14 CFR Part 73 - SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE

This action modifies the restricted areas at Fort Gordon, GA to further subdivide the vertical limits of the airspace. The designated altitudes for R-3004A and R-3004B are realigned and a new subarea, designated R-3004C, is established above R-3004B. The FAA is taking this action to allow for more efficient use of the airspace during periods when military activities only require restricted airspace below 3,500 feet MSL. The modifications are fully contained within the existing lateral and vertical boundaries of the restricted airspace.

This action establishes restricted area R-2603 within the existing Fort Carson, CO, Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), near Trinidad, CO. The U.S. Army requires additional restricted airspace because the restricted area ranges at Fort Carson are not large enough to meet all training requirements. R-2603 will provide increased ground-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-air battle space to increase training capacity and relieve training congestion at Fort Carson.

This action establishes restricted area R-2306F in the vicinity of Laguna Army Airfield (LGF) at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. The restricted area allows Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) to maximize the existing fixed infrastructure to support current and future hazardous test programs while minimizing the risk to public and non-participating aircraft. These programs involve ground and airborne testing of non-eye-safe lasers, high energy radars and the development of unproven weapon systems and this ensures the safer testing and evaluation of these programs without impacting non-participating aircraft and general public.

This action modifies the restricted areas at Fort Gordon, GA to further subdivide the vertical limits of the airspace. The designated altitudes for R-3004A and R-3004B are realigned and a new subarea, designated R-3004C, is established above R-3004B. The FAA is taking this action to allow for more efficient use of the airspace during periods when military activities only require restricted airspace below 3,500 feet MSL. The modifications are fully contained within the existing lateral and vertical boundaries of the restricted airspace.

This action proposes to establish two restricted areas, R-5602A and R-5602B, over a portion of the Fort Sill, OK, R-5601 restricted area complex in support of an emerging kinetic and directed energy weapons training requirement for the United States (U.S.) Army Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill. This additional airspace would allow for the segregation of hazardous activities from non-participating traffic.

This action establishes temporary restricted areas (Temp RAs) R-2509E, R-2509W, and R-2509N, Twentynine Palms, CA, to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade level Large Scale Exercise (LSE) planned for existing and newly acquired training lands at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms from August 7 to August 26, 2017.

This action updates the using agency information for restricted areas R-3007A, R-3007B, R-3007C, and R-3007D, Townsend, GA. This is an administrative change to reflect the current organization tasked with using agency responsibilities for the restricted areas. It does not affect the boundaries, designated altitudes, time of designation or activities conducted within the restricted areas.

This action withdraws the NPRM published in the Federal Register of February 23, 2017, proposing to establish temporary restricted areas R-2920A and R-2920B, Santa Rosa Island, FL, for the period May 11 to May 18, 2017. The proponent has informed the FAA that plans to conduct hazardous activities have been cancelled; therefore, a requirement no longer exists to establish temporary restricted areas.

This action updates the using agency information for restricted areas R-4102A and R-4102B, Fort Devens, MA. This is an administrative change to reflect the current organization tasked with using agency responsibilities for the restricted areas. It does not affect the boundaries, designated altitudes, time of designation or activities conducted within the restricted areas.

This action establishes restricted area R-2507W, Chocolate Mountains, CA, to support training activities that involve the use of advanced weapons systems. This action ensures realistic United States Marine Corps (USMC) training on live fire and non-live fire aviation activities such as Basic Ordinance Delivery, Close Air Support, Air-to-Air Gunnery, Laser Ranging and Designating, and Air Strikes. Restricted area R-2507W will allow the USMC to enhance training and safety requirements in order to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready military forces.

This action expands the restricted airspace at Farallon De Medinilla Island, Mariana Islands, by designating a new area, R-7201A, that surrounds the existing R-7201. R-7201A encompasses that airspace between a 3 nautical mile (NM) radius and a 12-NM radius of lat. 16°01′04″ N., long. 146°03′31″ E. The new restricted airspace provides the required airspace to conduct military training scenarios using air-to-ground ordnance delivery, naval gunfire, lasers and special operations training.

This action establishes 2 new restricted areas (R-5601G and R-5601H) to the special use airspace (SUA) complex located at Fort Sill, OK, to provide additional maneuvering airspace for current and planned hazardous training activities. Specifically, the restricted areas provide participating fighter and bomber aircraft with non-eye safe laser firing and maneuvering airspace when training at the Falcon Bombing Range contained in R-5601C, the West Range Target Area contained in R-5601B, or the East Range Target Area contained in R-5601A. Additionally, the using agency information for all Fort Sill restricted areas is updated for standardization and to reflect the current organization. This action also updates a number of geographic coordinates for R-5601A-E, G, and H as a result of more accurate digital charting capabilities, updates the arc radius distance in R-5601B and R-5601H from statute miles to nautical miles (NM), and corrects the controlling agency information for R-5601H. This action ensures realistic U.S. Army training on current tactics for employing hazardous targeting laser systems and weapons capabilities at longer ranges from the target area.

This action expands the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, VA, to support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Wallops Island Flight Facility (WFF) test requirements. This action adds 3 new restricted areas, designated R-6604C, R-6604D, and R-6604E. Additionally, a minor change is made to 2 points in the boundary of existing area R-6604A to match the updated 3-nautical mile (NM) line from the shoreline of the United States (U.S.) as provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This action proposes to establish restricted area R-2603 within the existing Fort Carson, CO, Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site (PCMS), near Trinidad, CO. The U.S. Army requires additional restricted airspace because the restricted area ranges at Fort Carson are not large enough to meet all training requirements. The proposed R-2603 would provide increased ground-to-air, air-to-ground, and air-to-air battle space to increase training capacity and relieve training congestion at Fort Carson.

This action proposes to establish restricted area R-2306F in the vicinity of Laguna Army Airfield at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. The proposed restricted area would allow the Department of the Army to maximize the existing fixed infrastructure to support hazardous test programs and segregate these activities from non-participating aircraft at Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). These programs include ground and airborne testing of non-eye-safe lasers, high energy radars and the development of unproven weapons systems. The restricted airspace would ensure the safe testing and evaluation of these programs without impacting non-participating aircraft and the general public.

This action withdraws the NPRM published in the Federal Register of March 30, 2016, proposing to establish temporary restricted areas R-2509E, R-2509W, and R-2509N, Twentynine Palms, CA. The FAA has determined that withdrawal of that NPRM is warranted due to aeronautical impacts associated with the proposed action.

This action updates the using agency information for restricted areas R-6602A, R-6602B, and R-6602C, Fort Pickett, VA. This is an administrative change to reflect the current organization tasked with using agency responsibilities for the restricted areas. It does not affect the boundaries, designated altitudes, time of designation or activities conducted within the restricted areas.

This action proposes to establish temporary restricted areas R-2509E, R-2509W, and R-2509N, Twentynine Palms, CA, to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade level Large Scale Exercise (LSE) planned for existing and newly acquired training lands at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms from August 1 to August 18, 2016.

This action removes restricted area R-4403 Gainesville, MS, and replaces it with an expanded area redesignated as R-4403A, B, C, E and F, Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS (the designation R-4403D is not used). The expanded restricted airspace is necessary to support essential National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) testing and Naval Special Warfare Command (NSWC) training requirements.

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 73 to update the controlling agency for restricted areas R-5302A, B and C, Albemarle Sound, NC; restricted areas R-5313A, B, C and D, Long Shoal Point, NC; and restricted areas R-5314A, B, C, D, E, F, H and J, Dare County, NC. Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) has delegated controlling agency authority for the above restricted areas to the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, Radar Air Traffic Control Facility (RATCF). There are no changes to the boundaries; designated altitudes; time of designation or activities conducted within the restricted areas.

This action reopens the comment period for the NPRM published September 10, 2015, proposing to expand the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, VA. This reopening of the comment period is necessary because a chart depicting the proposed airspace was not available prior to the original comment period closing date. This action will ensure that interested persons have the opportunity to view the chart and submit comments regarding the proposal.

This action updates the using agency information for restricted areas R-2932, R-2933, R-2934 and R-2935; Cape Canaveral, FL. This is an administrative change to reflect the current organization tasked with using agency responsibilities for the restricted areas. It does not affect the boundaries, designated altitudes, time of designation or activities conducted within the restricted areas.

This action proposes to establish 2 new restricted areas (R-5601G and R-5601H) to expand the special use airspace (SUA) complex located at Fort Sill, OK, to provide additional maneuvering airspace for current and planned training activities determined to be hazardous to non-participating aircraft. Specifically, the proposed restricted areas would provide participating fighter or bomber aircraft with laser-firing and maneuvering airspace when training at the Falcon Bombing Range contained in R-5601C, at the West Range Target Area contained in R-5601B, or at the East Range Target Area contained in R-5601A. In addition, the using agency for all Fort Sill restricted areas would be updated to reflect the current organization tasked with that responsibility. The U.S. Army requested that the FAA take this action to allow realistic training on current tactics developed and refined during recent combat operations for employing hazardous targeting laser systems and weapons capabilities at longer ranges from the target area.

This action amends Restricted Areas R-3602A and R-3602B, Manhattan, KS, to accurately identify the R-3602A and R-3602B boundary segments described using the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad right-of-way, the R-3602A and R-3602B shared boundary segment described using Old U.S. Highway 77, and the R-3602A and Riley Military Operations Area (MOA) shared boundary segment described using the Milford Reservoir shoreline. The restricted area ceilings are also amended to be expressed as flight levels (FL), the Marshall Army Air Field Radio Beacon (RBN) referenced in R-3602B is changed to the Cavalry Nondirectional Beacon (NDB), and the restricted areas using agency information is updated to include the military service of the using agency. This action does not affect the overall restricted area boundaries, designated altitudes, times of designation, or activities conducted within the restricted areas. Additionally, boundary segment amendments of the Riley MOA, ancillary to the restricted area amendments, are being made. Since the R-3602A and R-3602B restricted areas share boundaries with the Riley MOA, the FAA included discussion of the Riley MOA amendments in this rule. Lastly, the MOA using agency is being amended to match the restricted areas using agency information.

This action proposes to expand the restricted airspace at Chincoteague Inlet, VA, to support the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Wallops Island Flight Facility requirements. The proposed expansion would add 3 new restricted areas, designated R-6604C, R-6604D, and R-6604E. Additionally, a minor change would be made to 2 points in the boundary of existing area R-6604A to match the updated 3 nautical mile (NM) line from the shoreline of the United States (U.S.) as provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This action proposes to expand the lateral boundary of restricted area R-7201, Farallon De Medinilla Island, Mariana Islands, GU. The expanded restricted airspace would be used to support strategic and attack bombing, close air support bombing, naval gunfire, and strafing and special operations training. This action also proposes to rename the restricted area from R-7201 to R-7201A.

This action corrects a final rule published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2015 by adding one set of geographic latitude/longitude coordinates that was inadvertently omitted from the restricted area R-4501H boundary description.

This action proposes to establish restricted area R-2507W, Chocolate Mountains, CA, to support training activities that involve the use of advanced weapons systems. Proposed R-2507W is needed by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to enhance training and safety requirements in order to maintain, train, and equip combat-ready military forces.

This action amends Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 73 by making an editorial change to the location names listed in the titles of restricted areas R-5301, R-5302A, R-5302B, and R-5302C in North Carolina. There are no changes to the boundaries; designated altitudes; time of designation, activities conducted within the restricted areas or the actual physical locations of the restricted areas.

This action modifies the designated altitudes of restricted area R-4501B, Fort Leonard Wood, MO, by raising the restricted area ceiling from 1,500 feet mean seal level (MSL) in the north and 2,200 feet MSL in the south to a single altitude of 4,300 feet MSL across the entire restricted area. This action also adds exclusions to the boundaries of R-4501C, R-4501F, and R-4501H to address overlapping restricted areas. Finally, this action makes administrative changes to the R-4501A and R-4501B titles and to R-4501A-D, R-4501F, and R-4501H using agency information to standardize the format and information describing these restricted areas of the Fort Leonard Wood restricted area complex.

This action corrects a final rule; technical amendment, published in the Federal Register on April 7, 2015, that made a correction to a typographical error to R-6703A, R-6703B, R-6703C, R-6703D, R-6703E and R-6703F at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. Due to a submission error, the abbreviation for West in the longitude description of restricted area R-6703A was entered as “N”. This action corrects the boundary description of R-6703A by changing the longitude direction to “W”.

The FAA is amending the authority citation for part 71 and part 73 by adding an additional citation at the beginning of the authority citation string. This action updates and clarifies the Administrator's rulemaking authority to be consistent with other parts of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

This action makes minor corrections to the boundary descriptions of restricted areas R-6703A, R-6703B, R-6703C, R-6703D, R-6703E and R-6703F at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA. The changes are required due to a typographical error that occurred during publication of the final rule in the Federal Register .

This action makes minor adjustments to the boundary descriptions of restricted areas R-2932, R-2933, R-2934 and R-2935 at Cape Canaveral, FL. The changes are required based on more accurate digital plotting of points that revealed minor mismatches between adjacent boundaries. The R-2933 description is also amended to remove exclusionary wording that no longer applies.