2016-17579. Provision of Navigation Services for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Transition to Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) (Plan for Establishing a VOR Minimum Operational Network)
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Start Preamble
AGENCY:
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION:
Final policy statement.
SUMMARY:
This action sets forth the Very High Frequency (VHF) Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Minimum Operational Network (MON) policy as proposed in the Proposed Provision of Navigation Services for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) Transition to Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) notice of proposed policy published on December 15, 2011 (76 FR 77939). This document provides the discontinuance selection criteria and candidate list of VOR Navigational Aids (NAVAIDs) targeted for discontinuance as part of the VOR MON Implementation Program and United States (U.S.) National Airspace System (NAS) Efficient Streamline Services Initiative. Additionally, this policy addresses the regulatory processes the FAA plans to follow to discontinue VORs.
DATES:
Effective July 26, 2016.
Start Further InfoFOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Leonixa Salcedo, VOR MON Program Manager, AJM-324, Navigation Programs, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; email: vormon@faa.gov; telephone: (844) 4VORMON (844-486-7666).
End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental InformationSUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On December 15, 2011 the FAA published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed policy and request for comments (76 FR 77939) on the FAA's proposed strategy for gradually reducing the current VOR network to a Minimum Operational Network (MON) as the NAS transitions to performance-based navigation (PBN) as part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). The FAA announced that, as part of a NAS Efficient Streamlined Services Initiative, the number of conventional NAVAIDs would be reduced while more efficient Area Navigation (RNAV) routes and procedures are implemented throughout the NAS. The FAA noted its intention to convene a working group to assist in developing a candidate list of VORs for discontinuance using relevant operational, safety, cost, and economic criteria. Interested parties were invited to participate in the review of this policy and planning effort by submitting written comments on the proposal.
The FAA reviewed all 330 comments received and on August 21, 2012, published in the Federal Register the disposition of the comments on the notice of proposed policy (77 FR 50420). In considering and disposing of the comments, the FAA noted that it would develop an initial VOR MON Plan which would be made publicly available. The FAA renewed its intention to convene a working group that would assist in developing objective criteria which would be applied consistently nationally and regionally to help identify those VOR facilities that would remain operational.
Criteria for Assessing VOR Discontinuance
After the FAA published the disposition of comments, stakeholders, industry, and military services provided further inputs to the FAA for consideration in developing the criteria used to select VORs that would need to be retained as a part of the MON. The FAA also sought recommendations from aviation industry stakeholders through the RTCA Tactical Operations Committee (TOC). With this collective input, the FAA developed the criteria to determine which VORs would be candidates for retention. VORs not meeting these criteria were considered as discontinuance candidates.
The following criteria were used by the FAA to determine which VORs would be retained as a part of the MON:
— Retain VORs to perform Instrument Landing System (ILS), Localizer (LOC), or VOR approaches supporting MON airports at suitable destinations within 100 NM of any location within the CONUS. Selected approaches would not require Automatic Direction Finder (ADF), Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), Radar, or GPS.
— Retain VORs to support international oceanic arrival routes.
— Retain VORs to provide coverage at and above 5,000 ft AGL.
— Retain most VORs in the Western U.S. Mountainous Area (WUSMA), specifically those anchoring Victor airways through high elevation terrain.
— Retain VORs required for military use.
— VORs outside of the CONUS were not considered for discontinuance under the VOR MON Implementation Program.
The following considerations were used to supplement the VOR MON criteria above:
— Only FAA owned/operated VORs were considered for discontinuance.
— Co-located DME and Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) systems will generally be retained when the VOR service is terminated.
— Co-located communication services relocated or reconfigured to continue transmitting their services.
Working Group
Using the established criteria, the FAA convened an internal working group to develop a candidate list of VORs using the VOR MON criteria relevant to operational, safety, cost, and economic considerations. The group developed the VOR MON service by first selecting MON airports that met the criteria listed above. Airports with ILS approaches that met the criteria were selected in preference to VOR approaches. If two airports in close proximity had suitable approaches, then the airport whose ILS or VOR approach required the FAA to retain the fewest number of VORs (i.e., to identify initial, Start Printed Page 48695final, stepdown, and missed approach points) were generally selected. VORs necessary to fulfil other criteria were then selected to be retained. Additional VORs were retained to provide coverage at 5000 ft AGL. The effect of terrain blockage and unavailable radials from some VORs was considered, as was MON airport infrastructure, radar coverage, and training. The overall goal of the effort was to provide the VOR MON service according to the criteria while retaining the fewest number of VORs.
The working group also considered flight procedure development requirements and capabilities, non-rulemaking and rulemaking processing requirements and timelines, and geographic impacts to the NAS as it refined the candidate list of VORs for retention. Since some VORs are co-located with communications services, such as the Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory Service (HIWAS) and Remote Communication Outlet (RCO), the working group also identified which services would be reconfigured or relocated in order to continue to provide those services. For VORs not listed as part of the MON, the FAA's working groups developed a candidate list of VORs for discontinuance arranged in two Phases (2016-2020 and 2021-2025) by Service Area based on Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) mitigation complexity.
Discontinuance Process
The FAA will follow its established policies and processes for VOR discontinuance according to FAA Order JO 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters. Prior to making any VOR discontinuance determinations, the geographically responsible Air Traffic Organization (ATO) service area office will publish a circular notice of the proposed discontinuance action to solicit comments from aviation interested persons and organizations. A brief description of the discontinuance effect on airspace and instrument procedures will be included in the circularization. Once a determination to discontinue a VOR has been made, the responsible service area office will initiate established part 71 and part 97 rulemaking processing procedures. The FAA will publish Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register to solicit public comments on all proposed part 71 airspace and ATS route amendments resulting from VOR discontinuance determinations prior to taking any amendment actions within the NAS. After consideration of all public comments received in response to published NPRMs, the FAA will determine whether to issue final rules announcing part 71 airspace and Air Traffic Service (ATS) route and part 97 standard instrument procedure amendment determinations in the Federal Register.
The FAA remains committed to the plan to retain an optimized network of VOR NAVAIDs. The MON will enable pilots to revert from Performance Based Navigation (PBN) to conventional navigation for approach, terminal and en route operations in the event of a GPS outage and supports the NAS transition from VOR-based routes to a more efficient PBN structure consistent with NextGen goals and the NAS Efficient Streamlined Services Initiative.
The FAA continues to plan the NAS transition from defining ATS routes and instrument procedures using VORs and other conventional NAVAIDs [1] to a point-to-point system based on RNAV and Required Navigation Performance (RNP). RNAV will generally be available throughout the NAS and RNP will be provided where beneficial. The FAA's network of DME NAVAIDs will provide a PBN-capable backup to GPS; however, for aircraft without scanning DME receivers (DD) or DD with Inertial Reference Unit aiding (DDI) equipment, the FAA will provide a conventional navigation backup service based on the proposed VOR MON. The VOR MON is designed to enable aircraft, having lost Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) service, to revert to conventional navigation procedures. The VOR MON is further designed to allow aircraft to proceed to a MON airport where an ILS or VOR approach procedure can be flown without the necessity of GPS, DME, ADF, or Surveillance. Of course, any airport with a suitable instrument approach may be used for landing, but the VOR MON assures that at least one airport will be within 100 NM.
Discontinuance Candidate List
Provided below is a candidate list of VORs being considered for discontinuance in Phase 1 (2016-2020) and Phase 2 (2021-2025) as the FAA works toward the establishment of a VOR MON. It is tentative and may be adjusted based on economic or other factors. As of June 21, 2016 the 45 facilities denoted with an asterisk (*) have completed the circularization public notice process and the FAA has made its determination for discontinuance:
VOR MON Program—Phase 1 Candidate Discontinuance List (FY2016-FY2020)
ID VOR Name City ST Western Service Area (WSA) Phase 1 Discontinuance Total: 10 BSR BIG SUR BIG SUR CA CCR CONCORD CONCORD CA CIC CHICO CHICO CA CZQ CLOVIS FRESNO CA ECA * MANTECA STOCKTON CA HYP EL NIDO MERCED CA LIA LIBERATOR MOUNTAIN HOME ID MXW * MAXWELL MAXWELL CA PVU PROVO PROVO UT ROM PRIEST PRIEST CA Central Service Area (CSA) Phase 1 Discontinuance Total: 31 ANY ANTHONY ANTHONY KS AOH * ALLEN COUNTY LIMA OH ASP AU SABLE OSCODA MI Start Printed Page 48696 BDE BAUDETTE BAUDETTE MN BRD * BRAINERD BRAINERD MN BTL * BATTLE CREEK BATTLE CREEK MI BUA * BUFFALO BUFFALO SD BUU BURBUN BURLINGTON WI BWS BOLES BOLES NM CGI CAPE GIRARDEAU CAPE GIRARDEAU MO CSX CARDINAL CARDINAL MO DAK DRAKE FAYETTEVILLE AR DDD PORT CITY MUSCATINE IA DUC DUNCAN DUNCAN OK ENW KENOSHA KENOSHA WI FLP FLIPPIN FLIPPIN AR GBG GALESBURG GALESBURG IL GTH GUTHRIE GUTHRIE TX HRK HORLICK RACINE WI HUB * HOBBY HOBBY TX HUW HUTTON WEST PLAINS MO IJX JACKSONVILLE JACKSONVILLE IL IKK KANKAKEE KANKAKEE IL LAN LANSING LANSING MI LJT TIMMERMAN MILWAUKEE WI LWV LAWRENCEVILLE LAWRENCEVILLE IL MTO MATTOON MATTOON/CHARLESTON IL PSI PONTIAC WHITE LAKE MI RIS * RIVERSIDE KANSAS CITY MO STE * STEVENS POINT STEVENS POINT WI SYO * SAYRE SAYRE OK Eastern Service Area (ESA) Phase 1 Discontinuance Total: 33 ABB * NABB NABB IN AOO ALTOONA ALTOONA PA BML BERLIN BERLIN NH BQM BOWMAN LOUISVILLE KY CCT CENTRAL CITY CENTRAL CITY KY CYY CYPRESS NAPLES FL DAN DANVILLE DANVILLE VA DKK * DUNKIRK DUNKIRK NY DYR * DYERSBURG DYERSBURG TN EDS * ORANGEBURG ORANGEBURG SC ELZ * WELLSVILLE WELLSVILLE NY EWA * KEWANEE KEWANEE MS FKN * FRANKLIN FRANKLIN VA GFL * GLENS FALLS GLENS FALLS NY GRV * GRANTSVILLE GRANTSVILLE MD HAB HAMILTON HAMILTON AL HLL HANDLE PANAMA CITY FL HUL HOULTON HOULTON ME HVN NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN CT HZL * HAZLETON HAZLETON PA ITH ITHACA ITHACA NY JKS * JACKS CREEK JACKS CREEK TN LVL * LAWRENCEVILLE HERNDON VA MMJ MONTOUR PITTSBURGH PA OTT * NOTTINGHAM NOTTINGHAM MD PLB * PLATTSBURGH PLATTSBURGH NY PNE NORTH PHILADELPHIA NORTH PHILADELPHIA PA PNN * PRINCETON PRINCETON ME PXT * PATUXENT PATUXENT RIVER MD RNL * RAINELLE RAINELLE WV RUT RUTLAND RUTLAND VT SLK SARANAC LAKE SARANAC LAKE NY TDG * TALLADEGA TALLADEGA AL Start SignatureVOR MON Program—Phase 2 Candidate Discontinuance List (FY2021-FY2025)
ID VOR Name City ST Western Service Area (WSA) Phase 2 Discontinuance Total: 5 COE COEUR D'ALENE COEUR D'ALENE ID Start Printed Page 48697 DEN DENVER DENVER CO HUH WHATCOM BELLINGHAM WA PAE PAINE EVERETT WA STS SANTA ROSA SANTA ROSA CA Central Service Area (CSA) Phase 2 Discontinuance Total: 131 ATY WATERTOWN WATERTOWN SD AUW WAUSAU WAUSAU WI AZO KALAMAZOO KALAMAZOO MI BDF BRADFORD BRADFORD IL BGD BORGER BORGER TX BMI BLOOMINGTON BLOOMINGTON IL BPT BEAUMONT BEAUMONT PORT ARTHUR TX BRO BROWNSVILLE BROWNSVILLE TX BVT BOILER LAFAYETTE IN CLL COLLEGE STATION COLLEGE STATION TX CNU CHANUTE CHANUTE KS CQY CEDAR CREEK CEDAR CREEK TX CTW NEWCOMERSTOWN NEWCOMERSTOWN OH CXR CHARDON CHARDON OH DAS DAISETTA DAISETTA TX DNV DANVILLE DANVILLE IL DVL DEVILS LAKE DEVILS LAKE ND DWN DARWIN DARWIN MN DXO DETROIT DETROIT MI EIC BELCHER SHREVEPORT LA ELA EAGLE LAKE EAGLE LAKE TX ELO ELY ELY MN ELX KEELER KEELER MI EON PEOTONE PEOTONE IL EOS NEOSHO NEOSHO MO FAH FALLS SHEBOYGAN WI FBC FLAG CITY FINDLAY OH FCM FLYING CLOUD MINNEAPOLIS MN FOD FORT DODGE FORT DODGE IA FRM FAIRMONT FAIRMONT MN GIJ GIPPER NILES MI GLD GOODLAND GOODLAND KS GLR GAYLORD GAYLORD MI GNL GROESBECK MEXIA TX GNP GLENPOOL GLENPOOL OK GPZ GRAND RAPIDS GRAND RAPIDS MN GQE GILMORE GILMORE AR GSH GOSHEN GOSHEN IN HIC WHITE CLOUD WHITE CLOUD MI HML HUMBOLDT HUMBOLDT MN HON HURON HURON SD HSI HASTINGS HASTINGS NE HYR HAYWARD HAYWARD WI HYS HAYS HAYS KS ICT WICHITA WICHITA KS IDU INDUSTRY INDUSTRY TX IFI KINGFISHER KINGFISHER OK IMT IRON MOUNTAIN IRON MOUNTAIN KINGSFORD MI IRK KIRKSVILLE KIRKSVILLE MO ISD WINNER WINNER SD ISQ SCHOOLCRAFT COUNTY MANISTIQUE MI JEN GLEN ROSE GLEN ROSE TX JFN JEFFERSON JEFFERSON OH JVL JANESVILLE JANESVILLE WI JWJ ELMWOOD MARSHALLTOWN IA JXN JACKSON JACKSON MI LBL LIBERAL LIBERAL KS LFD LITCHFIELD LITCHFIELD MI LFT LAFAYETTE LAFAYETTE LA LLO LLANO LLANO TX LNR LONE ROCK LONE ROCK WI LOA LEONA LEONA TX LSE LA CROSSE LA CROSSE WI MAP MAPLES MAPLES MO MAW MALDEN MALDEN MO Start Printed Page 48698 MBL MANISTEE MANISTEE MI MCM MACON MACON MO MFD MANSFIELD MANSFIELD OH MFE MC ALLEN MC ALLEN TX MIE MUNCIE MUNCIE IN MKG MUSKEGON MUSKEGON MI MKT MANKATO MANKATO MN MLC MC ALESTER MC ALESTER OK MNM MENOMINEE MENOMINEE MI MON MONTICELLO MONTICELLO AR MOP MOUNT PLEASANT MOUNT PLEASANT MI MSP MINNEAPOLIS MINNEAPOLIS MN MTW MANITOWOC MANITOWOC WI MWA MARION MARION IL MZV MOLINE MOLINE IL MZZ MARION MARION IN OBH WOLBACH WOLBACH NE ODI NODINE NODINE MN OKK KOKOMO KOKOMO IN OLK WEBSTER LAKE WOLF LAKE IN ONL O'NEILL O'NEILL NE OOM HOOSIER BLOOMINGTON IN ORD * CHICAGO O'HARE CHICAGO O'HARE IL OSW OSWEGO OSWEGO KS OTG WORTHINGTON WORTHINGTON MN OTM OTTUMWA OTTUMWA IA OXI KNOX KNOX IN PKD PARK RAPIDS PARK RAPIDS MN PLL POLO POLO IL PLN PELLSTON PELLSTON MI PMM PULLMAN PULLMAN MI PNT PONTIAC PONTIAC IL PRX PARIS PARIS TX PWE PAWNEE CITY PAWNEE CITY NE RBA ROBINSON ROBINSON KS RBS ROBERTS ROBERTS IL RFD ROCKFORD ROCKFORD IL RID RICHMOND RICHMOND IN ROD ROSEWOOD ROSEWOOD OH ROX ROSEAU ROSEAU MN RQR RESERVE RESERVE LA RST ROCHESTER ROCHESTER MN RZN SIREN SIREN WI SAM SAMSVILLE SAMSVILLE IL SGH SPRINGFIELD SPRINGFIELD OH SLR SULPHUR SPRINGS SULPHER SPRINGS TX STL CARDINAL ST LOUIS MO SUX SIOUX CITY SIOUX CITY IA SVM SALEM SALEM MI SWB SAWMILL WINNFIELD LA THX THREE RIVERS THREE RIVERS TX TKO MANKATO MANKATO KS TNU NEWTON NEWTON IA TPL TEMPLE TEMPLE TX TTH TERRE HAUTE TERRE HAUTE IN TVT TIVERTON TIVERTON OH UIN QUINCY QUINCY IL UKN WAUKON WAUKON IA UKW BOWIE BOWIE TX URH TEXOMA DURANT OK VLA VANDALIA VANDALIA IL VNN MOUNT VERNON MOUNT VERNON IL VWV WATERVILLE WATERVILLE OH YKN YANKTON YANKTON SD YNG YOUNGSTOWN YOUNGSTOWN/WARREN OH ZZV ZANESVILLE ZANESVILLE OH Eastern Service Area (ESA) Phase 2 Discontinuance Total: 98 AGC ALLEGHENY PITTSBURGH PA AMG ALMA ALMA GA AML ARMEL ARMEL VA Start Printed Page 48699 AZQ HAZARD HAZARD KY BDR BRIDGEPORT BRIDGEPORT CT BFD BRADFORD BRADFORD PA BKW BECKLEY BECKLEY WV BUF BUFFALO BUFFALO NY BWG * BOWLING GREEN BOWLING GREEN KY BWZ BROADWAY SCHOOLEY'S MOUNTAIN NJ CCV CAPE CHARLES CAPE CHARLES VA CIP CLARION CLARION PA CKB * CLARKSBURG CLARKSBURG WV CLT CHARLOTTE CHARLOTTE NC CMK CARMEL CARMEL NY COL COLTS NECK COLTS NECK NJ CRI CANARSIE CANARSIE NY CSG COLUMBUS COLUMBUS GA CSN CASANOVA CASANOVA VA CTY CROSS CITY CROSS CITY FL CVG CINCINNATI COVINGTON KY CVI COFIELD COFIELD NC DCA WASHINGTON WASHINGTON DC DCU * DECATUR DECATUR AL DNY DELANCEY DELANCEY NY ECB * NEWCOMBE NEWCOMBE KY EEN KEENE KEENE NH ELW ELECTRIC CITY ANDERSON SC ERI ERIE ERIE PA ESL KESSEL KESSEL WV ETG KEATING KEATING PA EUF * EUFAULA EUFAULA AL EWO NEW HOPE NEW HOPE KY FJC ALLENTOWN ALLENTOWN PA FLM FALMOUTH FALMOUTH KY FLO FLORENCE FLORENCE SC FQM WILLIAMSPORT WILLIAMSPORT PA GCV * GREENE COUNTY LEAKSVILLE MS GGT GEORGETOWN GEORGETOWN NY GHM * GRAHAM CENTERVILLE TN GNV * GATORS GAINESVILLE FL GQO CHOO CHOO CHATTANOOGA TN GRD GREENWOOD GREENWOOD SC HEZ NATCHEZ NATCHEZ MS HLI HOLLY SPRINGS HOLLY SPRINGS MS HMV HOLSTON MOUNTAIN HOLSTON MOUNTAIN TN HNK HANCOCK HANCOCK NY HNN * HENDERSON HENDERSON WV HRS * HARRIS HARRIS GA HTO HAMPTON EAST HAMPTON NY HUO HUGUENOT HUGUENOT NY IHD * INDIAN HEAD SEVEN SPRINGS PA LBV LA BELLE LA BELLE FL LDN LINDEN LINDEN VA LEB LEBANON LEBANON NH LGA LA GUARDIA NEW YORK NY LVZ WILKES-BARRE WILKES-BARRE PA LWB GREENBRIER LEWISBURG WV LWM LAWRENCE LAWRENCE MA LYH LYNCHBURG LYNCHBURG VA MCN MACON MACON GA MEM MEMPHIS MEMPHIS TN MHT MANCHESTER MANCHESTER NH MIP MILTON MILTON PA MSL MUSCLE SHOALS MUSCLE SHOALS AL MSS MASSENA MASSENA NY MXE MODINA MODINA PA MYS * MYSTIC MYSTIC KY ODF FOOTHILLS TOCCOA SC ODR WOODRUM WOODRUM VA OOD WOODSTOWN WOODSTOWN NJ ORW * NORWICH NORWICH CT PDK PEACHTREE ATLANTA GA PHK PAHOKEE PAHOKEE FL PSK PULASKI DUBLIN VA Start Printed Page 48700 PSM PEASE PORTSMOUTH NH PTW POTTSTOWN POTTSTOWN PA PUT PUTNAM PUTNAM CT PWL PAWLING POUGHKEEPSIE NY REC REVLOC REVLOC PA RKA ROCKDALE ROCKDALE NY ROA * ROANOKE ROANOKE VA SBY SALISBURY SALISBURY MD SFK STONYFORK STONYFORK PA SLT SLATE RUN SLATE RUN PA STW STILLWATER STILLWATER NJ SUG SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN ASHEVILLE NC SWL SNOW HILL SNOW HILL MD TAY * TAYLOR TAYLOR FL TDT TIDIOUTE TIDIOUTE PA TEB TETERBORO TETERBORO NJ TGE * TUSKEGEE TUSKEGEE AL THS ST THOMAS ST THOMAS PA TRV TREASURE VERO BEACH FL UCA UTICA UTICA NY ULW ELMIRA ELMIRA NY VAN VANCE VANCE SC YRK YORK YORK KY End Signature End Supplemental InformationIssued in Washington, DC, on July 19, 2016.
Leonixa Salcedo,
VOR MON Program Manager, AJM-324.
Footnotes
1. Includes Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN), VOR/TACAN (VORTAC), VOR/DME, and Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) operated by the FAA.
Back to Citation[FR Doc. 2016-17579 Filed 7-25-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
Document Information
- Effective Date:
- 7/26/2016
- Published:
- 07/26/2016
- Department:
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Entry Type:
- Rule
- Action:
- Final policy statement.
- Document Number:
- 2016-17579
- Dates:
- Effective July 26, 2016.
- Pages:
- 48694-48700 (7 pages)
- Docket Numbers:
- Docket No. FAA-2011-1082
- PDF File:
- 2016-17579.pdf
- CFR: (5)
- 14 CFR 91
- 14 CFR 121
- 14 CFR 125
- 14 CFR 129
- 14 CFR 135