02-2407. Proposed Amendment of Class E Airspace; Cold Bay, AK

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed rulemaking.

SUMMARY:

This action proposes to amend Class E airspace at Cold Bay, AK. Due to the development of an Area Navagation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Runway (Rwy) 26 Instrument Approach Procedure for the Cold Bay airport, additional Class E airspace to protect Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations is needed. The additional Class E surface area airspace will ensure that aircraft executing the RNAV (GPS) Rwy 26 standard instrument approach procedure remain within controlled airspace. Adoption of this proposal would result in additional Class E airspace at Cold Bay, AK.

DATES:

Comments must be received on or before March 25, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Send comments on the proposal in triplicate to: Manager, Operations Branch, AAL-530, Docket No. 01-AAL-2, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587.

The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Regional 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:

Derril Bergt, AAL-538, Federal Aviation Administration, 222 West 7th Avenue, Box 14, Anchorage, AK 99513-7587; telephone number [phone]; fax: [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail]. Internet address: http://www.alaska.faa.gov/​at or at address http://162.58.28.41/​at.

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 to the address listed above. 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 Airspace Docket No. 01-AAL-2.” 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 action may be changed in light 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 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking's (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 Federal Register's web page for access to recently published rulemaking documents at http://www.access.gpo.gov/​su_​docs/​aces/​aces140.html.

Any person may obtain a copy of this 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 docket number of this NPRM. Persons interested in being placed on a mailing list for future NPRM's should contact the individual(s) identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.

The Proposal

The FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 by adding Class E airspace at Cold Bay, AK. The intended effect of this proposal is to add Class E controlled airspace necessary to contain IFR operations at Cold Bay, AK.

The FAA is adding a standard instrument approach procedure to the Cold Bay airport, Runway 26. This runway did not previously have an instrument approach procedure, although there are standard instrument approach procedures to other runways. The airspace currently designated as Class E is sufficient for all existing approaches, but does not contain the new standard instrument approach procedure to Runway 26.

The proposed Class E Airspace would be depicted on aeronautical charts for pilot reference. The coordinates for this airspace docket are based on North American Datum 83. The Class E airspace areas designated as 700/1200 foot transition areas are published in paragraph 6005 in FAA Order 7400.9J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 31, 2001, and effective September 16, 2001, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E airspace designations listed in this document would be published subsequently in 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.

§ 71.1

[Amended]

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of Federal Aviation Administration Order 7400.9J, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 31, 2001, and effective September 16, 2001, is amended as follows:

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Paragraph 6005 Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth.

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AAL AK E5 Cold Bay, AK [REVISED]

Cold Bay Airport, AK

(Lat. 55°12′20″N., long. 162°43′27″W.)

Cold Bay VORTAC

(Lat. 55°16′03″N., long. 162°46′27″W.)

Elfee NDB

(Lat. 55°17′46″N., long. 162°47′21″W.)

Cold Bay Localizer

(Lat. 55°11″41′N., long. 162°43″07′W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 14-mile radius of Cold Bay VORTAC extending clockwise from the 253° radial to the 041° radial of the VORTAC and within 4 miles south of the 253° radial Cold Bay VORTAC extending from the VORTAC to 7.2 miles west of the Cold Bay Airport and within 4 miles south of the 041° radial extending from the VORTAC to 7.2 miles east of the airport and within 4.5 miles west and 8 miles east of the Elfee NDB 318° bearing extending from the NDB to 21.7 northwest of the airport and that airspace within 3 miles each side of the Cold Bay VORTAC 150° radial extending from the VORTAC to 18.2 miles south of the airport and within 2.8 miles west of the Cold Bay Localizer back course extending from the airport to 15.7 miles south of the airport; excluding that airspace more than 12 miles from the shoreline; and that airspace extending from 1,200 feet above the surface within 18.3 miles from the Cold Bay VORTAC extending clockwise from the Cold Bay VORTAC 085° radial to the Cold Bay VORTAC 142° radial.

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Issued in Anchorage, AK, on January 18, 2002.

Stephen P. Creamer,

Assistant Manager, Air Traffic Division, Alaskan Region.