06-898. Modification of Offshore Airspace Areas: Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L; AK

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This action amends the Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L Offshore airspace areas in Alaska. Specifically, this action modifies the Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L airspace areas in the vicinity of the Yakutat Airport, Yakutat, AK, by lowering the affected controlled airspace floor to 700 feet mean sea level (MSL) for the Gulf of Alaska Low, and 1,200 feet MSL for Control 1487L. The FAA is taking this action to provide additional controlled airspace for the safety of aircraft executing instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the Yakutat Airport.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

0901 UTC, April 13, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ken McElroy, Airspace and Rules, Office of System Operations Airspace and AIM, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

History

On December 8, 2005, the FAA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to modify the Gulf of Alaska Low and Control 1487L Offshore Control Areas in Alaska (70 FR 72950). Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal. No comments were received.

The Rule

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 to modify the Gulf of Alaska Low airspace area, AK, by lowering the floor to 700 feet MSL in the vicinity of Yakutat Airport, Yakutat, AK. Additionally, the Control 1487L airspace area, AK, will be lowered from 5,500 feet MSL to 1,200 feet MSL in the vicinity of Yakutat Airport. These areas will provide controlled airspace beyond 12 miles from the shoreline of the United States where there is a requirement to provide IFR enroute Air Traffic Control services and within which the United States is applying domestic air traffic control procedures. This rule establishes controlled airspace sufficient in size to support the Terminal Arrival Area associated with new IFR operations at Yakutat Airport, AK. The FAA Instrument Flight Procedures Production and Maintenance Branch has developed three new standard instrument approach procedures (SIAP), revised seven SIAPs and revised one departure procedure for the Yakutat Airport. Additional controlled airspace extending upward from 700 feet and 1,200 feet above the surface in international airspace is created by this action. The airspace is sufficient to support IFR operations at the Yakutat Airport.

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. Therefore, this 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.

ICAO Considerations

As part of this rule relates to navigable airspace outside the United States, the notice of this action is submitted in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) International Standards and Recommended Practices.

The application of International Standards and Recommended Practices by the FAA, Office of System Operations Airspace and AIM, Airspace & Rules, in areas outside United States domestic airspace, is governed by the Convention on International Civil Aviation. Specifically, the FAA is governed by Article 12 and Annex 11, which pertain to the establishment of necessary air navigational facilities and services to promote the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of civil air traffic. The purpose of Article 12 and Annex 11 is to ensure that civil aircraft operations on international air routes are performed under uniform conditions.

The International Standards and Recommended Practices in Annex 11 apply to airspace under the jurisdiction of a contracting state, derived from ICAO. Annex 11 provisions apply when air traffic services are provided and a contracting state accepts the responsibility of providing air traffic services over high seas or in airspace of undetermined sovereignty. A contracting state accepting this responsibility may apply the International Standards and Recommended Practices that are consistent with standards and practices utilized in its domestic jurisdiction.

In accordance with Article 3 of the Convention, state-owned aircraft are exempt from the Standards and Recommended Practices of Annex 11. The United States is a contracting state to the Convention. Article 3(d) of the Convention provides that participating state aircraft will be operated in international airspace with due regard for the safety of civil aircraft. Since this action involves, in part, the designation of navigable airspace outside the United States, the Administrator has consulted with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense in accordance with the provisions of Executive Order 10854.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

• Airspace
• Incorporation by reference
• Navigation (air)

The Amendment

In consideration of the foregoing, the Federal Aviation Administration amends 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.

§ 71.1

[Amended]

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of the Federal Aviation Administration Order 7400.9N, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated September 1, 2005, and effective September 15, 2005, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6007 Offshore Airspace Areas.

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Gulf of Alaska Low, AK [Amended]

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet MSL bounded by a line beginning at a point where the 12-mile offshore limit intersects long. 144°30′00″ W.; thence eastward 12 miles off shore and parallel to the shoreline to lat. 59°10′36″ N., long. 139°31′10″ W.; to lat. 59°02′49″ N., long. 139°47′45″ W.; to lat. 59°27′12″ N., long. 140°31′10″ W.; thence westward along the south boundary of V-440 to long. 144°30′00″ W.; thence northward along long. 144°30′00″ W.; to the point of beginning.

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Control 1487L [Amended]

That airspace extending upward from 5,500 feet MSL within the area bounded by a line beginning at lat. 58°19′58″ N., long. 148°55′07″ W.; to lat. 59°08′34″ N., long. 147°16′06″ W.; thence counterclockwise via the arc of a 149.5-mile radius centered on the Anchorage VOR/DME to the intersection of the 149.5-mile radius arc and a point 12 miles from and parallel to the U.S. coastline; thence southeast 12 miles from and parallel to the U.S. coastline to a point 12 miles offshore on the Vancouver FIR boundary; to lat. 54°32′57″ N., long. 133°11′29″ W.; to lat. 54°00′00″ N., long. 136°00′00″ W.; to lat. 52°43′00″ N., long. 135°00′00″ W.; to lat. 56°45′42″ N., long. 151°45′00″ W.; to the point of beginning; and that airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet MSL within the area bounded by a line beginning at lat. 59°33′25″ N., long. 141°03′22″ W.; thence southeast 12 miles from and parallel to the U.S. coastline to lat. 58°56′18″ N., long. 138°45′19″ W.; to lat. 58°40′00″ N., long. 139°30′00″ W.; to lat. 59°00′00″ N., long. 141°10′00″ W.; to the point of beginning. The portion within Canada is excluded.

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Issued in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2006.

Kenneth McElroy,

Acting Manager, Airspace and Rules.