Revision of Class D Airspace; Little Rock, AFB, AR

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 71

[Airspace Docket No. 97-ASW-02]

Revision of Class D Airspace; Little Rock, AFB, AR

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Direct final rule; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This action revises the Class D airspace at Little Rock Air

Force Base (AFB), AR. The development of a Precision Approach Radar

(PAR) and a Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) Standard Instrument

Approach

[[Page 23645]]

Procedure (SIAP) to Runway (RWY) 07 at the airport has made this rule

necessary. This action is intended to provide adequate Class D airspace

for aircraft operating under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and

executing the PAR or TACAN SIAP at Little Rock AFB, AR.

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. 97-ASW-02, 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 a.m. and 3 p.m.,

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 D airspace,

providing controlled airspace for airport operations at Little Rock

AFB, AR. The development of amended PAR and TACAN SIAP's to RWY 07

requires revision of the Class D airspace to provide adequate

controlled airspace for aircraft operating in the vicinity of the

airport. 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 D airspace

at Little Rock AFB, AR.

Class D airspace designations are published in Paragraph 5000 of

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

1996, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR Sec. 71.1. The Class

D 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. 97-ASW-02.'' 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

(33 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:

[[Page 23646]]

Paragraph 5000 Class D airspace designated for an airport.

* * * * *

ASW AR D Little Rock AFB, AR [Revised]

Little Rock AFB, AR

(Lat. 34 deg.54'59'' N., long. 92 deg.08'47'' W.)

Jacksonville TACAN

(Lat. 34 deg.55'05'' N., long 92 deg.09'27'' W.)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including

2,800 feet MSL within a 5-mile radius of Little Rock AFB and within

1 mile each side of the 251 deg. bearing from the airport extending

from the 5-mile radius to 5.5 miles west of the airport and within

1.7 miles each side of the 229 deg. radial of the Jacksonville TACAN

extending from the 5-mile radius to 5.5 miles southwest of the

airport excluding that airspace within the Little Rock, Adams Field,

AR, Class C airspace area.

* * * * *

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

Albert L. Viselli,

Acting Manager, Air Traffic Division, Southwest Region.

[FR Doc. 97-11373 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]

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