83 FR 28980 - Amendment of Class E Airspace; Altoona, PA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 121 (June 22, 2018)

This action amends amend Class E surface area airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface at Altoona-Blair County Airport, Altoona, PA. This action accommodates airspace reconfiguration due to the decommissioning of Altoona VHF omnidirectional range navigation system (VOR) and cancellation of the VOR approaches. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at this airport.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 121 (Friday, June 22, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 28980-28981]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13373]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0129; Airspace Docket No. 18-AEA-4]
RIN 2120-AA66


Amendment of Class E Airspace; Altoona, PA

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action amends amend Class E surface area airspace and 
Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the 
surface at Altoona-Blair County Airport, Altoona, PA. This action 
accommodates airspace reconfiguration due to the decommissioning of 
Altoona VHF omnidirectional range navigation system (VOR) and 
cancellation of the VOR approaches. Controlled airspace is necessary 
for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) 
operations at this airport.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, September 13, 2018. 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 7400.11B, 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: John Fornito, Operations Support 
Group, Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 1701 
Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; telephone (404) 305-6364.

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 
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 amends Class E airspace at Altoona-Blair County Airport, Altoona, 
PA, to ensure the efficient use of airspace within the National 
Airspace System.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register (83 FR 11446, March 15, 2018) for Docket No. FAA-2018-0129 to 
amend Class E surface area airspace, and Class E airspace extending 
upward from 700 feet above the surface at Altoona-Blair County Airport, 
Altoona, PA. Interested parties were invited to participate in this 
rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the 
FAA. No comments were received.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6002 and 
6005, respectively, 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 Class E airspace designations listed in this document 
will be published subsequently in the Order.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document amends 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.

The Rule

    This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 
part 71 by amending Class E surface area airspace, and Class E airspace 
extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface due to the 
decommissioning of the Altoona VOR and cancelation of associated 
approaches at Altoona-Blair County Airport, Altoona, PA.
    The Class E surface area airspace is amended to within a 4.7-mile 
(from a 4-mile) radius of the airport, with a segment 1.0-mile each 
side of the 026[deg] bearing from the airport to 8.7 miles northeast. 
The Altoona VOR segment is removed.
    The Class E airspace area extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface is amended to within an 11.2-mile (from a 6.5-mile) radius of 
the airport. These changes enhance the safety and management of IFR 
operations at the airport.

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. 
Therefore, this regulation: (1) Is not a ``significant regulatory 
action'' under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' 
under 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 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 in accordance 
with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5a. This airspace action is not expected to 
cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no 
extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an 
environmental assessment.

Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

[[Page 28981]]

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

Paragraph 6002 Class E Surface Area Airspace.

* * * * *

AEA PA E2 Altoona, PA [Amended]

Altoona-Blair County Airport, PA
    (Lat. 40[deg]17'47'' N, long. 78[deg]19'12'' W)

    Within a 4.7-mile radius of Altoona-Blair County Airport, and 
within 1.0 mile each side of the 026[deg] bearing from the airport 
to 8.7 miles northeast of the airport.

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

AEA PA E5 Altoona, PA [Amended]

Altoona-Blair County Airport, PA
    (Lat. 40[deg]17'47'' N, long. 78[deg]19'12'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within an 11.2-mile radius of Altoona-Blair County Airport.

    Issued in College Park, Georgia, on June 14, 2018.
Ken Brissenden,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, Eastern Service Center, Air 
Traffic Organization.
[FR Doc. 2018-13373 Filed 6-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P