Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
| Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: Virginia |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | |
| Location | Arlington, Virginia |
| IATA code | DCA |
| ICAO code | KDCA |
| Airport type | Commercial |
| Website | http://www.mwaa.com/national/ |
| Overview map | Google Maps |
| Communications | |
| Tower | 119.1 |
| Ground | 121.7 |
| Clearance | 128.25 |
| Approach | 119.85 (West) 124.2 (East) |
| Departure | 118.95 (West) 125.65 (East) |
| ATIS | 132.65 |
| Departure | 122.95 |
Official Spotting Locations
Location
Other Spotting Locations
Gravely Point
Spotters are blessed with an amazing vantage point just north of the airport, called Gravely Point. The south end of the park is about a quarter mile from the threshold of runway 19. This offers great shots of both departures and arrivals. The arrivals come in very low, so I recommend ear plugs for those who have sensitive ears. The park has its own free parking and you will be largely undisturbed, as this people have been taking pictures from there for years. Many times you will be standing among several tourists and sports players just watching the airport activity.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
Most jet traffic uses the main runway 1-19. Landings to the south follow the Potomac river and make a 40° turn over the George Mason bridge. This unusual arrival procedure is similar to Kai-Tak's infamous IGS 13 approach but without heavy jets. Prohibited airspace north of the airport containing the White House and Capitol mandates this procedure. The Washington Monument also would be a hinderance to safe navigation. Commuter planes may often use the smaller runways 4-22 and 15-33. General Aviation and non scheduled charters were not allowed into Reagan National when the airport reopened after the 9/11 attacks. Beginning in October 2005 some general aviation aircraft have been allowed to return. They must have passenger manifests submitted 24 hours in advance. Pilots must be fingerprinted and undergo background checks. The plane, passengers and flight crew must be screened at a designated gateway airport and an armed marshall must be onboard. Due to the complex requirements general aviation traffic remains a rarity. Sports team charters on commercial airliners continue to use Dulles because of these restrictions.
Facilities and Transportation
External Links
- WashBaltSpotters.net - Washington Baltimore Spotters Group - containing information about the area airports, spotting guides, traffic, news and photos
- FlyIAD.net - Spotters Guide to Washington DC Area Arports