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 Class E airspace to support IFR operations at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK.

Differences From the NPRM and SNPRM

After publication of the NPRM and SNPRM, FAA discovered inconsistencies between geographic locations and airport data within the state of Alaska. As a result, in this final rule, Kotzebue's Class E2 and E5 airspace legal descriptions will be described in relation to a “Point of Origin” utilizing the same geographic coordinates as the SNPRM. Referencing a “Point of Origin” is consistent with FAA's processing of other airspace modifications currently proposed within the state and assists in preventing future errors in aeronautical charting. This change is administrative in nature and does not substantively alter the proposed airspace boundaries or operating requirements. Accordingly, the FAA finds good cause that recirculating the proposal for notice and comment is unnecessary. 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).

History

The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-2423 in the Federal Register (90 FR 52899; Nov. 24, 2025), proposing to modify Class E airspace at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA, but no comments were received. Following the above NPRM publication, four procedures were amended due to magnetic variation changes and/or procedure updates. As a result, FAA published an SNPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-2423 in the Federal Register (91 FR page 20944; April 20, 2026), which updated the proposal to modify Class E airspace area at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK. Again, interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. One comment was received in support of the airspace action.

Incorporation by Reference

Class E2 and E5 airspace designations are published in paragraphs 6002 and 6005, respectively, of FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 on an annual basis. This document amends the current version of that order, FAA Order JO 7400.11K, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025. These amendments will be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11K, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points, is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document.

The Rule

This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying the Class E airspaces at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, Kotzebue, AK.

First, the Class E2 airspace radius is increased from 4.3-miles to 4.4-miles to better accommodate circling maneuvers to Runways (RWY) 18 and 9. Furthermore, the 1.4-mile and 0.6-mile extensions to the southeast and west, respectively, were added to contain departing aircraft until reaching the base of the next adjacent airspace when executing the COGAS TWO Area Navigation (RNAV) (Required Navigation Performance [RNP]) DEPARTURE and BALIN TWO RNAV (RNP) DEPARTURE from RWYs 9 and 27.

Additionally, the Class E5 airspace is modified to remove unnecessary controlled airspace to the northeast, east, southwest, and west, and to expand the airspace in targeted areas southeast and northwest of the airport. The expansion to the southeast better contains aircraft until reaching 1,200 feet above the surface on the RNAV (Global Positioning System [GPS]) RWY 27 missed approach procedure and BALIN TWO RNAV (RNP) DEPARTURE RWY 9 procedure. The expansion to the northwest adds an additional one-by-five-mile airspace area to better contain arriving aircraft operating below 1,500 feet above the surface on the Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Localizer (LOC) RWY 9 approach procedure. The eastern boundary is extended by approximately 1.6 miles and the western boundary extended to approximately 10.7 miles to more appropriately contain the Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) RWY 9 and the VOR RWY 27 instrument approach procedures when operating less than 1,500 feet above the surface, respectively.

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 DOT Order 2100.6B, “Rulemaking and Guidance Procedure” (March 10, 2025); and (3) is expected to result in, at most, de minimis costs from compliance with applicable operating requirements or minor flight rerouting for operators choosing to navigate around the controlled airspace. Since these amendments are routine and the expected impact to operators is de minimis, the FAA certifies 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 (42 U.S.C. 4321, et seq.) and in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1G, “FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures,” paragraph B-2.5.a. 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.

The Amendment

In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows: