Notice of Intent To Decommission Flight Service Remote Communications Outlets (RCOs)

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration [Docket No. FAA-2025-0558] AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). ACTION: Request for public comment. SUMMARY: The FAA requests public comment on the agency's intent to decommission the Flight Service network of communication frequencies for advisory services throughout the contiguous United States (CONUS), excluding those in Alaska. DATES: Written comments should be submitted by May 27, 2025. ADDRESSES: Please send written comments: By Electronic Docket: www.regulations.gov (Enter docket number into search field). By mail: 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20591, ATTN: Manager, Flight Service, Safety & Operations, AJR-B1. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Henne, Manger, Safety & Operations, (202) 267-6500 or by email at: 9-AJR-FSSOG@faa.gov , Subject: CONUS RCOs. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Flight Service provides inflight advisory services over a radio network of 936 frequencies throughout the CONUS, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. This infrastructure was developed over 40 years ago, with little or no modifications since. Flight Service has experienced reduction in the volume of requests for advisory services, and a resulting consolidation in Flight Service stations. In the mid-1980s, Flight Service received 22,000 service requests per day across this network, while today they receive fewer than 300 per day. In turn, from over 350 Flight Service stations with over 3,0…