Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in
Arlington County, Virginia is the closest commercial
airport to
Washington, D.C.Originally
Washington National Airport, it was renamed after former
President Ronald Reagan in
1998. Its original name remains on the stone facade of the historic terminal (Terminal A), and it is still widely known as "National" or "Washington National" (particularly in the D.C. area), although the formulation "Reagan National" or just "Reagan" has gained currency.
It is a focus city for
US Airways, the largest carrier. The
US Airways Shuttle offers
air shuttle service to
LaGuardia Airport in
New York City and
Logan International Airport in
Boston, Massachusetts. The
Delta Shuttle offers
air shuttle service to
LaGuardia Airport in
New York City. With a handful of exceptions, flights are restricted to destinations within 1250 miles (2012 km), in an effort to control
aviation noise and to drive air traffic to the larger but more distant
Washington Dulles International Airport. In 2005 it served approximately 17.8 million passengers.[
1] Because the airport doesn't have U.S. immigration and customs facilities, the only international flights operating out of National go to airports with U.S. Customs and Border Protection
preclearance, which includes the
Bahamas (Nassau),
Bermuda,
Toronto, and
Montreal.
Washington National Airport was built by the federal government on mudflats alongside the
Potomac River at Gravelly Point, 7 km (4½ miles) south of Washington, D.C.
Captain John Alexander built a mansion called "Abingdon" on the site in 1746. A descendent, Philip Alexander, donated most of the land on which the City of Alexandria was built, and it was so named in his honor. Abingdon Mansion was purchased in 1778 by John Parke Custis, and was the birthplace of Eleanor "Nelly" Parke Custis, stepdaughter of President George Washington. Abingdon was destroyed by fire in 1930. In 1998, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority preserved the site and housed artifacts found there in the Exhibit Hall, located in Terminal A.
Airport facilities in Washington, D.C., had long been seriously inadequate early in the 20th Century.
Hoover Field, located near the present site of the Pentagon, was the first major terminal to be developed in the Capital area, opening its doors in 1926. Hoover Field had a single runway intersected by a local street (guards had to stop
automobile traffic during takeoffs and landings).
The following year, Washington Airport, another privately operated field, began service next door. In 1930, the economics of the Great Depression caused the two terminals to merge to form Washington-Hoover Airport. Bordered on the east by Highway One, with its accompanying high-tension electrical wires, and obstructed by a high smokestack on one approach and a dump nearby, the field was less than adequate.
National Airport opened its doors on
June 16,
1941. Though located in Virginia, much of the site had originally been underwater, in District of Columbia territory. A 1945 law established the airport as legally within Virginia but under the jurisdiction of
Congress.
Rapid growth in air traffic led to the construction of runway extensions in
1950 and
1955. The runway layout—limited due to the location and orientation of the airport—has otherwise changed little, except for the
1956 closure of a fourth, east-west runway now used for taxiing and aircraft parking. The terminal building was supplemented by the completion of the North Terminal in
1958; the two were connected in
1961.
Despite the expansions, several efforts have been made to restrict the growth of the airport. Concerns about
aviation noise led to the imposition of noise restrictions even before jet service began in 1966. Meanwhile, the advent of
jet aircraft as well as traffic growth led Congress to pass the Washington Airport Act of 1950, which resulted in the opening of Dulles Airport in
1962. To control congestion and drive traffic to alternative airports, the
Federal Aviation Administration imposed landing slot and perimeter restrictions on National and four other high-density airports in
1969.
Service to the airport's dedicated
Metro station began in
1977. The station was originally separate from the main terminal, but is today connected to terminals B and C via pedestrian bridges.
On the afternoon of
January 13,
1982, following a period of exceptionally cold weather and a morning of blizzard conditions,
Air Florida Flight 90 crashed after waiting forty-nine minutes on a taxiway and taking off with ice and snow on the wings. The
Boeing 737 aircraft failed to gain altitude. Less than a mile from the end of the runway, the airplane struck the
14th Street Bridge complex, shearing the tops off vehicles stuck in traffic before plunging through the one-inch thick ice covering the
Potomac River. Rescue responses were greatly hampered by the weather and traffic. Due to heroic actions initiated by a number of motorists, a
United States Park Service police helicopter crew, and one of the plane's passengers who perished, 5 occupants of the downed plane survived. However, 74 persons who had been aboard the doomed airplane and 4 occupants of vehicles on the bridge died.
The federal government relinquished control of National Airport as well as Dulles in
1987, when President Reagan signed a bill creating the independent
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Congress has continued to intervene in the management of the airports, however. On
February 6,
1998, President
Bill Clinton signed legislation changing the airport's name from National Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, to honor the former president on his 87th birthday—a decision made without input from area residents. Indeed, the
Washington Metro system initially resisted renaming its station serving the airport, citing a policy adopted in 1987 that states that groups seeking to rename a station were required to pay the cost of replacing signage. Arlington County, which would have been responsible for funding the name change, declined. Congress responded by threatening the system with budget cuts. Metro ultimately renamed the station, at its own expense.
Similarly,
Senator John McCain of
Arizona introduced legislation in
1999 to remove the 1250-mile perimeter restriction, infuriating local residents concerned about noise and traffic from increased service by larger, long-haul aircraft. McCain argued the move would improve competition, while critics charged he was supporting the interests of
Phoenix, Arizona-based
America West Airlines (AWA). In the end the restriction remained, but the FAA was permitted to add additional exemptions, which went not to AWA but to competitor
Alaska Airlines. AWA would later gain an exemption for non-stop service to Phoenix in 2004.
With the addition of more flights and limited space in the aging main terminal, the airport began an extensive renovation and expansion in the
1990s. Hangar 11 on the northern end of the airport was converted into an interim terminal for
USAir and
Delta Air Lines in 1989, freeing up several gates in the main terminal until the new terminal complex became operational. On
July 27,
1997, the new terminal complex, consisting of terminals B and C and two parking garages, opened. Argentine Architect
Cesar Pelli designed the new terminals of the airport. The interim terminal closed immediately after the opening and was converted back into a hangar. One pier of the main terminal (now Terminal A) was demolished, while the other pier remains operational today as gates 1-9.
Prior to the
September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, the airport had 792 scheduled commercial flights a day. After the attacks the airport was closed for several weeks, and additional security procedures remain in place for flights into and out of DCA.
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Many pilots regard the "River Visual" approach as one of the more interesting in the United States. |
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A plane descending over the Potomac River at night, making its final approach to the airport. |
Because of its proximity to central Washington, the airport has been subject to special security procedures for many years. Before 2001, the most notable of these was the southbound approach into the airport. Most of central Washington is
restricted airspace up to 18,000 feet: in order to land on National's southbound runway, pilots had to follow the path of the Potomac River and make a steep turn shortly before landing, in a procedure called the "River Visual." Similarly, flights taking off to the north are required to climb quickly and bank left sharply to avoid the
Washington Monument and follow a path which does not go over either the
White House or
the Pentagon.
When National reopened after the
September 11, 2001 attacks, it was subjected to much stricter security measures. Aircraft of more than 156 seats were banned, and the River Visual approach was banned until mid-2002. Another restriction imposed was that passengers on aircraft departing or arriving National were to remain in their seats for the 30 minutes following departure/prior to arrival. (This restriction was lifted in 2005) In addition,
private planes were no longer allowed access to the airport (with rare exceptions). All of these regulations were intended to prevent
terrorist activity similar to the September 11 attacks, when hijackers flew large aircraft into prominent buildings.
On
October 18, 2005, National was reopened to general aviation on a limited basis (48 operations per day) and under serious restrictions: passenger and crew manifests must be submitted to the
Transportation Security Administration 24 hours in advance, and all planes must pass through one of 12 "gateway airports" where reinspections of aircraft, passengers, and baggage will take place.
The River Visual Approach
Regarded as one of the most interesting approaches in the U.S., the River Visual Approach was instituted due to safety and noise abatement concerns. The approach, which follows the course of the Potomac River, is only possible with a ceiling of at least 3500 feet and visibility of 3 miles or more. There is a light on the Memorial Bridge to aid pilots following the river. Aircraft using River Visual are easily spotted from the various parks on the left bank.Passengers on left side of an aircraft get a fantastic view of downtown Washington. You can easily see The Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Mall, and The White House (and of course Georgetown University).
[[Image:DCNatlAirport-082801.JPG|thumb|right|Terminal B/C Designed by {{César Pelli|Cesar Pelli}} ]]
US Airways is the largest carrier at the airport, handling 26% of the airport's passenger traffic in 2004.
American Airlines, the second-largest, accounts for 12% of traffic.
The airport is subject to a federal "perimeter rule" and is not permitted to accommodate flights to most cities outside a 1,250 mile radius. The FAA has allowed six exceptions: Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.
Terminal A
Terminal A was the original terminal at National Airport. It opened in
1941 and was expanded over the following years to its present size, with the final expansion completed in
1955. The terminal still accommodates some flights, and it is presently being renovated to restore its original architecture. It has nine gates (gates 1 through 9).
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AirTran Airways (Atlanta, Ft Myers)
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ATA Airlines (Chicago-Midway)
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Midwest Airlines (Kansas City, Milwaukee, Omaha)
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Northwest Airlines (Detroit, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
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Northwest Airlink operated by
Pinnacle Airlines (Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Madison, Des Moines)
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Spirit Airlines (Detroit, Fort Lauderdale)
Terminal B/C
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This is a view of the airport from the north, showing terminals B and C. It was taken from Gravely Point, a popular parking lot and park where people can watch planes land. |
Terminal B/C opened in
1997 in the airport's largest expansion to date, replacing a collection of airline-specific terminals built during the
1960s. It has thirty-five gates (gates 10 through 45). Terminal B/C was designed by noted Argentine Architect
Cesar Pelli.
Gates 10-22
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Continental Airlines (Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark)
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Continental Express operated by
ExpressJet Airlines (Cleveland, Newark)
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Delta Air Lines (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK, Salt Lake City)
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Delta Connection operated by
Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Baton Rouge, Jackson, New Orleans [ends September 5], Savannah [Starts September 16])
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Delta Connection operated by
Comair (Birmingham (AL), Boston, Charleston (SC), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Columbus, Huntsville, Lexington, Melbourne)
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Delta Connection operated by
Freedom Airlines (New York-JFK [begins Sept. 15])
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Delta Shuttle operated by
Delta Air Lines (New York-LaGuardia)
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Frontier Airlines (Denver)
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US Airways (see Gates 35-45)
Gates 23-34
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Air Canada (Montréal, Toronto)
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Alaska Airlines (Los Angeles, Seattle/Tacoma)
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American Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, St. Louis)
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AmericanConnection operated by
Trans States Airlines (St. Louis)
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American Eagle (Boston, Nashville, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Raleigh/Durham)
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United Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver)
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US Airways (see Gates 35-45)
Gates 35-45
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US Airways (Albany, Bermuda [seasonal], Buffalo, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Manchester (NH), Nassau, New Orleans [begins September 6, 2006], Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Sarasota/Bradenton [begins August 15, 2006], Syracuse, Tampa, West Palm Beach)
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US Airways operated by
America West Airlines (Las Vegas, Phoenix)
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US Airways Shuttle operated by
US Airways (Boston, New York-LaGuardia)
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US Airways Express operated by
Air Wisconsin (Buffalo, Burlington, Charleston (SC), Charlotte, Columbia (SC), Dayton, Detroit, Greensboro, Greenville/Spartanburg, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Manchester (NH), Martha's Vineyard [seasonal], Myrtle Beach [seasonal], Nantucket [seasonal], Nashville [begins Sept. 6, 2006], Norfolk, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), Savannah [seasonal], Syracuse (NY), Toronto, White Plains)
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US Airways Express operated by
Chautauqua Airlines (Columbia (SC), Columbus (OH), Greensboro, Indianapolis, Louisville, Myrtle Beach [seasonal], Philadelphia, Portland (ME))
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US Airways Express operated by
Colgan Air (Charleston (WV))
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US Airways Express operated by
Piedmont Airlines (Greensboro, Hilton Head [seasonal], Norfolk, Philadelphia)
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US Airways Express operated by
PSA Airlines (Charleston (SC), Chattanooga, Dayton, Huntsville, Knoxville, Louisville, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Rochester (NY))
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US Airways Express operated by
Republic Airlines (Albany, Atlanta, Burlington, Charleston (SC), Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Hartford, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Myrtle Beach [seasonal], Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Raleigh/Durham, Sarasota/Bradenton [begins August 15, 2006], Savannah [seasonal], Syracuse)
The
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station of the
Washington Metro, on the
Yellow and
Blue lines, is located on an elevated outdoor platform connected to the concourse level of terminals B and C.
DCA is located on the
George Washington Memorial Parkway, and connected to
U.S. Route 1 by the Airport Viaduct (
Virginia State Highway 233).
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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (official site)*
Description of approaches including River Visual*
Photo of Airport as seen from across the Potomac River
