Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
This action proposes to modify Class D airspace extending up to 2,500 feet above the surface at Kingsville Naval Air Station (NAS), Kingsville, TX. This action is necessary due to the decommissioning of the Kingsville radio beacon (RBN), and cancellation of the RBN approach, and would enhance the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport. This action would also update the geographic coordinates of the airport.
Comments must be received on or before May 11, 2017.
Send comments on this proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366–9826, or 1–800–647–5527. You must identify FAA Docket No. FAA–2016–9511; Airspace Docket No. 16–ASW–20, at the beginning of your comments. You may also submit comments through the Internet at
FAA Order 7400.11A, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, and subsequent amendments can be viewed online at
FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, is published yearly and effective on September 15.
Ron Laster, Federal Aviation Administration, Contract Support, Operations Support Group, Central Service Center, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76177; telephone (817) 222–5879.
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 would modify Class D airspace extending up to and including 2,500 feet MSL above the surface area at Kingsville NAS, Kingsville, TX, to accommodate the decommissioning of the Kingsville radio beacon (RBN) and cancellation of the RBN approach.
Interested parties are invited to participate in this proposed rulemaking by submitting such written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Comments that provide the factual basis supporting the views and suggestions presented are particularly helpful in developing reasoned regulatory decisions on the proposal. Comments are specifically invited on the overall regulatory, aeronautical, economic, environmental, and energy-related aspects of the proposal. Communications should identify both docket numbers and be submitted in triplicate to the address listed above. Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments on this notice must submit with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: “Comments to Docket No. FAA–2016–9511/Airspace Docket No. 16–ASW–20.” The postcard will be date/time stamped and returned to the commenter.
An electronic copy of this document may be downloaded through the Internet at
You may review the public docket containing the proposal, any comments received, and any final disposition in person in the Dockets Office (see the
This document proposes to amend FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 3, 2016, and effective September 15, 2016. FAA Order 7400.11 is publicly available as listed in the
The FAA is proposing an amendment to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) Part 71 by modifying Class D airspace extending up to and including 2,500 feet MSL within a 4.3-mile radius of Kingsville NAS by removing the area within two miles each side of the 200 degree bearing from the Kingsville RBN extending from the 4.3-mile radius to 4.9 miles south of the airport. This action would also update the geographic coordinates of the airport to be in concert with the FAA's aeronautical database.
Airspace reconfiguration is necessary due to the decommissioning of the RBN and cancellation of the RBN approaches, and would enhance the safety and management of standard instrument approach procedures for IFR operations at the airport.
Class D airspace designations are published in paragraph 6000 of FAA Order 7400.11A, dated August 3, 2016, and effective September 15, 2016, which is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR 71.1. The Class D airspace designations listed in this document will be published subsequently in the Order.
The FAA has determined that this regulation only involves an established
This proposal will be subject to an environmental analysis in accordance with FAA Order 1050.1F, “Environmental Impacts: Policies and Procedures” prior to any FAA final regulatory action.
Airspace, Incorporation by reference, Navigation (air).
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes to amend 14 CFR part 71 as follows:
49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959–1963 Comp., p. 389.
That airspace extends upward from the surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL within a 4.3-mile radius of Kingsville NAS, and within 1.3 miles each side of the 191° radial of the Kingsville TACAN extending from the 4.3-mile radius to 4.9 miles south of the airport.