[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 70900-70901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28503]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0951; Airspace Docket No. 13-ASW-22]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Modification of Area Navigation (RNAV) Route Q-20, TX
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to modify RNAV route Q-20 in support of
the Houston Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in a Metroplex
(OAPM) project. This proposed action re-aligns Q-20 to incorporate the
FUSCO waypoint (WP) being relocated .48 nautical miles southwest to
match the intersection of Jet routes J-15 and J-183.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 13, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the 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-2013-
0951 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASW-22 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colby Abbott, Airspace Policy 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. 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-2013-0951 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASW-22) 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-2013-0951 and Airspace Docket No. 13-ASW-22.''
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.
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 Central Service Center, Operations
Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2601 Meacham Blvd.,
Fort Worth, TX 76137.
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 Q-20 in support of the Houston
OAPM project. OAPM is intended to improve air traffic flows within an
entire region resulting in increased capacity and fuel efficiency and
reduced track distances. Q-20 extends between the Corona, NM, VHF
Omnidirectional Range/Tactical Air Navigation (VORTAC) navigation aid
and the Junction, TX, VORTAC navigation aid. This action would amend Q-
20 by relocating the FUSCO WP to match the intersection of Jet routes
J-15 and J-183, and re-designating FUSCO as a fix. The modification
would enable aircraft filed eastbound via J-15, J-183, or Q-20, to
file, after FUSCO, direct to a published transition to a Houston
Standard Terminal Arrival Route. This would simplify flight plan filing
and Flight Management Computer entries; thus, reducing the potential
for routing errors.
High altitude RNAV routes are published in paragraph 2006 of FAA
Order 7400.9X dated August 7, 2013, and effective September 15, 2013,
which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The RNAV route
listed in this document would be subsequently published 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 proposed regulation is within the scope of that
[[Page 70901]]
authority as it would modify the route structure as required to enhance
the safe and efficient flow of air traffic in the United States.
Environmental Review
This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in
accordance with FAA Order 1050.1E, ``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(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 7400.9X,
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 7, 2013, and
effective September 15, 2013, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes.
* * * * *
Q-20 CNX, NM to JCT, TX [Amended]
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Corona (CNX), NM VORTAC (Lat. 34[deg]22'01'' N., long. 105[deg]40'41'' W.)
HONDS, NM FIX (Lat. 33[deg]34'00'' N., long. 104[deg]51'12'' W.)
UNNOS, NM WP (Lat. 32[deg]57'00'' N., long. 103[deg]56'00'' W.)
FUSCO, TX FIX (Lat. 31[deg]10'38'' N., long. 101[deg]19'47'' W.)
Junction (JCT), TX VORTAC (Lat. 30[deg]35'53'' N., long. 99[deg]49'03'' W.)
* * * * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2013.
Gary A. Norek,
Manager, Airspace Policy and ATC Procedures Group.
[FR Doc. 2013-28503 Filed 11-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P