KDCA Sightseeing Approach

Here's a short video of a Delta 737-800 making the LDA Runway 19 approach into Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport (KDCA)

We pick up the airplane approaching the tall office buildings in Rosslyn, Virginia. This isn't the usual River Visual approach which would have the airplane over the Potomac River.

Switching to a wing view as the airplane overflies Rosslyn frequent flyers into DC will recognize familiar landmarks coming into view off the left side including the Watergate, Kennedy Center, Roosevelt Island, the National Mall with the Lincoln Memorial. Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial. and the Capital Building visible in the distance, then passing the tidal basin and white dome of the Jefferson Memorial followed by descending over the boats in the Columbia Island Marina and ending up crossing the 14th street bridge from Virginia into DC.

The last part of the approach is a 30 degree plus visual turn over the 14th street bridge to line up with the runway. Unfortunately the AI program flying the airplane only does ILS approaches so once the localizer portion of the approach ended it didn't make the visual turn and ended up crashing in the Potomac. That part of the video was too ugly to show :D:D:D

Nice video! The ILS approach to Rwy 19 will only guide you down the river. Before the 14th Street Bridge you must shut of the AP and manually execute the 30 degree turn and landing for 19. I believe that pilots need to pass a qualification for this approach.

I like your scenery - where can I get that? The original XP-11 scenery for Washington, DC, is a bad joke!

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I like your scenery - where can I get that? The original XP-11 scenery for Washington, DC, is a bad joke!

Thanks for the good words John.

The scenery is payware. Kind of pricey but besides the city scenery includes a good version of KDCA. You can get it here: https://store.x-plane.org/Washington-XP_p_591.html

Back when I worked in DC I used to see this view pretty often in the real world flying back into National. A great place to watch the River Visual approach is from the rooftop bar of the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn.

Here's a sunset version of the same approach. In this clip you can see where the airplane fails to make the turn over the bridge:

Nice video...brings back memories of flying the visual River approach in a B-727 in the real world back in the '60s...challenging but lots of fun. Maybe you saw me from the Marriott rooftop???

Were you the guy at rooftop eye level? Saw several of those from my bar lounge chair in front of the picture window looking directly into the cockpit! Almost spilled my martini.

My favorites were the Eastern L188's coming back to DC on the NY shuttle in the 70's

Hi Bill,

Real nice, always enjoy your videos.

Thanks for the good words John.

 

The scenery is payware. Kind of pricey but besides the city scenery includes a good version of KDCA. You can get it here: https://store.x-plane.org/Washington-XP_p_591.html

 

Back when I worked in DC I used to see this view pretty often in the real world flying back into National. A great place to watch the River Visual approach is from the rooftop bar of the Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn.

 

Here's a sunset version of the same approach. In this clip you can see where the airplane fails to make the turn over the bridge:

 

I worked in Crystal City for 8 years in the 80's and flew the river approach into DCA many times. I will buy that good scenery. I have also been to the top of the Key Bridge Mariott restaurant and bar many times - maybe I saw you there.

I worked in Crystal City for 8 years in the 80's and flew the river approach into DCA many times. I will buy that good scenery. I have also been to the top of the Key Bridge Mariott restaurant and bar many times - maybe I saw you there.

I had an office in the Commonwealth Building in Rosslyn right down the street from the Marriott for a couple of years in the early 80's. Standard Friday afternoon office procedure after work was to head to the Marriott rooftop happy hour or sometimes walk over the Key Bridge to places in Georgetown. So it's entirely possible we crossed paths. (I was the guy with the good looking woman) :D

LOL - most of the time I would hang out at Amelia's in Crystal City after work, and there were lots of good looking women!

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LOL - most of the time I would hang out at Amelia's in Crystal City after work, and there were lots of good looking women!

I hear you - I've been to Amelia's many times