Amendment of Class E Airspace; Covington, KY

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You may be interested in this older document that published on 02/11/2026 with action 'Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM); correction; extension of comment period.' View Document

Amendment of Class E Airspace; Covington, KY

A Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 04/09/2026

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• Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-06846 (91 FR 17847) Document Headings ###### Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration

1. 14 CFR Part 71
2. [Docket No. FAA-2026-0534; Airspace Docket No. 26-ASO-2]
3. RIN 2120-AA66

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This action amends the Class E airspace at Covington, KY. The geographic coordinates of the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field, Cincinnati, OH, contained within the Covington, KY, Class E airspace legal description are also being updated to coincide with the FAA's aeronautical database. This action is the result of an airspace review conducted due to the decommissioning of the Cincinnati 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, July 9, 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 ( printed page 17848) 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 amends the Class E airspace at the affected airports to support IFR operations.

History

The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-0534 in the Federal Register (91 FR 2321; January 20, 2026) and an NPRM correction (91 FR 6152; February 11, 2026) proposing to amend the Class E airspace at Covington, KY. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. Eight (8) comments were received. Two (2) comments did not apply to the action, so no response is provided. Four (4) comments supported the action, and FAA acknowledges the support. And two (2) duplicative comments were received supporting further expansion of the Class E airspace rather than the proposed reduction; the following response is provided.

The FAA understands and appreciates the opinions expressed for a further expansion of the Class E airspace at Covington, KY; however, the FAA has an obligation to preserve the general public's right of transit through the navigable airspace and therefore must classify controlled airspace only as required for IFR operations and air traffic control. The requirements and criteria for airspace design are outlined within FAA Order JO 7400.2R, Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters, and this order was followed in the amendment of the Class E airspace at Covington, KY.

Differences From the NPRM

Subsequent to the publication of the NPRM, the FAA discovered that the geographic coordinates for Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field, Cincinnati, OH, contained in the Covington, KY, Class E airspace legal description, should have been updated. As this update does not materially change the boundaries of the proposed airspace or impose any additional requirements on users of the airspace, the FAA has determined that good cause exists for not recirculating this action for public comment, and the geographic coordinates are being corrected in this action.

Incorporation by Reference

Class E airspace designations are published in paragraph 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 airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface at Covington, KY, due to airspace reviews conducted as part of the decommissioning of the Cincinnati VOR as part of the VOR MON Program.

For the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Covington, KY, Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface, the action decreases the radius from 10 miles to 7.9 miles from the airport.

For the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field, Cincinnati, OH, Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface contained within the Covington, KY, airspace legal description, the action updates the geographic coordinates of the airport.

For the Clermont County Airport, Batavia, OH, Class E airspace extending upward from 700 ft. above the surface contained within the Covington, KY, airspace legal description, the action increases the radius from 6.8 miles to 7 miles.

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 Order 2100.6B, “Policies and Procedures for Rulemakings” (March 10, 2025); 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

1. The authority citation for 14 CFR part 71 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40103, 40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR, 1959-1963 Comp., p. 389.

§ 71.1 [Amended] 2. The incorporation by reference in 14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order JO 7400.11K, Airspace Designations and Reporting Points, dated August 4, 2025, and effective September 15, 2025, is amended as follows:

Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas Extending Upward From 700 Feet or More Above the Surface of the Earth.

• * * * * ( printed page 17849) ## ASO KY E5 Covington, KY [Amended]

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, KY

(Lat. 39°02′56″ N, long. 084°40′04″ W)

Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field, OH

(Lat. 39°06′11″ N, long. 084°25′03″ W)

Clermont County Airport, OH

(Lat. 39°04′42″ N, long. 084°12′37″ W)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 7.9-mile radius of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport; and within an 8.8-mile radius of Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field; and within 2 miles each side of the 021° bearing from the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field extending from the 8.8-mile radius of the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field to 12.3 miles north of Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field; and within 2 miles each side of the 062° bearing of the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field extending from the 8.8-mile radius of Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field to 11 miles northeast of Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field; and within 2 miles each side of the 201° bearing from the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field extending from the 8.8-mile radius of the Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field to 11.7 miles south of Cincinnati Municipal Airport/Lunken Field; and within a 7-mile radius of Clermont County Airport.

• * * * * Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 7, 2026.

Jerry J. Creecy,

Acting Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO Central Service Center.

[FR Doc. 2026-06846 Filed 4-8-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Published Document: 2026-06846 (91 FR 17847)