Revision of Class E Airspace; Killeen, TX

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 96-ASW-35]

Revision of Class E Airspace; Killeen, TX

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Direct final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This action revises the Class E airspace at Robert Gray Army

Airfield, Killeen, TX. A new Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard

Instrument Approach Procedure (SIAP) to Runway (RWY) 33 and a new Very

High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR)/Distance Measuring Equipment

(DME) SIAP to RWY 15 have made this rule necessary. This action is

intended to provide adequate Class E airspace to contain Instrument

Flight Rule (IFR) operations for aircraft executing the GPS SIAP to RWY

33 and the VOR/DME SIAP to RWY 15 at Robert Gray Army Airfield,

Killeen, TX.

DATES: Effective: 0901 UTC, September 11, 1997; Comment Date: Comments

must be received on or before June 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Send comments on the rule in triplicate to Manager, Airspace

Branch, Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Docket No. 96-ASW-35, Fort Worth, TX 76193-0530.

The official docket may be examined in the Office of the Assistant

Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, Southwest Region, 2601

Meacham Boulevard, Room 663, Fort Worth, TX, between 9:00 AM and 3:00

PM, Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. An informal docket

may also be examined during normal business hours at the Airspace

Branch, Air Traffic Division, Federal Aviation Administration,

Southwest Region, Room 414, Fort Worth, TX.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald J. Day, Airspace Branch, Air

Traffic Division, Southwest Region, Federal Aviation Administration,

Fort Worth, TX 76193-0530, telephone 817-222-5593.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

CFR part 71) revises the Class E airspace to providing sufficient

controlled airspace for IFR operations at Robert Gray Army Airfield,

Killeen, TX. A new Global Positioning System (GPS) Standard Instrument

Approach Procedure (SIAP) to Runway (RWY) 33 and a new Very High

Frequency Ombidirectional Range (VOR)/Distance Measuring Equipment

(DME) SIAP to RWY 15 have made this rule necessary. This revision will

avoid confusion on the part of the pilots flying near the airport, and

promote the safe and efficient handling of air traffic in the area.

This action will revise the Class E airspace at Robert Gray Army

Airfield, Killeen, TX.

Class E airspace designations are published in Paragraph 6005 of

FAA Order 7400.9D, dated September 4, 1996, and effective September 16,

1996, which is incorporated by reference in 14

[[Page 23655]]

CFR Sec. 71.1. The Class E airspace designation listed in this document

will be published subsequently in the order.

The Direct Final Rule Procedure

The FAA anticipates that this regulation will not result in adverse

or negative comment and therefore is issuing it as a direct final rule.

A substantial number of previous opportunities provided to the public

to comment on substantially identical actions have resulted in

negligible adverse comments or objections.

Unless a written adverse or negative comment, or a written notice

of intent to submit an adverse or negative comment is received within

the comment period, the regulation will become effective on the date

specified above. After the close of the comment period, the FAA will

publish a document in the Federal Register indicating that no adverse

or negative comments were received and confirming the date on which the

final rule will become effective. If the FAA does receive, within the

comment period, an adverse or negative comment, or written notice of

intent to submit such a comment, a document withdrawing the direct

final rule will be published in the Federal Register, and a notice of

proposed rulemaking may be published with a new comment period.

Comments Invited

Although this action is in the form of a final rule and was not

preceded by a notice of proposed rulemaking, comments are invited on

this rule. Interested persons are invited to comment on this rule by

submitting such written data, views, or arguments as they may desire.

Communications should identify the Rules Docket number and be submitted

in triplicate to the address specified under the caption ADDRESSES. All

communications received on or before the closing date for comments will

be considered, and this rule may be amended or withdrawn in light of

the comments received. Factual information that supports the

commenter's ideas and suggestions is extremely helpful in evaluating

the effectiveness of this action and determining whether additional

rulemaking action is needed.

Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory,

economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the rule that might

suggest a need to modify the rule. All comments submitted will be

available, both before and after the closing date for comments, in the

Rules Docket for examination by interested persons. A report that

summarizes each FAA-public contact concerned with the substance of this

action will be filed in the Rules Docket.

Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments

submitted in response to this rule must submit a self-addressed,

stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments

to Docket No. 96-ASW-35.'' The postcard will be date stamped and

returned to the commenter.

Agency Findings

The regulations adopted herein will not have substantial direct

effects on the States, on the relationship between the national

government and the States, or on the distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various level of government. Therefore, in

accordance with Executive Order 12612, it is determined that this final

rule does not have sufficient federalism implications to warrant the

preparation of a Federalism Assessment.

Further, the FAA has determined that this regulation is

noncontroversial and unlikely to result in adverse or negative comments

and only involves an established body of technical regulations that

require frequent and routine amendments to keep them operationally

current. Therefore, I certify that this 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) if promulgated, will not have

a significant economic impact, positive or negative, on a substantial

number of small entities under the criteria of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act. Since this rule involves routine matters that will

only affect air traffic procedures and air navigation, it does not

warrant preparation of a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis because the

anticipated impact is so minimal.

List 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--[AMENDED]

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

follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. app. 40103, 40113, 40120; 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 7400.9D, Airspace Designations and

Reporting Points, dated September 4, 1996, and effective September 16,

1996, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700

feet or more above the surface of the earth.

* * * * *

ASW TX E5 Killeen, TX [Revised]

Robert Gray Army Airfield (AAF), TX

(lat. 31 deg.03'54''N., long. 97 deg.49'40''W.)

Hood Army Airfield (AAF), TX

(lat. 31 deg.08'16''N., long. 97 deg.42'51''W.)

Gray VOR/DME

(lat. 31 deg.01'58''N., long. 97 deg.48'50''W.)

Killeen Municipal Airport, TX

(lat. 31 deg.05'09''N., long. 97 deg.41'11''W.)

Iresh NDB

(lat. 31 deg.01'27''N., long. 97 deg.42'29''W.)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface

within a 7.6-mile radius of Robert Gray AAF and within a 6.3-mile

radius of Hood AAF and within 1.8 miles each side of the 037 deg.

and 217 deg. radials of the Gray VOR/DME extending from the 7.6-mile

radius to 14.6 miles southwest of the airfield and within a 6.5-mile

radius of Killeen Municipal Airport and within 2.1 miles each side

of the 197 deg. bearing from the Iresh NDB extending from the 6.5-

mile radius to 10.1 miles south of the airport, and within 1.7 miles

each side of the 064 deg. and 244 deg. radials of the Gray VOR/DME

extending from the 7.6-mile radius to 13.9 miles west of the

airport, and within 2.0 miles each side of the 150 deg. bearing from

Robert Gray AAF extending from the 7.6-mile radius to 11.6 miles

southeast of the airfield, and within 2.0 miles each side of the

339 deg. bearing from Robert Gray AAF extending from the 7.6-mile

radius to 10.3 miles northwest of the airfield.

* * * * *

Issued in Fort Worth, TX, on April 22, 1997.

Albert L. Viselli,

Acting Manager, Air Traffic Division, Southwest Region.

[FR Doc. 97-11366 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]

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