[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 232 (Wednesday, December 3, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 63917-63918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-31697]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 71
[Airspace Docket No. 97-AAL-11]
Proposed Revocation of Class E Airspace; Wrangell, AK, and
Petersburg, AK
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes to revoke the Class E surface area
airspace at Wrangell, AK, and Petersburg, AK. Plans to develop Required
Navigation Performance (RNP) instrument approach procedures at these
airports have been cancelled or delayed indefinitely. Consequently, the
surface areas at Wrangell Airport and Petersburg James A Johnson
Airport are no longer necessary for air traffic operations. Adoption of
this proposal would result in the affected airspace reverting to Class
G.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 20, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Send comments on this proposal in triplicate to: Manager,
Operations Branch, AAL-530, Docket No. 97-AAL-11, Federal Aviation
Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587.
The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Assistant
Chief Counsel for the Alaskan Region at the same address.
An informal docket may also be examined during normal business
hours in the Office of the Manager, Operations Branch, Air Traffic
Division, at the address shown above and on the Internet at Alaskan
Region's homepage at http://www.alaska.faa.gov/at or at address http://
162.58.28.41/at.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert van Haastert, Operations
Branch, AAL-538, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue,
Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587; telephone number: (907) 271-5863;
email: Robert.van.Haastert@faa.dot.gov; Internet: http://
www.alaska.faa.gov/at or at http://162.58.28.41/at.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In May 1996, rulemaking actions were initiated to create surface
area airspace at the Wrangell Airport and the Petersburg James A
Johnson Airport to support new RNP instrument approach procedures.
Alaska Airlines planned to develop RNP approaches to runways 27 and 9
at Wrangell Airport, and for runways 4 and 22 at Petersburg James A
Johnson Airport. These new RNP approaches were to be designed with
minimums below 700 feet Above Ground Level (AGL). The establishment of
surface areas at both airports was requested and the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) was published June 24, 1996 (61 FR 32372). No
comments to the NPRM were received and the Final Rule was published
October 16, 1996 (61 FR 53844), establishing new surface areas for
Wrangell Airport and Petersburg James A Johnson Airport. After the
Juneau Sectional Aeronautical Chart, 37th edition, was published on
April 24, 1997, the FAA received one Congressional Inquiry and
additional letters of concern and objections to the surface areas at
both airports. Letters have been received from Sunrise Aviation INC.,
Nordic Air, Temsco Helicopters INC., Pacific Wing INC., Taquan Air, and
Hawkair Aviation Services LTD objecting to the establishment of these
surface areas without an apparent purpose and usage. Alaska Airlines
has indicated to the FAA their RNP instrument approach development for
Wrangell Airport and Petersburg James A Johnson Airport has been
delayed and development of new RNP approaches is not scheduled in the
immediate future.
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 the airspace docket number and be
submitted in triplicate to the address listed above. Commenters wishing
the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments on this notice must
submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which
the following statement is made: ``Comments to Airspace Docket No. 97-
AAL-11.'' 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 notice may be changed
in light
[[Page 63918]]
of comments received. All comments submitted will be available for
examination in the Operations Branch, Air Traffic Division, Federal
Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK,
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 NPRM's
Any person may obtain a copy of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) by submitting a request to the Operations Branch, AAL-530,
Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14,
Anchorage, AK 99513-7587. Communications must identify the notice
number of this NPRM. Persons interested in being placed on a mailing
list for future NPRM's should also request a copy of Advisory Circular
No. 11-2A, which describes the application procedure.
The Proposal
The FAA is considering an amendment to 14 CFR part 71 to remove the
Class E airspace at Wrangell, AK, and Petersburg, AK. The coordinates
for this airspace docket are based on North American Datum 83. The
Class E airspace areas designated as surface areas for an airport are
published in paragraph 6002 of FAA Order 7400.9E, Airspace Designations
and Reporting Points, dated September 10, 1997, and effective September
16, 1997, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class
E airspace designation listed in this document would be removed
subsequently from 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.
It, therefore--(1) is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under
Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a ``significant rule'' under 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 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.
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, CLASS B, CLASS C, CLASS D, AND
CLASS E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIRWAYS; ROUTES; AND REPORTING POINTS
1. The authority citation for 14 CFR 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 Federal
Aviation Administration Order 7400.9E, Airspace Designations and
Reporting Points, dated September 10, 1997, and effective September 16,
1997, is to be amended as follows:
Paragraph 6002 The Class E airspace areas listed below are
designated as a surface area for an airport
* * * * *
AAL AK E2 Petersburg, AK [Removed]
* * * * *
AAL AK E2 Wrangell, AK [Removed]
* * * * *
Issued in Anchorage, AK, on November 5, 1997.
Willis C. Nelson,
Manager, Air Traffic Division, Alaskan Region.
[FR Doc. 97-31697 Filed 12-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
