Washington Dulles International Airport

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Continent: North America Country: United States Region: Virginia


Washington Dulles International Airport
Location Dulles, Virginia
IATA code IAD
ICAO code KIAD
Airport type Commercial
Website http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/
Overview map Google Maps
Communications
Tower 120.1 (1R-19L), 128.425 (1L-19R, 12-30)
Ground 121.9 (East), 132.45 (West)
Clearance 135.7
Approach 126.1, 124.65
Departure125.05
ATIS 134.85
Departure122.95

Dulles International is one of three major airports serving the Washington D.C. area (the other two being Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA) and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI/KBWI)). It is by far the largest of the three, and serves as the main international gateway for the U.S. capital city. The airport serves as an international hub for United, and, until the airline went out of business, also served as the hub for ill-fated Independence Air. The airfield has three main runways: 1L/19R, 1R/19L, and 12/30.

Official Spotting Locations

Unfortunately, the old observation deck at the base of the original control tower has been closed and covered up, due to Main Terminal renovations. It is still visible in the Google Earth photo.

The best on-site "official" spotting is provided by the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center, explained below.

Udvar-Hazy Center Observation Tower

The observation and viewing tower at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center provides fairly decent views of aircraft approaching the 1's, and deparing the 19's, as the tower sits between the approach paths of the 1's. This place is good ONLY to view airplanes on approach. I wouldn't recommend this location at all. You can get much better shots of arriving airplanes from the parking lot in front of the museum.

Other Spotting Locations

Purple Economy Lot

The Purple Economy Lot offers a great vantage point directly under the approach/departure path, less than a half-mile away from the threshold of runway 19L. Parking there is $3/hr, and no more than $9/day, so if you stay more than three hours, you're almost getting free spotting. The lot tends to be sparse, so you may stick out. As long as you have an ID and are causing no trouble, you should be fine. After all, they're making money from you.

Central Airport

The Daily Garages offer a better vantage point for all three runways. Daily Garage I offers a spectacular view of the Main Terminal and Signature Flight Support. If you have a decent lens, you should be able to get decent shots, but this point is more for overviews because of the distance. Daily Garage II offers a great view of the south cargo ramp, which houses DHL and UPS. Further north is Fed-Ex. Occasionally, Piedmont-Hawthorne will put larger customers down here, such as the UAE's B747SP. You will need a decent lens to get good pictures of the north cargo ramp.

Both garages are $5/hr with a max of $15/day. Again, make sure you have an ID in case you are questioned. They may ask you to leave here, though, because these lots tend to be more popular.

Udvar-Hazy Center Parking Lot

The parking lot for the Udvar-Hazy Center is considered by many to be better than the observation tower itself, especially for 1R landings. From the entrance to the parking lot, proceed past the museum and park at the far end of the lot. Other spots may have more trees to contend with. Parking is $12/day; museum admission itself is free. Restrooms and food are available in the museum.

Westfield High School

The school is a good distance away (3.75mi from the threshold of runway 1L and 3mi from the threshold of runway 1R), but offers a decent spot for approaches to runways 1L and 1R. As long as school is not in session, security tends to be lax or non-existent. The student lot is often used by parents to teach their children to drive, along with other activities, so your presence will go largely unnoticed.

The school is off of Route 50 on Stonecroft Blvd.

Locations to Avoid

Avoid Signature Flight Support and Landmark Aviation. Both are very strict about security and do not like anyone except customers. This includes parking or even standing in their lots.

Regular Traffic

IAD gets some great rare (for the USA) airlines, such as Ethiopian. The airport is also visited occasionally by the German Luftwaffe, RAF and other foreign dignitaries.

Domestic Traffic and Aircraft

  • Air Canada Jazz: Air Canada Jazz operates CRJ-100s and 200s.
  • Air Tran: Operates 717s and 737-700s
  • American Airlines: American has a large number of daily flights from its hubs. Several aircraft are used, including the 737-800s, 757-200s, and MD-80s.
    • American Eagle: American Eagle operates many flights using the ERJ-135/140/145.
    • American Connection: Flying under Trans States and Chautauqua using ERJ-145s.
  • Continental Airlines: One daily B737-300 or 737-500
    • Continental Express: Operates ERJ-135/145/145XRs, and Dash 8-100s.
  • Delta Air Lines: Delta is using MD-88s, 737-800s, 757-200s.
    • Delta Connection: CRJ-100/200s and sometimes CRJ-700 or 900s
  • JetBlue Airways: JetBlue operates both A320s and Embraer 190s.
  • Northwest Airlines: Northwest operates A319/A320s.
  • Northwest Airlink: CRJ-200s.
  • Southwest Airlines: Southwest is using 737-300/700.
  • Sun Country Airlines: Sun Country operates one daily 737-800.
  • United Airlines: United has a hub at Dulles and operates many flights daily using several aircraft. This includes the 737-300, 737-500, 747-400, 757-200, 767-300, 777-200, A319, and A320, in both new and old liveries.
    • United Express: CRJ-200, CRJ-700, Saab 340, ERJ-145, EMB-170.
    • Ted: Operates the A320, with 40 flights daily.
  • US Airways: A319, A320, B737-300/400.
    • US Airways Express: CRJ200, CRJ-700, CRJ-900.
  • Virgin America: A320

International Traffic and Aircraft

  • Aeroflot: Operates a 767-300.
  • Air France: A330-200s, and 777-200/300/300ERs.
  • ANA: Operates a 777-300ER.
  • Austrian Airways: Operates a B777-200.
  • British Airways: 777-200s, 747-400s, and occasionally 767-300s.
  • Ethiopian: Operates a 767-300.
  • Iberia: A340-300, and occasionally A340-600s.
  • KLM: Daily flight from Amsterdam using A330-200s.
  • Korean Air: Operates 747-400s.
  • Lufthansa: A330-300s, A340-300s and B747-400s.
  • Qatar Airways: B777-300ER
  • Saudi Arabian Airlines: Operates a 747-400.
  • South African Airlines: A340-600
  • SAS: Daily flight from Copenhagen using an A330-300.
  • TACA: Operates an A319, A320, A321.
  • Virgin Atlantic Airways: Operates an A340-300 or A340-600

Cargo Traffic and Aircraft

  • Airborne Express (now DHL): 767-200.
  • FedEx: Operates the 727-200, A300, A310, DC-10.
  • UPS: DC-8, B757, A300.
  • Volga-Dnepr: AN-124

Military Traffic and Aircraft

  • Lufwaffe: Daily C-160, A310.
  • RAF: C-130, VC-10.

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
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