Amendment of Class E Airspace; Connersville and Richmond, IN, 17736-17737 [2019-08473]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17736-17737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08473]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0039; Airspace Docket No. 19-AGL-4]
RIN 2120-AA66


Amendment of Class E Airspace; Connersville and Richmond, IN

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This action modifies Class E airspace extending upward from 
700 feet above the surface at Mettel Field Airport, Connersville, IN, 
and Richmond Municipal Airport, Richmond, IN. This action is due to an 
airspace review caused by the decommissioning of the Richmond VHF 
omnidirectional range (VOR), which provided navigation information to 
the instrument procedures at these airports, as part of the VOR Minimum 
Operational Network (MON) Program. The geographic coordinates of the 
airports are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautic 
database. Airspace redesign is necessary for the safety and management 
of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at these airports.

DATES: Effective 0901 UTC, August 15, 2019. The Director of the Federal 
Register approves this incorporation by reference action under Title 1 
Code of Federal Regulations part 51, subject to the annual revision of 
FAA Order 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments.

ADDRESSES: FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and Reporting 
Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. For further information, you can 
contact the Airspace Policy Group, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-
8783. The Order is also available for inspection at the National 
Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the 
availability of FAA Order 7400.11C at NARA, call (202) 741-6030, or go 
to https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations.html.
    FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is 
published yearly and effective on September 15.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Claypool, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 
Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222-5711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority for This Rulemaking

    The FAA's authority to issue rules regarding aviation safety is 
found in Title 49 of the United States Code. Subtitle I, Section 106 
describes the authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII, 
Aviation Programs, describes in more detail the scope of the agency's 
authority. This rulemaking is promulgated under the authority described 
in Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that section, 
the FAA is charged with prescribing regulations to assign the use of 
airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient 
use of airspace. This regulation is within the scope of that authority 
as it amends Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Mettel Field Airport, Connersville, IN, and Richmond 
Municipal Airport, Richmond, IN, to support IFR operations at these 
airports.

History

    The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register (84 FR 5014; February 20, 2019) for Docket No. FAA-2019-0039 
to amend Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the 
surface at Mettel Field Airport, Connersville, IN, and Richmond 
Municipal Airport, Richmond, IN. Interested parties were invited to 
participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on 
the proposal to the FAA. One comment was received, and the FAA provides 
the following response.
    Class E airspace extending from 700 feet above the surface of an 
airport is provided for transition to and from the terminal or en route 
environment within the National Airspace System. The size and design of 
this airspace is determined by FAA Order 7400.2M, Procedures for 
Handling Airspace Matters, and takes both instrument and visual flight 
rules approach and departure procedures at the airports into 
consideration. The design of the airspace provides the transitional 
airspace required without absorbing more of the Class G airspace than 
is required. In the cases of Mettel Field Airport, Connersville, IN, 
and Richmond Municipal Airport, Richmond, IN, Class E airspace 
extending upward from 700 feet above the surface already exists at both 
airports and no additional airspace is included in the proposal. The 
airspace

[[Page 17737]]

radius at these airports is being reduced by 1 mile and 0.5 miles, 
respectively, due to changes at the airports and in the approach and 
departure procedures at each airport in compliance with FAA Order 
7400.2M while taking the approach and departure procedures at each 
airport into consideration.
    The comment regarding problems in scheduling landings at these 
airports is not an issue that can be addressed by airspace design but 
with airport management, and should be addressed with the appropriate 
airport authority.
    Additionally, subsequent to publication, the FAA discovered a 
typographic error in the geographic coordinates for Reid Municipal 
Heliport contained within the Richmond, IN, airspace legal description. 
That error is corrected in this action.
    Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 6005 of 
FAA Order 7400.11C, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 
2018, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class E 
airspace designations listed in this document will be published 
subsequently in the Order.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

    This document amends FAA Order 7400.11C, Airspace Designations and 
Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and effective September 15, 
2018. FAA Order 7400.11C is publicly available as listed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order 7400.11C lists Class A, 
B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and 
reporting points.

The Rule

    This amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 
part 71 by:
    Modifying the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface to within a 6.6-mile radius (reduced from a 7.6-mile 
radius) of Mettel Field Airport, Connersville, IN; updating the 
geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's 
aeronautic database; and removing the city from the airport name and 
the exclusion verbiage to comply with FAA Order 7400.2M, Procedures for 
Handling Airspace Matters; and
    Modifying the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above 
the surface to within a 6.5-mile radius (reduced from a 7-mile radius) 
of Richmond Municipal Airport, Richmond, IN; updating the geographic 
coordinates of Richmond Municipal Airport and Reid Hospital Heliport, 
Richmond, IN, to coincide with the FAA's aeronautic database; and 
correcting the typographic error for the geographic coordinates for 
Reid Hospital Heliport.
    This action is the result of an airspace review caused by the 
decommissioning of the Richmond VOR, which provided navigation 
information for the instrument procedures at these airports, as part of 
the VOR MON Program.

Regulatory Notices and Analyses

    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, is 
non-controversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative 
comments. 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 only affects air traffic procedures and air navigation, it is 
certified that this rule, when promulgated, does not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities under the 
criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

Environmental Review

    The FAA has determined that this action qualifies for categorical 
exclusion under the National Environmental Policy Act in accordance 
with FAA Order 1050.1F, ``Environmental Impacts: Policies and 
Procedures,'' paragraph 5-6.5.a. This airspace action is not expected 
to cause any potentially significant environmental impacts, and no 
extraordinary circumstances exist that warrant preparation of an 
environmental assessment.

Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71

    Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).

Adoption of 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

0
1. The authority citation for part 71 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 
10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.


Sec.  71.1  [Amended]

0
2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11C, 
Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 13, 2018, and 
effective September 15, 2018, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 
Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

* * * * *

AGL IN E5 Connersville, IN [Amended]

Mettel Field Airport, IN
    (Lat. 39[deg]41'54'' N, long. 85[deg]07'52'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.6-mile radius of the Mettel Field Airport.
* * * * *

AGL IN E5 Richmond, IN [Amended]

Richmond Municipal Airport, IN
    (Lat. 39[deg]45'22'' N, long. 84[deg]50'34'' W)
Reid Hospital Heliport, IN, Point In Space Coordinates
    (Lat. 39[deg]51'51'' N, long. 84[deg]52'58'' W)

    That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface 
within a 6.5-mile radius of Richmond Municipal Airport, and within a 
6-mile radius of the Point in Space serving Reid Hospital Heliport.


    Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 22, 2019.
John A. Witucki,
Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.
[FR Doc. 2019-08473 Filed 4-25-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P