14 CFR Part 93, Subpart S - Allocation of Commuter and Air Carrier IFR Operations at High Density Traffic Airports

The FAA is establishing a Special Flight Rules Area in the vicinity of Pearson Field Airport, Vancouver, Washington. Pearson Field Airport is located approximately three nautical miles northwest of Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon. The close proximity of the airport traffic patterns and approach courses create converging flight paths between traffic on approach to Portland International Airport and traffic at Pearson Field Airport, increasing the risk for near mid-air collision, mid-air collision and wake turbulence events. The intended effect of this action is to mitigate the identified risk by establishing operating requirements applicable to all aircraft when operating within a designated area at Pearson Field Airport, which would increase overall system efficiency and safety.

This rulemaking amends the expiration date of the final rule requiring pilots operating civil helicopters under Visual Flight Rules to use the New York North Shore Helicopter Route when operating along that area of Long Island, New York. The current rule expires on August 6, 2016. The FAA finds it necessary to extend the rule for an additional four years to preserve the current operating environment while the FAA conducts ongoing helicopter research that will be considered to determine appropriate future actions.

This action amends the Order Limiting Operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) published on January 18, 2008, as amended, and most recently extended on May 24, 2016. This action replaces an obsolete statement concerning the Order's expiration date with the correct expiration date of October 27, 2018. The Order remains effective until October 27, 2018.

This action extends the Order Limiting Operations at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) published on December 27, 2006, and most recently extended March 27, 2014. The Order remains effective until October 27, 2018.

The DOT is withdrawing a previously published Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would have replaced the Orders limiting scheduled operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) with longer-term limits on scheduled and unscheduled operations at JFK, EWR, and LGA, and requested comment on options to establish a secondary market for the purchase, sale, lease, or trade of slots at these airports, as well as procedures that would codify the review of slot transactions arising from the secondary market for public interest and anti-competitive effects.

This document announces that the FAA will designate Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) as a Level 2, schedule-facilitated airport under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Worldwide Slot Guidelines (WSG) effective for the Winter 2016 scheduling season, which begins on October 30, 2016. The FAA has determined this designation is necessary based on an updated demand and capacity analysis of the airport. The current FAA Order designating EWR as a Level 3, slot-controlled airport will expire on October 29, 2016.

The FAA is proposing to establish a Special Flight Rules Area in the vicinity of Pearson Field Airport, Vancouver, Washington. Pearson Field Airport is located approximately three nautical miles northwest of Portland International Airport, Portland, Oregon. The close proximity of the airport traffic patterns and approach courses create converging flight paths between traffic on approach to Portland International Airport and traffic at Pearson Field Airport, increasing the risk for near mid-air collision, mid-air collision and wake turbulence events. The intended effect of this action is to mitigate the identified risk by establishing operating requirements applicable to all aircraft when operating within a designated area at Pearson Field Airport, which would increase overall system efficiency and safety.

This action announces the placement in the docket of a response to requests for clarification of the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on January 8, 2015. In the NPRM, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FAA proposed to replace the Orders limiting scheduled operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and limiting scheduled and unscheduled operations at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The Orders are scheduled to expire when the rulemaking is final and in effect, but not later than October 29, 2016. The proposed rule is intended to provide a longer-term and comprehensive approach to slot management at JFK, EWR, and LGA. By letters posted to the public docket, Airlines for America and Sabre Corporation submitted questions regarding various provisions in the NPRM they believe need further clarification before meaningful comments can be submitted to the docket. The DOT and the FAA have reviewed these requests and a coordinated response has been placed in the docket. That document also responds to Airlines for America's renewed request for an extension of the comment period and request for a public meeting.

This action extends the comment period for a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published on January 8, 2015. In the NPRM, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FAA proposed to replace the Orders limiting scheduled operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and limiting scheduled and unscheduled operations at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The Orders are scheduled to expire when the rulemaking is final and in effect, but not later than October 29, 2016. The proposed rule is intended to provide a longer-term and comprehensive approach to slot management at JFK, EWR, and LGA. The FAA has also placed further information in support of the proposal in the docket for this rulemaking. Finally, this document responds to a request for a public meeting regarding this rulemaking.

On June 23, 2014, the FAA published a final rule to extend the requirement for an additional two years for pilots operating civil helicopters under Visual Flight Rules to use the New York North Shore Helicopter Route when operating along the north shore of Long Island, New York. The final rule extended the expiration date to August 6, 2016. However, an error in the final rule resulted in the inadvertent removal of Subpart H of part 93 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This final rule corrects that error and reinstates the provisions of Subpart H.

The FAA proposes to replace the Orders limiting scheduled operations at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), limiting scheduled operations at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and limiting scheduled and unscheduled operations at LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The Orders are scheduled to expire when this proposed rule becomes effective but not later than October 29, 2016. This proposal is intended to provide a longer-term and comprehensive approach to slot management at JFK, EWR, and LGA. The FAA proposes to maintain the limits on scheduled and unscheduled operations in place under the Orders, limit unscheduled operations at JFK and EWR, and require use of an allocated slot 80% of the time for the same flight or series of flights to retain historic precedence. The FAA also proposes five alternatives for a secondary market that would allow carriers to buy, sell, lease, and trade slots. The DOT proposes to review certain slot transfer transactions for significant anti-competitive effects and harms to the public interest. Finally, the FAA proposes minor miscellaneous amendments to remove inapplicable references in the High Density Rule.

The action amends the expiration date of the final rule requiring pilots flying civil helicopters under Visual Flight Rules to use the New York North Shore Helicopter Route when operating along the north shore of Long Island, New York. The current rule expires on August 6, 2014. The FAA finds it necessary to extend this rule for an additional two years to preserve the current operating environment in order to determine whether the mandatory use of this route should be made permanent. The FAA will conduct notice and comment rulemaking on the permanent use of this route. A limited extension of the current rule provides needed time to conduct the appropriate analysis to assess the rule's impact and proper rulemaking procedures.

This action requires helicopter pilots to use the New York North Shore Helicopter Route when operating along the north shore of Long Island, New York. The North Shore Helicopter Route was added to the New York Helicopter Route Chart in 2008 and prior to this action, its use has been voluntary. The purpose of this rule is to protect and enhance public welfare by maximizing utilization of the existing route flown by helicopter traffic one mile off the north shore of Long Island and thereby reducing helicopter overflights and attendant noise disturbance over nearby communities. This rule will lapse in 2 years unless the FAA determines that a permanent rule is merited.