Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Route Q-5; Western United States

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)

Federal Register Volume 83, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)

Proposed Rules

Pages 12290-12292

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov

FR Doc No: 2018-05584

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

Docket No. FAA-2018-0195; Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-15

Proposed Amendment of Air Traffic Service (ATS) Route Q-5; Western United States

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

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SUMMARY: This action proposes to amend United States Area Navigation (RNAV) route Q-5 in the western United States. The route will now terminate at a waypoint (WP) that connects to an Oakland International Airport (OAK), Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) near Oakland CA.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590; telephone: 1(800) 647-5527, or (202) 366-9826. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA-2018-0195 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-15 at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at http://www.regulations.gov.

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: 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 would modify the route structure as necessary to support the safe and efficient flow of air traffic within the National Airspace System.

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

Page 12291

regulatory, aeronautical, economic, environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal.

Communications should identify both docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA-2018-0195 and Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-15) 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-2018-0195, and Airspace Docket No. 17-AWP-15.'' The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.

All communications received on or before the specified comment closing date 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 comment closing date. 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/air_traffic/publications/airspace_amendments/.

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 Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

This document proposes to amend 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.

Background

Route Q-5 was one of the original RNAV routes developed ushering in performance based navigation (PBN) into the United States. Route Q-5 provided a high altitude route from Seattle into the bay area of San Francisco and Oakland, CA. Route Q-5 tied in OAK airport via the RAIDR STAR from STIKM WP, which is the current southern boundary point on the route. The STAR was removed in 2017 and Q-5 no longer tied into the bay area. The FAA proposes to add a new boundary point of SPAMY, CA, WP, which serves two STARs; WNDSR TWO ARRIVAL and the AANET ONE ARRIVAL, with both serving OAK. Lastly, policy states odd numbered ATS routes list points south to north. Currently Q-5 lists the route north to south. This proposal corrects the direction and will be in line with current policy.

The Proposal

The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify RNAV route Q-5. The proposed route changes are outlined below. Q-5: Route Q-5 currently extends from HAROB, WA to STIKM, CA. The FAA proposes to start the route at SPAMY, CA, WP, thereby eliminating the STIKM, CA, WP and the HUPTU, CA, WP, to support STARs into OAK. Additionally, ATS route policy states, odd numbered routes will be listed south to north. Route Q-5 was originally listed north to south, and is proposed south to north. The amended route would, therefore, extend from SPAMY, CA to HAROB, WA.

United States Area Navigation Routes are published in paragraph 2006 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 United States Area Navigation Routes listed in this document will be subsequently published in the Order.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

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. 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 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.

Environmental Review

This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``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

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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

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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 2006 United States Area Navigation Routes

Page 12292

Q-5 SPAMY, CA to HAROB, WA Amended

SPAMY, CA WP (Lat. 39deg11'57.00'' N, long. 122deg37'58.00'' W)

HOMEG, CA WP (Lat. 41deg20'09.00'' N, long. 122deg51'05.00'' W)

HARPR, OR WP (Lat. 42deg28'50.00'' N, long. 122deg53'01.54'' W)

HISKU, OR WP (Lat. 44deg30'00.00'' N, long. 122deg56'39.00'' W)

HAROB, WA WP (Lat. 47deg14'36.00'' N, long. 123deg02'27.00'' W)

Issued in Washington, DC, on March 13, 2018.

Rodger A. Dean Jr.,

Manager, Airspace Policy Group.

FR Doc. 2018-05584 Filed 3-20-18; 8:45 am

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