Amendment of Class D Airspace and Class E Airspace; Gulf Shores, AL

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This action amends Class D airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, Gulf Shores, AL, (formerly Jack Edwards National Airport), by updating the airport's name, and adding necessary verbiage to the descriptions. Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

DATES:

Effective 0901 UTC, July 14, 2022. The Director of the Federal Register approves this incorporation by reference action under 1 CFR part 51, subject to the annual revision of FAA Order JO 7400.11 and publication of conforming amendments.

ADDRESSES:

FAA Order JO 7400.11F, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John Fornito, Operations Support Group, Eastern Service Center, Federal Aviation Administration, 1701 Columbia Avenue, College Park, GA 30337; Telephone (404) 305-6364.

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 airspace in the Gulf Shores, AL, area, to support IFR operations in the area.

History

The FAA published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register (87 FR 10994, February 28, 2022) for Docket No. FAA-2022-0048 to amend Class D airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field (formerly Jack Edwards National Airport), Gulf Shores, AL, by updating the airport's name, and amending the descriptions, by adding `when active' in reference to Restricted Area R-2908.

Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.

Class D and Class E airspace designations are published in Paragraphs 5000 and 6005, respectively, of FAA Order JO 7400.11F, dated August 10, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D and E airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11F.

Availability and Summary of Documents for Incorporation by Reference

This document amends FAA Order JO 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021. FAA Order JO 7400.11F is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. FAA Order JO 7400.11F lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic routes, and reporting points.

The Rule

The FAA is amending 14 CFR part 71 by amending Class D airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface for Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field (formerly Jack Edwards National Airport), Gulf Shores, AL, by updating the airport's name, and amending the descriptions, by adding `when active' in reference to Restricted Area R-2908.

Controlled airspace is necessary for the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations in the area.

Class D and Class E airspace designations are published in Paragraphs 5000 and 6005, respectively, of FAA Order JO 7400.11F, dated August 10, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D and E airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in FAA Order JO 7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is published yearly and effective on September 15.

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. 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 minimal. Since this is a routine matter that only affects air traffic procedures an 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 5-6.5a. 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

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.

2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11F, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 10, 2021, and effective September 15, 2021, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 5000 Class D Airspace.

ASO AL D Gulf Shores, AL [Amended]

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, AL

(Lat. 30°17′23′ W″N, long. 87°40′18″ W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 2,000 feet MSL, within a 4.3-mile radius of Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, excluding that airspace within Restricted Area R-2908, when active. This Class D airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Air Missions. The effective date and time will thereafter be continuously published in the Chart Supplement.

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

ASO AL E5 Gulf Shores, AL [Amended]

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, AL

(Lat. 30°17′23′ W″N, long. 87°40′18″ W)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 6.8-mile radius of Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, excluding that airspace within Restricted Area R-2908, when active.