01-3641. Proposed Establishment of Colored Federal Airways; AK

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY:

The FAA proposes to establish two colored Federal airways, Amber-5 (A-5) and Amber-6 (A-6) in Alaska. The FAA is proposing this action to improve the management of air traffic operations in Alaska and enhance safety.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before March 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to: Manager, Air Traffic Division, AAL-500, Docket No. 00-AAL-08, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, #14, Anchorage, AK 99533.

The official docket may be examined in the Rules Docket, Office of the Chief Counsel, Room 916, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington DC, weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

An informal docket may also be examined during normal business hours at the office of the Regional Air Traffic Division.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ken McElroy, Airspace and Rules Division, ATA-400, Office of Air Traffic Airspace Management, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: [phone].

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 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. 00-AAL-08.” 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 of comments received. All comments submitted will be available for examination in the Rules 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 NPRM's

An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded, using a modem and suitable communications software, from the FAA regulations section of the Fedworld electronic bulletin board service (telephone: [phone]) or the Federal Register's electronic bulletin board service (telephone: [phone]).

Internet users may reach the FAA's web page at http://www.faa.gov or the Superintendent of Document's web page at http://www.access.gpo.gov/​nara for access to recently published rulemaking documents.

Any person may obtain a copy of this NPRM by submitting a request to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Air Traffic Airspace Management, ATA-400, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591, or by calling [phone]. Communications must identify the notice number of the NPRM. Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future NPRM's should call the FAA's Office of Rulemaking, [phone], and request 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 14 CFR part 71 (part 71) to establish two colored Federal airways, A-5 and A-6, in Alaska. Presently there is an uncharted nonregulatory route that uses the same routing as the proposed Colored Federal Airway, A-6. This uncharted nonregulatory route is used daily by commercial and general aviation aircraft. The FAA is proposing to convert this uncharted nonregulatory route to the Colored Federal Airways to add to the instrument flight rules (IFR) airway and route structure in Alaska.

Colored Federal Airway A-5 is being proposed as a result of a request from Northern Air Cargo to establish a low altitude route between Evansville NDB and Point Lay NDB. This change is necessary to improve the IFR airway structure that supports existing commercial services.

These routes would provide a means to establish an airway structure to support the existing commercial services in Alaska, where currently a limited airway structure exists. Additionally, adoption of these Federal airways would: (1) Provide pilots with minimum en route altitudes and minimum obstruction clearance altitudes information; (2) establish controlled airspace thus eliminating some of the commercial IFR operations in uncontrolled airspace; and (3) improve the management of air traffic operations and thereby enhance safety.

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 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.

Colored Federal airways are published in paragraph 6009 of FAA Order 7400.9H dated September 1, 2000, and effective September 16, 2000, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The colored Federal airways listed in this document would be published subsequently in the order.

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 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 FAA Order 7400.9H, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated September 1, 2000, and effective September 16, 2000, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6009(c) Amber Federal Airways

* * * * *

A-5 [New]

From Evansville, AK, NDB to Point Lay, AK, NDB.

A-6 [New]

From Evansville, AK, NDB to Ambler, AK, NDB.

* * * * *

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 23, 2001.

Reginald C. Matthews,

Manager, Airspace and Rules Division.