2026-02320: Establishment and Amendment of Class E Airspace; South Bend, IN

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 25 (Friday, February 6, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 5285-5287] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-02320] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 71 [Docket No. FAA-2025-5136; Airspace Docket No. 25-AGL-18] RIN 2120-AA66 Establishment and Amendment of Class E Airspace; South Bend, IN

Agency

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

Action

Final rule. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

This action establishes and amends the Class E airspace at South Bend, IN. The name and geographic coordinates of the South Bend International Airport, South Bend, IN, are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action is the result of airspace reviews conducted due to the decommissioning of the Keeler very high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR) as part of the VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Program. It brings the airspace into compliance with FAA orders and supports instrument flight rule (IFR) procedures and operations.

Dates

Effective 0901 UTC, May 14, 2026. 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. An electronic copy of this document may also be downloaded from www.federalregister.gov. FAA Order JO 7400.11K, 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 establishes and amends the Class E airspace at the affected airports to support IFR operations. History The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-5136 in the Federal Register (90 FR 55819; December 4, 2025) proposing to establish and amend the Class E airspace at South Bend, IN. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received. [[Page 5286]] Incorporation by Reference Class E airspace designations are published in paragraphs 6002, 6003, 6004, 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 7400.11K, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025. These amendments will be published in the next update to FAA Order JO 7400.11. FAA Order JO 7400.11K, which lists Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas, air traffic service routes, and reporting points, is publicly available as listed in the ADDRESSES section of this document. The Rule This action amends 14 CFR part 71 by modifying the Class E surface airspace; establishing a Class E extension to Class C airspace; establishing a Class E extension to a Class E surface area; and modifying the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface at South Bend, Indiana, due to airspace reviews conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Keeler VOR as part of the VOR MON Program. For the South Bend International Airport, South Bend, IN, Class E surface area, this action: (1) updates the name of the airport from Michiana Regional Transportation Center Airport to South Bend International Airport and updates the geographic coordinates of the airport to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; (2) removes the city associated with the airport from the airspace legal description header to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2R, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters; (3) adds the Chain-O-Lakes Airport to the airspace legal description header as it was previously omitted; and (4) updates the outdated term ``Airport/Facility Directory'' to ``Chart Supplement.'' This action establishes a Class E extension to Class C airspace at South Bend International Airport extending upward from the surface within 2 miles each side of the 179[deg] bearing from the airport extending from the 5-mile radius of the airport to 9.7 miles south of the airport. This action establishes a Class E extension to a Class E surface area at South Bend International Airport extending upward from the surface within 2 miles each side of the 179[deg] bearing from the airport extending from the 5-mile radius of the airport to 9.7 miles south of the airport. For the South Bend International Airport Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface, this action: (1) decreases the radius from 8 miles to 7.5 miles; (2) amends the east extension to within 4 miles (decreased from 4.4 miles) south and 8 miles (increased from 7 miles) north of the 089[deg] bearing from the South Bend INTL: RWY 27L-LOC (previously South Bend ILS Localizer East Course) extending from the 7.5-mile radius of the airport (previously South Bend Regional Airport) to 10 miles (decreased from 10.5 miles) east of the airport (previously Misha outer marker); (3) adds an extension within 2 miles each side of the 179[deg] bearing from the airport extending from the 7.5-mile radius to 10.7 miles south of the airport; (4) removes the Gipper VORTAC and associated extensions as they are no longer required; (5) updates the name of the localizer from South Bend ILS Localizer to South Bend INTL: RWY 27L-LOC to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database; and (6) removes the Misha Outer Marker from the airspace legal description header as it is no longer required. And for the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport, Niles, MI, Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface, contained within the South Bend, IN, airspace legal description, this action: (1) increases the radius from 6.4 miles to 6.9 miles; and (2) removes the city associated with the airport in the airspace legal description header to comply with changes to FAA Order JO 7400.2R. 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 1050.1G, ``FAA National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures,'' Paragraph B-2.5(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 0