05973]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0220; Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-24]


Proposed Amendment and Revocation of Air Traffic Service (ATS) 
Routes in the Vicinity of Manistique, MI

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify one VHF Omnidirectional Range 
(VOR) Federal airway (V-78) and remove one VOR Federal airway (V-224) 
in the vicinity of Manistique, MI. The FAA is proposing this action due 
to the planned decommissioning of the Schoolcraft County, MI (ISQ), 
VOR/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) navigation aid (NAVAID) 
which provides navigation guidance for portions of the affected ATS 
routes. The Schoolcraft County 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-2018-0220 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-24 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 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 Manistique, 
MI, 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-2018-0220 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-24) 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-2018-0220 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AGL-24.'' 
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 Schoolcraft County, MI 
(ISQ), VOR/DME in January 2019. The Schoolcraft County 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

[[Page 12888]]

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 Schoolcraft County, MI, 
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 airway V-78 and removal of V-224 
would result in a gap in the enroute ATS route structure in the 
Manistique, MI, area. To overcome the gap in the enroute structure, 
instrument flight rules (IFR) traffic could 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 
Schoolcraft County DME facility is planned to be retained and charted 
as a DME facility with the ``ISQ'' 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 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 description of VOR Federal 
airway V-78 and remove VOR Federal airway V-224. The planned 
decommissioning of the Schoolcraft County, MI, VOR has made these 
actions necessary. The proposed VOR Federal airway changes are 
described below.
    V-78: V-78 currently extends between the Huron, SD, VOR/Tactical 
Air Navigation (VORTAC) and the Saginaw, MI, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes 
to remove the airway segment between the Escanaba, MI, VOR/DME and the 
Pellston, MI, VORTAC. The unaffected portions of the existing airway 
would remain as charted.
    V-224: V-224 currently extends between the Sawyer, MI, VOR/DME and 
the Schoolcraft County, MI, VOR/DME. The FAA proposes to remove the 
airway in its entirety.
    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 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-78 [Amended]

    From Huron, SD; Watertown, SD; Darwin, MN; Gopher, MN; INT 
Gopher 091[deg] and Eau Claire, WI, 290[deg] radials; Eau Claire; 
Rhinelander, WI; Iron Mountain, MI; to Escanaba, MI. From Pellston, 
MI; Alpena, MI; INT Alpena 232[deg] and Saginaw, MI, 353[deg] 
radials; to Saginaw.
* * * * *

V-224 [Removed]

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 19, 2018.
Rodger A. Dean Jr.,
Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-05973 Filed 3-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P