14 CFR Part 73 - SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE

This action amends Restricted Areas R-3601A and R-3601B, Brookville, KS, to re-define the restricted area boundary segments described using the Missouri Pacific Railroad Track visual landmark. The restricted areas using agency information is also 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 Smoky and Smoky High military operations areas (MOA), ancillary to the restricted areas amendments, are being made. Since R-3601A and R-3601B share boundaries with the Smoky and Smoky High MOAs, the FAA included discussion of the Smoky and Smoky High MOAs amendments in this rule. Lastly, the MOAs using agency is being amended to match the restricted areas using agency information.

This action expands the lateral boundary of restricted area R-3804B, Fort Polk, LA, and raises the restricted area ceiling to, but not including 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The expanded restricted area airspace will contain new live fire ranges to support mission requirements of the U.S. Army in order to fully exploit the capabilities of modern weapons systems and complex training scenarios that replicate conditions encountered during military deployments today. This action also amends time of designation for R-3804A and R-3804B to better reflect when the restricted areas are in use by the U.S. Army and when the airspace is available to nonparticipants. Lastly, this action makes administrative editorial corrections to the R-3804A, R-3804B, and R-3804C legal descriptions.

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 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 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 .