FAA Redraws Airspace Maps for Clovis and Portales, New Mexico Skies
Published Date: 3/25/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FAA wants to update and add some airspace rules around Clovis and Portales, New Mexico, to keep flights safe and smooth with new instrument procedures. Pilots and airports in these areas will see changes to how airspace is organized, but no extra costs for the public. You’ve got until May 11, 2026, to share your thoughts before these changes take off!
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Cannon AFB Class D/E Size Changes
If you fly into or operate at Cannon Air Force Base (Clovis, NM), the proposed rule would shrink the Class D and Class E surface areas from a 6-mile radius to a 5.4-mile radius and add an extension 1 mile each side of the 039° bearing from the Cannon TACAN out to 5.9 miles northeast of the airport. The Class E area above 700 ft would be reduced from a 20-mile radius to a 7.9-mile radius and Portales would be removed from that Cannon description.
New Class E at Clovis and Portales
If you fly into Clovis Regional Airport, the FAA proposes creating Class E airspace from 700 ft above the surface within a 7.5-mile radius of the airport. If you fly into Portales Municipal Airport, the FAA proposes creating Class E airspace from 700 ft above the surface within a 7.4-mile radius of that airport.
Navigation Data and Chart Updates
The proposal updates the Cannon TACAN name and geographic coordinates to match the FAA aeronautical database, removes the Cannon ILS localizer from the legal description, and replaces the outdated term "Airport/Facility Directory" with "Chart Supplement." These changes affect the official navigation and charting information pilots use for flight planning and instrument procedures.
FAA Says Minimal Economic Impact
The FAA states this proposed airspace amendment is expected to have minimal impact and would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities; the proposal also says there would be no extra costs for the public. The rulemaking is treated as a routine technical airspace update.
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Key Dates
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