Establishment of Class D and Class E Airspace: Fort Sill, OK

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 93-ASW-52]

Establishment of Class D and Class E Airspace: Fort Sill, OK

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This action maintains the Class D airspace that was formerly a

part of the Lawton, OK, Class D airspace, and establishes Class E

airspace at Fort Sill, OK. Henry Post Army Airfield, Fort Sill, OK, was

previously a satellite airport within the Lawton Class D airspace,

Lawton, OK. The local aircraft operators requested and the FAA decided

to divide the Lawton Class D airspace into two individual areas of

Class D airspace; one area covering the Lawton Municipal Airport,

Lawton, OK, and the other area covering Henry Post Army Airfield, Fort

Sill, OK. Controlled airspace from the surface is needed at Fort Sill

on a continuous basis for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at

Henry Post Army Airfield. Therefore, during the hours the Fort Sill

airport traffic control tower (ATCT) is in operation, Class D airspace

will be in effect, and during hours the ATCT is non-operational, Class

E airspace will be in effect. This action is intended to provide for

more flexibility in airspace utilization and to provide control over

each individual area of airspace, particularly during times when the

towers are non-operational.

EFFECTIVE DATE: 0901 UTC, December 8, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alvin DeVane, System Management

Branch, Air Traffic Division, Southwest Region, Department of

Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Fort Worth, TX 76193-

0530, telephone (817) 222-5595.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

History

On November 24, 1993, a proposal to amend part 71 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 71) to split the Class D airspace at

Lawton, OK. into Lawton, OK, Class D airspace and Ft. Sill, OK, Class D

airspace, and re-designate Lawton, OK, Class E airspace as Fort Sill,

OK, airspace, was published in the Federal Register (For Lawton, OK. at

58 FR 62057, for Fort Sill, OK. at 58 FR 62054). Prior to this action,

Henry Post Army Airfield, Fort Sill, OK, was a satellite airport within

the Lawton Class D airspace, Lawton, OK. Local aircraft operators

requested and the FAA decided to divide the Lawton Class D airspace

into two individual areas of Class D airspace; one area covering the

Lawton Municipal Airport, Lawton, OK, and the other area covering Henry

Post Army Airfield, Fort Sill, OK. This proposed action would provide

for more flexibility and control of the airspace from the surface when

it is needed at Fort Sill, OK, for instrument flight rules (IFR)

operations at Henry Post AAF. This action will establish Class D

airspace during hours the airport traffic control tower (ATCT) is

operational and Class E airspace during hours the ATCT is non-

operational.

Interested persons were invited to participate in this rulemaking

proceeding by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA.

No comments objecting to the proposal were received. The Notice of

proposed rulemaking described extensions to the Class D airspace 4-mile

radius as ``within 1.3 miles each side of the 181 deg. bearing from the

Trail NDB extending from the 4-mile radius to 6.2 miles north of the

Henry Post AAF and within 1.2 miles each side of the 003 deg. radial of

the Lawton VOR/DME extending from the 4-mile radius to 4.7 miles north

of the Henry Post AAF''. If any extension to a Class D airspace extends

beyond 2 miles, all extensions for the Class D airspace area will be

classified as Class E airspace. The airspace extensions as described in

the NPRM would have lead to an incorrect classification of the airspace

extensions as Class D airspace instead of Class E airspace. The

proposal should not have included the extensions within the Class D

description. Therefore, the narrative description of the Class D

airspace has been corrected to exclude these extensions, and a separate

Class E description has been added for this airspace. Other than these

changes, this amendment is the same as that proposed in the notice. The

FAA has determined that these changes will not increase the scope of

this rule since they are relieving in nature, i.e., re-designating

proposed Class D airspace to less restrictive Class E airspace.

The coordinate for this airspace docket are based on North American

Datum 83. Class D airspace designations are published in paragraph

5000, Class E extensions to a Class D surface area are published in

paragraph 6004, and Class E airspace designated as a surface area for

an airport are published in paragraph 6002 of FAA Order 7400.9B dated

July 18, 1994, and effective September 16, 1994, which is incorporated

by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D and Class E airspace

designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in

the Order.

The Rule

This amendment to part 71 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14

CFR part 71) establishes separate Class D and Class E airspace for

Henry Post Army Airfield, Fort Sill, OK.

The FAA has determined that this regulation only involves an

established body of technical regulations that need frequent and

routine amendments to keep them operational current. If, 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

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

Aviation safety, 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--[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as

follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. app. 1348(a), 1354(a), 1510; E.O. 10854, 24

FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389; 49 U.S.C. 106(g); 14 CFR

11.69.

Sec. 71.1 [Amended]

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of the Federal

Aviation Administration Order 7400.9B, Airspace Designations and

Reporting Points, dated July 18, 1994, and effective September 16,

1994, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 5000: General

* * * * *

ASW OK D Fort Sill, OK [New]

Henry Post Army Air Field, OK

(lat. 34 deg.39'00'' N, long. 98 deg.24'07'' W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including

3700 feet MSL within a 4-mile radius of Henry Post AAF excluding

that airspace within Restricted Areas R-5601A and R-5601B when these

restricted areas are activated and excluding that airspace south of

a line between lat. 34 deg.36'18'' N, long. 98 deg.20'33'' W, and

lat. 34 deg.37'16'' N, long. 98 deg.28'29'' W. This Class D surface

area is effective during the specific dates and times established in

advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective date and time will

thereafter be continuously published in the Airport/Facility

Directory.

* * * * *

Paragraph 6004: Class E airspace areas designated as an extension

to a Class D surface area

* * * * *

ASW OK E4 Fort Sill, OK [New]

Henry Post Army Air Field, OK

(lat. 34 deg.39'00'' N, long. 98 deg.24'07'' W)

Trail NDB

(lat. 34 deg.46'53'' N, long. 98 deg.24'08'' W)

Lawton VOR/DME

(lat. 34 deg.29'46'' N, long. 98 deg.24'47'' W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface within 1.3 miles

each side of the 181 deg. bearing from the Trail NDB extending from

the 4-mile radius to 6.2 miles north of the Henry Post AAF and

within 1.2 miles each side of the 003 deg. radial of the Lawton VOR/

DME extending from the 4-mile radius to 4.7 miles north of the Henry

Post AAF excluding that airspace within Restricted Areas R-5601A and

R-5601B when these restricted areas are activated. This Class E

airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times

established in advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective date and

time will thereafter be continuously published in the Airport/

Facility Directory.

* * * * *

Paragraph 6002: Class E airspace areas designated as a surface area

for an airport

* * * * *

ASW OK E2 Fort Sill, OK [New]

Henry Post AAF, OK

(lat. 34 deg.39'00'' N, long. 98 deg.24'07'' W)

Trail NDB

(lat. 34 deg.46'53'' N, long. 98 deg.24'08'' W)

Lawton VOR/DME

(lat. 34 deg.29'46'' N, long. 98 deg.24'47'' W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including

3700 feet MSL within a 4-mile radius of Henry Post AAF and within

1.3 miles each side of the 181 deg. bearing from the Trail NDB

extending from the 4-mile radius to 6.2 miles north of the Henry

Post AAF and within 1.2 miles each side of the 003 deg. radial of

the Lawton VOR/DME extending from the 4-mile radius to 4.7 miles

north of the Henry Post AAF excluding that airspace within

Restricted Areas R-5601A and R-5601B when these restricted areas are

activated and excluding that airspace south of a line between lat.

34 deg.36'18'' N, long. 98 deg.20'33'' W, and lat. 34 deg.37'16'' N,

long. 98 deg.28'29'' W. This Class E airspace area is effective

during the specific dates and times established in advance by a

Notice to Airmen. The effective date and time will thereafter be

continuously published in the Airport/Facility Directory.

* * * * *

Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on August 26, 1994.

Helen Fabian Parke,

Manager, Air Traffic Division, Southwest Region.

[FR Doc. 94-22622 Filed 9-12-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-M