Dash-7 Landing at DCA

[BillD22]

Some shots of a Piedmont Dash-7 passing famous Washington landmarks while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport (KDCA) in today's rainy RW weather.  Current and former DC area simmers will recognize familiar sights.

 

On the RNAV Rwy 15 approach with the Potomac River on our left.  

 

To the left of the window frame, we can see the Roosevelt Bridge across the Potomac with the Kennedy Center, and the Watergate Complex along the shoreline while to the right the Memorial Bridge leads from Arlington National Cemetery to the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument and National Mall in the background.

 

The runway comes into view as we pass the Pentagon (aka "the Panic Palace"). Beneath us are acres of parking lots for those lucky enough to get an individual Pentagon parking pass.  Also visible in the upper right are the office buildings and condo complexes of Crystal City, home to many defense contractor companies.  In the second shot, we pass the 14th Street bridge with the Jefferson Memorial, Tidal Basin, and Washington Monument visible to the left.  Heavy rain is falling over Haines Point across the river in the upper right.

 

 

We cross DCA main Rwy 01/19 on the landing roll and then again on the taxi to the terminal.

 

 

Taxi to the commuter ramp.

 

 

[jankees]

gloomy weather, but nice shots!

[PhrogPhlyer]

Great shots with a wonderful aircraft. Having flown that route several times as a passenger, and driven around there when stationed at Quantico, that is a very real feel for this time of year.

If we had looked out the right side, Arlington and the Marine Memorial would have been quite a sight. Well done.

[BillD22]

4 hours ago, jankees said:

gloomy weather, but nice shots!

Thanks, JK!

[BillD22]

1 hour ago, PhrogPhlyer said:

Great shots with a wonderful aircraft. Having flown that route several times as a passenger, and driven around there when stationed at Quantico, that is a very real feel for this time of year.

If we had looked out the right side, Arlington and the Marine Memorial would have been quite a sight. Well done.

Thanks, Phrog - yes, on the second shot we would have been about directly over the Iwo Memorial. Also flew in and out of DCA as a passenger many times.  Another sight to the upper right from the second shot would be the Navy Annex and USMC HQ overlooking the Pentagon.  On that topic,  I spent several years at the Navy Annex right down the hall from MC HQ.  Greatly appreciated use of the adjacent well-equipped USMC Gym!

[PhrogPhlyer]

27 minutes ago, BillD22 said:

well-equipped USMC Gym

That is something the Corps always gets right.

I used to PT (mostly running) two hours a day, the hour of lunch and hour of PT together at mid-day.

Now my PT is walking back and forth to the coffee pot.

[Rupert]

Nice little Turbo Prop!  Turbo props were often the base models of air travel, like this one shown.  They were usually first jobs for many new commercial pilots.  Who sadly often don't or at east didn't make even minimum wages!  

 

Michael

 

 

[ViperPilot2]

37 minutes ago, Rupert said:

Nice little Turbo Prop!  Turbo props were often the base models of air travel, like this one shown.  They were usually first jobs for many new commercial pilots.  Who sadly often don't or at least didn't make even minimum wages!  

 

Michael

 

 

Oh, the Dash 7... the last Airplane to carry DHC's STOL legacy. The Worldwide Launch Customer? A small little airline called Rocky Mountain Airways, based out of Denver's Stapleton Airport, the venerable Grandfather of DIA. Dash 7's flew into the Vail STOLPort, a Private strip leased to RMA for their use, and one of the first recognized STOLPorts in the US...

http://www.airfields-freeman.com/CO/Airfields_CO_NW.htm

 

 

Your comment about new Pilots reminded me of the PBS FRONTLINE episode from 2012 about Regional Airlines and their troubles, which spurred new Regulations for Pilots.

Have things really changed 13 years later?

 

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/flyingcheap/