Proposed Establishment of United States Area Navigation (RNAV) Route T-364; Kotzebue, AK
| Published date | 29 December 2021 |
| Citation | 86 FR 74000 |
| Record Number | 2021-28240 |
| Section | Proposed rules |
| Court | Federal Aviation Administration |
Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 247 (Wednesday, December 29, 2021)
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 247 (Wednesday, December 29, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74000-74002]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28240]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Docket No. FAA-2021-1156; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-28]
RIN 2120-AA66
Proposed Establishment of United States Area Navigation (RNAV)
Route T-364; Kotzebue, AK
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to establish United States Area
Navigation (RNAV) route T-364 in the vicinity of Kotzebue, AK in
support of a large and comprehensive T-route modernization project for
the state of Alaska.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 14, 2022.
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-2021-1156; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-28 at the beginning of your
comments. You may also submit comments through the internet at https://www.regulations.gov. FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and
Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information,
you can contact the Rules and Regulations Group, Federal Aviation
Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591;
telephone: (202) 267-8783. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is also available for
inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).
For information on the availability of FAA Order JO 7400.11F at NARA,
email: [email protected] or go to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher McMullin, Rules and
Regulations Group, Office of Policy, 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 expand the availability of RNAV in Alaska and
improve the efficient flow of air traffic within the National Airspace
System (NAS) by lessening the dependency on ground based navigation.
[[Page 74001]]
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-2021-1156; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-28) 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 https://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-2021-1156; Airspace Docket No. 19-AAL-28''. 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 NPRM
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the
internet at https://www.regulations.gov. Recently published rulemaking
documents can also be accessed through the FAA's web page at https://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 JO 7400.11F, Airspace
Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective
September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly available as
listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F
lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service
routes, and reporting points.
Background
In 2003, Congress enacted the Vision 100-Century of Aviation
Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. 108-176), which established a joint
planning and development office in the FAA to manage the work related
to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Today,
NextGen is an ongoing FAA-led modernization of the nation's air
transportation system to make flying safer, more efficient, and more
predictable.
In support of NextGen, this proposal is part of a larger and
comprehensive T-route modernization project in the state of Alaska. The
project mission statement states: ``To modernize Alaska's Air Traffic
Service route structure using satellite based navigation Development of
new T-routes and optimization of existing T-routes will enhance safety,
increase efficiency and access, and will provide en route continuity
that is not subject to the restrictions associated with ground based
airway navigation.'' As part of this project, the FAA evaluated the
existing Colored Airway structure for: (a) Direct replacement (i.e.,
overlay) with a T-route that offers a similar or lower Minimum En route
Altitude (MEA) or Global Navigation Satellite System Minimum En route
Altitude (GNSS MEA); (b) the replacement of the colored airway with a
T-route in an optimized but similar geographic area, while retaining
similar or lower MEA; or (c) removal with no route structure (T-route)
restored in that area because the value was determined to be
insignificant.
The aviation industry/users have indicated a desire for the FAA to
transition the Alaskan en route navigation structure away from
dependency on Non-Directional Beacons (NDB), and move to develop and
improve the RNAV route structure. The FAA proposes to establish RNAV
route T-364 between the COGNU, AK, waypoint (WP) northwest of Wales, AK
to the Kotzebue, AK, (OTZ) VHF Omnidirectional Radar/Distance Measuring
Equipment (VOR/DME). The proposed route would provide an alternate
airway for Colored airways, B-8 and B-2, in anticipation of the future
decommissioning of the Hotham, AK, (HHM) and the Shishmaref, AK, (SHH)
NDBs. Furthermore, the proposed route would allow for a lower GNSS MEA,
while providing connectivity to instrument approach procedures at Wales
Airport, Alaska.
The Proposal
The FAA is proposing an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to establish
RNAV route T-364 in the vicinity of Kotzebue, AK in support of a large
and comprehensive T-route modernization project for the state of
Alaska. The proposed route is described below.
T-364: The FAA proposes to establish T-364 between the COGNU, AK WP
and the Kotzebue, AK, (OTZ) VOR/DME.
United States Area Navigation Routes are published in paragraph
6011 of FAA Order JO 7400.11F dated August 10, 2021, and effective
September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1.
The RNAV listed in this document would be published subsequently in FAA
Order JO 7400.11.
FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points,
is published yearly and effective on September 15.
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,
[[Page 74002]]
``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 14 CFR 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 JO
7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10,
2021, and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:
Paragraph 6011 United States Area Navigation Routes
* * * * *
T-364 COGNU, AK to Kotzebue, AK [New]
COGNU, AK WP (Lat. 65[deg]48'29.23'' N, long. 167[deg]50'06.18'' W)
HIPIV, AK WP (Lat. 66[deg]15'29.11'' N, long. 166[deg]03'23.59'' W)
Kotzebue, AK (OTZ) VOR/DME (Lat. 66[deg]53'08.46'' N, long. 162[deg]32'23.77'' W)
* * * * *
Issued in Washington, DC, on December 22, 2021.
Scott M. Rosenbloom,
Acting Manager, Rules and Regulations Group.
[FR Doc. 2021-28240 Filed 12-28-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
