Amendment of Class D and Class E Airspace; Lake Charles, LA

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This action amends the Class D and Class E airspace at Lake Charles, LA. This action is the result of airspace reviews conducted due to the decommissioning of the Beaumont very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. This action also updates the geographic coordinates of various airports. This action brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and supports instrument flight rule (IFR) operations and procedures.

DATES:

Effective 0901 UTC, July 11, 2024. 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:

A copy of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), all comments received, this final rule, and all background material may be viewed online at www.regulations.gov using the FAA Docket number. Electronic retrieval help and guidelines are available on the website. It is available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year.

FAA Order JO 7400.11H, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/. You may also contact the Rules and Regulations Group, Office of Policy, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267-8783.

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: the Class D airspace, Class E surface airspace, and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Lake Charles Regional Airport, Lake Charles, LA; the Class D airspace and Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Chennault International Airport, Lake Charles, LA; and the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Southerland Field, Sulphur, LA, (Contained within the Lake Charles, LA, airspace legal description.) to support instrument flight rule operations at these airports.

History

The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2024-0270 in the Federal Register (89 FR 14002; February 26, 2024) proposing to amend the Class D and Class E airspace at Lake Charles, LA. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.

Incorporation by Reference

Class D and E airspace designations are published in paragraphs 5000, 6002, and 6005 of FAA Order JO 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 on an annual basis. This document amends the current version of that order, FAA Order JO 7400.11H, dated August 11, 2023, and effective September 15, 2023. FAA Order JO 7400.11H is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. These amendments will be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11.

FAA Order JO 7400.11H lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points.

Differences From the NPRM

Subsequent to publication, the FAA discovered typos in the Class D airspace, Lake Charles, LA, and the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface, Lake Charles, LA, in the Chennault International Airport airspace legal descriptions. The radius in the Class D airspace legal description should be “4.4-mile” vice “4.5-mile. And the latitude for Chennault International Airport in the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface airspace legal description should be “long 93°08′35″ W” vice “long 93°08′36″ W.” These errors have been corrected in this action.

The Rule

This amendment to 14 CFR part 71:

Modifies the Class D airspace at Lake Charles Regional Airport, Lake Charles, LA, by removing the Lake Charles VORTAC and the associated extension as they are no longer required; and replaces the outdated terms “Notice to Airmen” and “Airport/Facility Directory” with “Notice to Air Missions” and “Chart Supplement”;

Modifies the Class D airspace to within a 4.4-mile (decreased from a 4.5-mile) radius of Chennault International Airport, Lake Charles, LA; adds an extension within 1 mile each side of the 334° bearing from the airport extending from the 4.4-mile radius to 4.5 miles northwest of the airport; updates the header of the airspace legal description from “Lake Charles, Chennault International Airport, LA” to “Lake Charles, LA” to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2P, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; and removes the city associated with the airport to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2P; updates the geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; and replaces the outdated terms “Notice to Airmen” and “Airport/Facility Directory” with “Notice to Air Missions” and “Chart Supplement”;

Modifies the Class E surface airspace at Lake Charles Regional Airport by removing the Lake Charles VORTAC and the associated extension as they are no longer required; and replaces the outdated terms “Notice to Airmen” and “Airport/Facility Directory” with “Notice to Air Missions” and “Chart Supplement”;

And modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface to within a 6.9-mile (decreased from a 7-mile) radius of Chennault International Airport; removes the extension southeast of Chennault International Airport from the airspace legal description as it is no longer required; removes the Sulphur NDB and associated extension as they are no longer required; updates the geographic coordinates of Chennault International Airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; and removes the cities associated with the airports in the airspace legal description to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2P.

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 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 71

• Airspace
• Incorporation by reference
• Navigation (air)

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 14 CFR 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 JO 7400.11H, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 11, 2023, and effective September 15, 2023, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 5000 Class D Airspace.

ASW LA D Lake Charles, LA [Amended]

Lake Charles Regional Airport, LA

(Lat. 30°07′34″ N, long. 93°13′24″ W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL within a 5-mile radius of Lake Charles Regional Airport. This Class D airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Air Missions. The effective dates and times will thereafter be continuously published in the Chart Supplement.

ASW LA D Lake Charles, LA [Amended]

Chennault International Airport, LA

(Lat. 30°12′38″ N, long. 93°08′35″ W)

That airspace extending upward from the surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL within a 4.4-mile radius of Chennault International Airport, and within 1 mile each side of the 334° bearing from the airport extending from the 4.4-mile radius to 4.5 miles northwest of the airport, excluding that airspace within the Lake Charles Regional Airport, Lake Charles, LA, Class D airspace. This Class D airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Air Missions. The effective dates and times will thereafter be continuously published in the Chart Supplement.

Paragraph 6002 Class E Airspace Areas Designated as Surface Areas.

ASW LA E2 Lake Charles, LA [Amended]

Lake Charles Regional Airport, LA

(Lat. 30°07′34″ N, long. 93°13′24″ W)

Within a 5-mile radius of Lake Charles Regional Airport. This Class E airspace area is effective during the specific dates and times established in advance by a Notice to Air Missions. The effective dates and times 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.

ASW LA E5 Lake Charles, LA [Amended]

Lake Charles Regional Airport, LA

(Lat. 30°07′34″ N, long. 93°13′24″ W)

Chennault International Airport, LA

(Lat. 30°12′38″ N, long. 93°08′35″ W)

Southland Field, LA

(Lat. 30°07′53″ N, long. 93°22′34″ W)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 7.5-mile radius of Lake Charles Regional Airport; and within a 6.9-mile radius of Chennault International Airport; and within a 6.5-mile radius of Southland Field.