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Modification of Class E Airspace; Denver International Airport, Denver, CO

A Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 03/31/2026

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• Public Inspection Published Document: 2026-06214 (91 FR 15883) Document Headings ###### Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration

1. 14 CFR Part 71
2. [Docket No. FAA-2025-5384; Airspace Docket No. 25-ANM-144]
3. RIN 2120-AA66 ( printed page 15883) # AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and removes the Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Denver International Airport, Denver, CO. Additionally, this action makes an administrative modification to the airport's Class E airspace legal description. These actions support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations within the airspace described herein.

DATES:

Effective date 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 Rules and Regulations Group, Policy Directorate, Federal Aviation Administration, 600 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20597; telephone: (202) 267-8783.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nathan A. Chaffman, Federal Aviation Administration, Western Service Center, Operations Support Group, 2200 S 216th Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; telephone (206) 231-3460.

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 the 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 modifies Class E airspace to support IFR operations in Denver, CO.

History

The FAA published an NPRM for Docket No. FAA-2025-5384 in the Federal Register (90 FR 61105; December 30, 2025), proposing to modify the Class E airspace at Denver International Airport, Denver, CO. Interested parties were invited to participate in this rulemaking effort by submitting written comments on the proposal to the FAA. No comments were received.

Incorporation by Reference

Class E5 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 rule modifies the transitional Class E airspace at Denver International Airport, Denver, CO, by extending the portion of the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface and removing the portion extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface.

The transitional Class E airspace at Denver serves Denver International Airport and provides containment for IFR aircraft operating from Denver's surrounding airports. The Class E airspace at Denver extends to 17.8 miles south of Centennial Airport, Denver, CO, to provide containment for Centennial Airport's arriving IFR aircraft operations below 1,500 feet above the surface. Prior to this final rule, the extension was not sufficient in size to fully capture the ZOMBZ SIX ARRIVAL (Area Navigation [RNAV]) procedure that provides guidance to aircraft arriving at Centennial Airport until established on an instrument arrival procedure (or otherwise). Accordingly, the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Denver is extended approximately four miles to the south to better contain the ZOMBZ SIX ARRIVAL (RNAV) procedure.

Furthermore, the portion of Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface at Denver is removed, as the Denver Class E Domestic En Route Airspace provides sufficient containment and duplication is not necessary.

Finally, the legal description for Denver's Class E airspace extending upward from at least 700 feet above the surface uses the Denver Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range/Distance Measuring Equipment (VOR/DME) as its reference point (which is incorrectly listed as a VOR). The VOR Minimum Operational Network (MON) Implementation Program (81 FR 48694) selected the Denver VOR/DME for Phase 2 discontinuance from the National Airspace System. As such, the Denver VOR/DME is no longer used to describe the airspace. A “Point of Origin” with identical geographical coordinates as ( printed page 15884) the Denver VOR/DME now describes the airspace in its place.

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,” Appendix B-2.5. 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 Part 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

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ANM CO E5 Denver, CO [Amended]

Point of Origin

(Lat. 39°48′45″ N, long. 104°39′39″ W)

That airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface within a 28-mile radius of the Point of Origin, and within 13 miles west of the Point of Origin's 178° bearing extending to 37 miles south.

• * * * * Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on March 26, 2026.

B.G. Chew,

Group Manager, Operations Support Group, Western Service Center.

[FR Doc. 2026-06214 Filed 3-30-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Published Document: 2026-06214 (91 FR 15883)