[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 234 (Tuesday, December 6, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76070-76072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-31223]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2011-1193; Airspace Docket No. 11-ANM-14]
Proposed Modification of Area Navigation Route T-288; WY
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify low altitude area navigation
(RNAV) route T-288 by extending the route westward from the Rapid City,
SD, VORTAC to the Gillette, WY, VOR/DME. The proposed extension would
enhance efficiency and safety of the National Airspace System (NAS) by
supplementing the existing VOR Federal airway structure in that area.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 20, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the Docket Management
Facility, U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140,
Washington, DC 20590-0001; telephone: (202) 366-9826. You must identify
FAA Docket No. FAA-2011-1193 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ANM-14 at the
beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Gallant, Airspace, Regulations
and ATC Procedures Group, Office of Airspace Services, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (202) 267-8783.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed
rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments, as
they may desire.
[[Page 76071]]
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-2011-1193 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ANM-14) 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-2011-1193 and Airspace Docket No. 11-ANM-14.''
The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
All communications received on or before the specified closing date
for comments 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 closing date
for comments. 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, or the Federal Register's Web page at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.
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
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. An
informal docket may also be examined during normal business hours at
the office of the Western Service Center, Federal Aviation
Administration, 1601 Lind Ave. SW., Renton, WA 98057.
Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future
NPRM's should contact the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, (202) 267-9677,
for a copy of Advisory Circular No. 11-2A, Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking Distribution System, which describes the application
procedure.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify RNAV route T-288 by adding a new
segment between the Rapid City, SD VORTAC and the Gillette, WY VOR/DME.
The modification would enhance the efficiency and safety of the NAS by
supplementing the existing VOR Federal airway structure and providing
alternative routing in the event of navigation aid (NAVAID) outages.
The minimum IFR altitude in the area varies between 7,000 feet MSL and
9,300 feet MSL; however, the radar coverage in that area is not
reliable below 12,000 feet MSL to 13,000 feet MSL. When NAVAID outages
occur, due to the existing route and NAVAID structure, it is difficult
to route aircraft between the Gillette VOR/DME and the Rapid City
VORTAC. In this situation, aircraft flying at lower altitudes must
climb up to be within radar coverage in order to get a more direct
route to/from the VOR/DME and VORTAC. This is especially important
during winter months because pilots encountering icing conditions at
the higher altitudes need to descend, but are then lost from radar
coverage. The proposed T-288 modification would alleviate this
situation as well as enhance the NAS efficiency by adding an RNAV route
option.
Low altitude RNAV routes are published in paragraph 6011 of FAA
Order 7400.9V, dated August 9, 2011 and effective September 15, 2011,
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The RNAV route
listed in this document would be published subsequently in the Order.
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.
Therefore, this proposed regulation: (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.
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 expands RNAV route coverage to enhance the safe and efficient
flow of traffic in the western United States.
Environmental Review
The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance
with FAA Order 1050.1E, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and
Procedures,'' paragraph 311a and 311b. 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.
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
1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24
FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.
Sec. 71.1 [Amended]
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order
7400.9V, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 9,
2011 and effective September 15, 2011, is amended as follows:
[[Page 76072]]
Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes.
* * * * *
T-288 Gillette, WY (GCC) to Wolbach, NE (OBH) [Amended]
Gillette, WY (GCC).......... VOR/DME............. (Lat. 44[deg]20'52'' N., long. 105[deg]32'37'' W.)
KARAS,...................... INT................. (Lat. 44[deg]16'23'' N., long. 104[deg]18'50'' W.)
Rapid City, SD (RAP)........ VORTAC.............. (Lat. 43[deg]58'34'' N., long. 103[deg]00'44'' W)
WNDED, SD................... WP.................. (Lat. 43[deg]19'14'' N., long. 101[deg]32'19'' W.)
Valentine, NE (VTN)......... NDB................. (Lat. 42[deg]51'42'' N., long. 100[deg]32'59'' W.)
Ainsworth, NE (ANW)......... VOR/DME............. (Lat. 42[deg]34'09'' N., long. 99[deg]59'23'' W.)
FESNT, NE................... WP.................. (Lat. 42[deg]03'57'' N., long. 99[deg]17'18'' W.)
Wolbach, NE (OBH)........... VORTAC.............. (Lat. 41[deg]22'33'' N., long. 98[deg]21'13'' W.)
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC on November 29, 2011.
Gary A. Norek,
Acting Manager, Airspace, Regulations and ATC Procedures Group.
[FR Doc. 2011-31223 Filed 12-5-11; 8:45 am]
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