DCA Bites!

[Palerider957]

Who the hell came up with the approaches into DCA? These freaky LDA With/without glideslope, then a crank and bank onto final--assuming you don't bite off onto landing on the wrong runway.

On departing, "don't turn late or you will enter P-56, don't turn early or you will fly over the Pentagon."

All this in less then 4 hours sleep on the DCA nap....

Thoughts anyone?

 

[WhiteCloud]

Who the hell came up with the approaches into DCA? These freaky LDA With/without glideslope, then a crank and bank onto final--assuming you don't bite off onto landing on the wrong runway.

On departing, "don't turn late or you will enter P-56, don't turn early or you will fly over the Pentagon."

All this in less then 4 hours sleep on the DCA nap....

Thoughts anyone?

Politics

 

[sleepy]

Re: Re: DCA Bites!

Politics

Try it as a CDO with 3 hour of sleep for three days on, two off, 10 times per month. Whaaaaa!

 

[fokkerjet]

????

There's some challenge with shooting the LDA 19, but it's not all that difficult. Before we were considered a threat , I'd be disappointed if all I got to shoot was the ILS 01.

For a real challenge, circle to runway 22

 

[328dude]

I agree with Fokker. I actually like DCA. It's always something new and you never know what to expect when your there. Keeps you on your toes.

If your complaining, land in Dullas. It caters more to whiners then DCA.


Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Sniff Sniff

 

[DDpaysoff]

Stick

Only place in the mainland you actually have to use stick. 22 is great when you were on the river, but I found a break off on short final to 1, base over the river landing 33 is just as sweet. RWY 33 is longer than 22, but still fun. I remember landing the saab on 22 it was a challenge, I saw midway land 22 from the north in CRJ, they did a very nice job I wonder how hot their BT was.
I'm glad we go there a lot. You must have did the orange cty, DFW, DCA trip an ASA guy was telling me about.
Question, does anybody actually reduce the power for max climb thrust on a hot day to maintain 500 fpm climb until 10DME, like the noise abatement procedure for RWY 1 says? I have only seen one guy do it I always ask the captains if it is ok if I do that, but I can tell they don't want to do it so I don't. Anybody or everybody do that?

As clearance once told me "Stay out of P-56"!

 

[the turtle]

The reduction in power doesn't apply to regionals due to our GTOW.

I LOVE "DA RIVAH"!!!

I've circled to 22 in the ERJ and the Beech, both are fun in different ways.

328 Dude is correct: DCA keeps you sharp. The LDA 19 and VOR 15, circle to 19, when flown to vis minimuns, especially at nite, is very tricky...esp. if you haven't done it a couple of times during the day.

I'll really hate to leave it someday...it's home.

 

[LJDRVR]

Ahhh DCA...

I used to fly in there years ago as a student pilot, great learning experience. (Heck yeah my instructor was with me) About that time, (1989) I also got to visit the tower cab twice. Very impressive. Nobody handles minimum seperation like those folks. They'll have two controllers working local, one talking and the other one handling the strips and helping "spot". (One will be using the binocs while the other eyballs the ASR and vice versa) Kind of a "crew" situation for ATC. I did get to see Sam Skinner (DOT Secretary) get busted when the Lear 35 he was flying turned right instead of left on a north departure. Immediately a phone rang continuously untill answered, with someone wanting to know all the details of who, what when where and why. I remember the local controller laughing that he wanted his time off as he unplugged and briefed the next controller. (I understand they get a few days at home for every pilot deviation or deal in ATC parlance) A much more innocent time.

Once you've been there a few times it gets a little easier and enjoyable. Being very familiar with the local landmarks helps increase your comfort zone, and lastly; brief, brief, brief!

DDpaysoff,
Before they banned us unwashed, unregulated part 135 folks, I would actually fly the DP climb rate in the Lear as specified. I didn't like it a whole lot, and the controllers usually would ask us to increase our rate, sometimes in a not very nice way. Just trying to follow the rules man!

 

[General Lee]

I can't believe you guys (ASA) have a continuous duty overnight to DCA! Man, that sucks.

DCA is fun to fly into. I love it when the ram dump you over top IAD at 8,000 and expect you to get established for that river visual. Crank and bank.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[LearLove]

Palerider957 do you not like to fly or something? DCA is the best. I love racing the helos up the Anacosta after departing 4. Also trying to see how close you can get tp the pentagon roof landing on 15. The LDA is fun but I like goin down the Anacosta and buzzing the golf course and marina as you land on 22. Landing on 19 I wonder if any of thoes soccer players at the approach end has tried to hit us with a soccer ball.

 

[ATRCA]

I gotta say, I love DCA!!

Fun place to fly. Nice airport, good resturants, fun approaches. DCA is one of my favorite destinations. 22 is a lot of fun in the ERJ, and what a view coming down the river. Its all good.

 

[Anaconda]

i love DCA as well, one of the few places that actually make the job interesting. second on my list would be LGA, where i think they have the minimum separation thing down better than anybody...

getting tired of the code word though, i think that requirement is a joke.

 

[LearLove]

Ditto on the code word. They should put the words together so that over a several day trip with legs in and out of DCA they form a sentance.

 

[DDpaysoff]

I have to say I get more wood there than any other airport. OK, maybe SXM or DOM. Anyone here ever been to DOM? You will never forget that approach.

 

[Palerider957]

No, I love to fly--it's the trip that sucks.

The nap has us getting in at about midnight (12:40 last night), then to the hotel by 12:30--0100. We have to be in the van by 05:05, so it wears on you after doing it a few days in a row.

We were WAY late last night, and the night before, so sleep was minimal. We were both so tired we made a few pretty stupid mistakes...I guess that's what really sucks.

The ground crew is excellent, I wish we had that motivation on the ATL ramp.

As for 328 dude...kiss my as.s.....

 

[StaySeated]

Noise Abatement

I also enjoy DCA. I do not have the noise abatement notes in front of my but I do not remember reading anything about MGTOW. Is there really an exemption for RJ's as someone previously posted? I actually landed on 15 one day, you go right over the top of the pentagon less than 300 AGL, very interesting perspective.

 

[bailout]

>>Question, does anybody actually reduce the power for max climb thrust on a hot day to maintain 500 fpm climb until 10DME, like the noise abatement procedure for RWY 1 says? I have only seen one guy do it I always ask the captains if it is ok if I do that, but I can tell they don't want to do it so I don't. Anybody or everybody do that?<<

I was told by the C.P. on our first trip up there a while back that the CRJ meets and exceeds all noise abatement procedures there, so we do not have to follow them.

Oh, and I too love going in there. This may sound corny, but we went in there for the first time 6-7 months ago and after Sept 11th, and the war, seeing all the political buildings lit up in bright white gave me goose bumps. (as in proud to be an american)

 

[spitfire1940]

wow.
great to see a thread without any bitching about pay, schedule, work rules ... not like people with jobs shouldn't be complaining about that stuff.

but an entire thread by airline pilots about the joys of approaches and landing!! a banner day!

it's kind of uplifting.

thanks guys. now i shall wipe a tear from my eye

 

[OneTuffGuy]

Palerider all I want to know is what DCA airport you are flying out of? We have been flying in and out of DCA for years and even today we flew right over the top of the pentagon and guess what no rockets fired, we are ok...... Also as for P56 avoidance if you can not make that turn in time go back to a skyhawk buddy.

 

[BLWME]

to the erj drivers, when doing the river vis. do you ever use flaps 45 or just 22?