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CriticalStrawberry t1_j1p8k7r wrote

All the time that I fly in and out of DCA every year and I've never gotten the Anacostia river approach/departure. Always North/South Potomac. Cool to see a different perspective. The visual approach from the North never gets old though!

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mjshep t1_j1pbqg1 wrote

I'm still getting my sense of where everything is in DC and this one threw me for a minute with the angle. Thanks for the share.

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androbot t1_j1pta38 wrote

I wonder what it would take to officially change the name (back) to National. I say this as I recall driving along the Ronald Reagan Turnpike inf Florida (of course) and almost wrecked because I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling.

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Less_Wrong_ t1_j1pxy68 wrote

Thanks for reminding me we need to upzone the fuck out of Capitol Hill

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mister_meeseeeks OP t1_j1q0wd5 wrote

Replying to androbot (#1,071,084)

It was Washington National now it’s that other name that also ends in National. The airport is in Virginia but controlled by congress. I’d put renaming this airport pretty far down on the list of priorities. I almost never end up hearing its real name anyway. Just call it DCA

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mister_meeseeeks OP t1_j1q2obm wrote

Replying to CriticalStrawberry (#1,068,856)

I liked this because you’re much higher than you’d be during river visual. You end up going pretty far south before hooking around to line up for landing.

This was BOS->DCA. I’d guess you need to be on a route that’s originates north east of DCA and flies direct into DCA . Bos, jfk, lga, islip, phl.

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PinheadtheCenobite t1_j1q4y4u wrote

Replying to GenericReditAccount (#1,071,524)

This is a relatively common approach when you're flying in from the Northeast (Philadelphia, JFK, Laguardia, Boston, Providence, Hartford, etc.). Flights are landing and taking off from Reagan on runway 1 as the wind is out of the north/northwest/northeast - much more common in fall and winter.

Aircraft continue south past DC, and depending on the flight patterns, traffic, and congestion, will do a 180 degree turn to line up with the main runway - sometimes as quick as the Wilson Bridge and sometimes as far south as La Plata. Fort Washington is a very common turn point.

This is known as the "CLIPR2" approach.

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belbivfreeordie t1_j1q51yj wrote

I flew in once when the scaffolding around the Washington Monument was completely up and glinting in the sunlight, was really pretty.

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St1834 t1_j1q66i7 wrote

Replying to androbot (#1,071,084)

This is a rare example of the person something is named after actually having a lot to do with its existence. It's not like Dulles, who had nothing to do with the airport. Reagan actually got the airport transferred to local control, which cleared the way for the renovations in the 90s that added Terminal 2

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PinheadtheCenobite t1_j1q6set wrote

Replying to mister_meeseeeks (#1,072,396)

Using CLIPR2, you're usually between 5,000 and 7,500 feet when you pass DC. As noted above, depending on the traffic at DCA, you might do your baseline turn as quickly as the Wilson Bridge, most commonly near Fort Washington, or significantly further down the river as far as La Plata.

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nghost43 t1_j1qcv06 wrote

Hey I can see my home from here

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Quelcris_Falconer13 t1_j1qg2yi wrote

Who else spent a good five minutes trying to find their house in this pic? Lol

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iwasbornin2021 t1_j1qjmej wrote

One thing I didn't notice until now is how much the NW-SE diagonal streets outnumber the SW-NE ones

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St1834 t1_j1r66c4 wrote

Replying to hoos30 (#1,077,520)

The federal government still maintains oversight of the MWAA and holds the title, so the federal government is the only party that can change the name.

What you're referring to is the fact that the localities didn't want to pay for all of the costs associated with the name change because it was passed as an unfunded mandate, and localities hate that.

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sir_ornitholestes t1_j1s9b7a wrote

You can even see the pentagram, just like the Illuminati intended!

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iLikeGreenTea t1_j1scoa0 wrote

This is a really cool shot!!!! Usually people take the photo coming in to land but it’s at such a low angle we don’t get to see everything. Here the city plan is plain as day (ha-ha-ha). Gorgeous night shot, too.

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androbot t1_j1z4m5d wrote

Replying to mister_meeseeeks (#1,072,164)

I agree the likelihood of an official renaming approaches zero. It's just very funny to hear how people refer to it. It's a kind of dog whistle. People (like me) who refuse to say Reagan, and then the other folks, who consist of Republicans or totally apolitical types.

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kickball2022 t1_j25z9nu wrote

Not if you have anxiety and can see the water you almost land into

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