83 FR 5524 - Modification of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; Western United States

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 27 (February 8, 2018)

This action modifies VOR Federal Airways V-113 and V-244 which caused navigational aid gaps due to the decommissioning of Manteca and Maxwell VORs.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 27 (Thursday, February 8, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5524-5525]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02133]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0344; Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-11]


Modification of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Routes; Western United 
States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action modifies VOR Federal Airways V-113 and V-244 which 
caused navigational aid gaps due to the decommissioning of Manteca and 
Maxwell VORs.

DATES: Effective date 0901 UTC, March 29, 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 http://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: Kenneth Ready, 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 
western United States to maintain the efficient flow of air traffic.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the 
Federal Register for Docket No. FAA-2017-0344 (82 FR 41182; August 30, 
2017). The NPRM proposed to amend two VOR Federal airways, V-113 and V-
244, in the western United States. 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 commenter wrote that V-113 should be further revised to remove 
the Priest, CA, VOR from the route because that VOR is decommissioned.
    FAA response: The Priest VOR is in a shutdown status pending formal 
decommissioning. This rule, in part, corrects the coordinates defining 
the PATYY intersection in V-113, while further amendment of V-113 is 
being developed for a later date. In the interim, RNAV-equipped 
aircraft can continue to navigate along V-113,\1\ or they can fly T-329 
north-bound or south-bound between the Paso Robles VORTAC and the 
Panoche VORTAC, at which point they can resume V-113. For non-RNAV 
equipped aircraft, ATC could provide radar vectors or issue alternative 
airway routing.
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    \1\ Advisory Circular 90-108, Use of Suitable Area Navigation 
(RNAV) Systems on Conventional Routes and Procedures.
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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

[[Page 5525]]

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.

Differences From the NPRM

    Subsequent to publication of the NPRM, the FAA identified an error 
within a set of True (T) and Magnetic (M) coordinates along V-113. The 
intersection coordinates ``INT Modesto 208[deg](T) 19(M) and El Nido 
277[deg](T) 262[deg](M) radials'' were misidentified as PATYY 
intersection in the NPRM; when in fact these coordinates are for WINDY 
intersection. The FAA is changing the coordinates to ``INT Modesto 
208[deg] (T) 191[deg] (M) and El Nido 298[deg] (T) 283[deg] (M)'' as 
the correct coordinates for PATYY intersection.

The Rule

    The FAA is amending Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 
part 71 to amend VOR Federal Airways V-113 and V-244 in the western 
United States due to the scheduled decommissioning of the Manteca and 
Maxwell VOR facilities. The routes are outlined below.
    V-113: V-113 currently extends between Morro Bay, CA (MQO) and 
Lewistown, MT (LWT) with a gap between Panoche, CA (PXN) and Linden, CA 
(LIN). The FAA is filling the gap between Panoche, CA (PXN) and Linden, 
CA (LIN). The unaffected portions of the existing route will remain as 
charted.
    V-244: V-244 currently extends between Oakland, CA (OAK) and 
Salina, KS, (SLN). The FAA is relocating the segment of the route from 
Oakland, CA by rerouting the airway approximately 10 nautical miles 
north of the previous airway until tied back into the previous route at 
Coaldale, NV. The unaffected portion of the existing route will remain 
as charted.
    All radials in the regulatory text route descriptions below are 
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 will be subsequently published in the 
Order.

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 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 modifying VOR Federal 
airways V-113 and V-244 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 7400.11B, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2017 and 
effective September 15, 2017, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6010--Domestic VOR Federal Airways

V-113 (Amended)

    From Morro Bay, CA; Paso Robles, CA; Priest, CA; Panoche, CA; 
INT Modesto 208[deg] and El Nido 298[deg] radials; Modesto, CA; 
Linden, CA; INT Linden 046[deg] and Mustang, NV, 208[deg] radials; 
Mustang; 42 miles, 24 miles, 115 MSL, 95 MSL, Sod House, NV; 67 
miles, 95 MSL, 85 MSL, Rome, OR; 61 miles, 85 MSL, Boise, ID; 
Salmon, ID; Coppertown, MT; Helena, MT; to Lewistown, MT
* * * * *

V-244 (Amended)

    From Oakland, CA; INT Oakland 077[deg] and Linden, CA, 246[deg] 
radials; Linden; 30 miles, 153 MSL, INT Linden 094[deg] and 
Hangtown, CA, 157[deg] radials; 58 miles, 153 MSL, INT Coaldale, CA, 
267[deg] and Friant, CA, 022[deg] radials; 23 miles, 153 MSL, INT 
Coaldale 267[deg] and Bishop, CA, 337[deg] radials; 43 miles, 125 
MSL, Coaldale, NV; Tonopah, NV; 40 miles, 115 MSL, Wilson Creek, NV; 
28 miles, 115 MSL, Milford, UT; Hanksville, UT; 63 miles, 13 miles, 
140 MSL, 36 miles, 115 MSL, Montrose, CO; Blue Mesa, CO; 33 miles, 
122 MSL, 27 miles, 155 MSL, Pueblo, CO; 18 miles, 48 miles, 60 MSL, 
Lamar, CO; 20 miles, 116 miles, 65 MSL, Hays, KS; to Salina, KS. The 
airspace within R-2531A and R-2531B is excluded.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2018.
Sean E. Hook,
Acting Manager, Airspace Policy Group.
[FR Doc. 2018-02133 Filed 2-7-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P