Much More Needed To Help Washington, DC Area Airports

Life has gotten somewhat better for pilots at three general aviation airports in the Washington, D.C., area. The FAA issued a revised notam permitting based pilots with the proper security clearances to fly between College Park Airport (CGS), Potomac Airfield (VKX), and Washington Executive/Hyde Field (W32). Previously, based aircraft could only fly to and from their home airports in the Washington special flight rules area.

In October, AOPA petitioned the FAA to allow vetted based pilots to operate between the three D.C.-area airports, to allow air traffic pattern work and to restore transient operations within the Washington, D.C., special flight rules area.

"While we are pleased the FAA has positively responded to one of our requests, it is imperative that transient operations also be restored if the economic viability of these impacted airports is to be reestablished," said Andy Cebula, senior vice president of Government and Technical Affairs. "It's clear that unless transient operations are restored, the 'DC-3' airports cannot survive."
 
2/2720 (#2) PART 1 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. PURSUANT TO SPECIAL FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATION 94 (SFAR 94), ENHANCED SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR OPERATIONS AT CERTAIN AIRPORTS IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA, THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES ARE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. PART I. EXCEPT FOR DOD, LAW ENFORCEMENT, OR AEROMEDICAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS, ALL PERSONS OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT TO OR FROM THE COLLEGE PARK AIRPORT (CGS); POTOMAC AIRFIELD (VKX); OR WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE/HYDE FIELD (W32), LOCATED WITHIN THE AIRSPACE DESIGNATED AS THE WASHINGTON D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA MUST ABIDE BY THE FOLLOWING OPERATING REQUIREMENTS AND ANY ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES SPECIFIED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR AS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE FOR THE SECURITY OF AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS TO OR FROM THE AIRPORT. PART 1 OF 6 WIE UNTIL UFN

PART 2 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. PART II. OPERATING REQUIREMENTS: A. NO PERSON MAY OPERATE AN AIRCRAFT TO OR FROM THE ABOVE INDICATED AIRPORTS UNLESS SECURITY PROCEDURES THAT MEET THE PROVISIONS OF PARAGRAPH 4, AIRPORT SECURITY PROCEDURES, OF SFAR 94 HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR FOR OPERATIONS AT THAT AIRPORT. B. ONLY AIRCRAFT BASED AT CGS, VKX, OR W32 ARE ALLOWED TO FLY INTO, OUT OF, OR BETWEEN ANY OF THESE THREE AIRPORTS. C. EACH PILOT SHALL COMPLY WITH THE FOLLOWING: 1) FOR ALL ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES, FILE EITHER AN IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH LEESBURG AUTOMATED FLIGHT SERVICE STATION (AFSS), VIA TELEPHONE AT 866-225-7410. A SEPARATE FLIGHT PLAN IS REQUIRED TO DEPART AND ARRIVE AT THESE AIRPORTS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS AN INTERMEDIATE STOP. 2) FILING FLIGHT PLANS IN THE AIR IS NOT AUTHORIZED. 3) OBTAIN AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) CLEARANCE WITH DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE AS DESCRIBED IN DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL PROCEDURES BELOW. PART 2 OF 6 WIE UNT IL UFN

PART 3 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. 4) MAINTAIN TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION WITH ATC WHILE OPERATING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA AND THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AREA. 5) BE EQUIPPED WITH AN OPERATIONAL MODE C TRANSPONDER. PART III. FLIGHT PLAN PROCEDURES: A. EACH PILOT SHALL CALL LEESBURG AFSS AND PRIOR TO FILING FLIGHT PLAN SHALL IDENTIFY HIM/HER-SELF AND USE THE CONFIDENTIAL PILOT IDENTIFICATION CODE ASSIGNED TO THEM. B. LEESBURG AFSS WILL ACCEPT FLIGHT PLAN AFTER VERIFYING CODE. C. LEESBURG AFSS WILL FORWARD PILOT''S FLIGHT PLAN TO THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. D. PILOTS SHALL CLOSE VFR FLIGHT PLANS WITH LEESBURG AFSS ONLY AFTER THEY ARE ON THE GROUND. E PILOTS MAY REQUEST AND ATC MAY ACCEPT CANCELLATION OF IFR WHILE IN THE AIR. HOWEVER, PILOTS ARE REQUIRED TO REMAIN ON THEIR ASSIGNED BEACON CODE UNTIL ON THE GROUND AND REQUIRED TO CONTACT LEESBURG AFSS AFTER THEY ARE ON THE GROUND. PART 3 OF 6 WIE UNTIL UFN

PART 4 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. F. LEESBURG AFSS WILL NOTIFY THE UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE AND APPROPRIATE ATC FACILITIES WHEN THE FLIGHT PLANS ARE CLOSED. PART IV. AIR TRAFFIC PROCEDURES. A. DEPARTURE PROCEDURES. EACH PILOT SHALL: 1. OBTAIN AN ATC CLEARANCE FROM WASHINGTON APPROACH VIA TELEPHONE NUMBER (703) 603-7020. 2. IFR - A) DEPARTING HYDE/WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AND POTOMAC AIRPORT: ATC WILL PROVIDE EASTBOUND OR SOUTHBOUND RADAR VECTORS TO OUTSIDE THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. AIRCRAFT WILL THEN PROCEED ON COURSE AND REMAIN CLEAR OF THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. B) DEPARTING COLLEGE PARK AIRPORT (CGS): ATC WILL PROVIDE EASTBOUND OR NORTHBOUND RADAR VECTORS TO OUTSIDE THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. AIRCRAFT WILL THEN PROCEED ON COURSE AND REMAIN CLEAR OF THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. PART 4 OF 6 WIE UNTIL UFN

PART 5 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. 3. VFR - DEPARTING HYDE/WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT, POTOMAC AIRPORT, AND COLLEGE PARK AIRPORT: DEPART AS ASSIGNED BY ATC, EXPECTING A HEADING DIRECTLY AWAY FROM THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA AIRSPACE UNTIL TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION IS ESTABLISHED WITH WASHINGTON APPROACH. AIRCRAFT WILL FLY AS ASSIGNED BY ATC UNTIL CLEAR OF THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA AND/OR THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AREA. B. ARRIVAL PROCEDURES. EACH PILOT SHALL: 1. ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC FOR AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. 2. VFR: A) APPROACH TO COLLEGE PARK AIRPORT: AIRCRAFT SHALL REMAIN OUTSIDE THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA AIRSPACE UNTIL AUTHORIZED BY ATC TO ENTER THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. PILOTS CAN EXPECT ROUTING TO COLLEGE PARK VIA THE VICINITY OF FREEWAY AIRPORT. PART 5 OF 6 WIE UNTIL UFN

PART 6 OF 6 FLIGHT RESTRICTION WASHINGTON, DC. B) APPROACH TO POTOMAC AND HYDE/WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORTS: AIRCRAFT SHALL REMAIN OUTSIDE THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA AIRSPACE UNTIL AUTHORIZED BY ATC TO ENTER THE SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA. PILOTS CAN EXPECT ROUTING TO POTOMAC AND HYDE/WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORTS VIA THE VICINITY OF MARYLAND AIRPORT OR NOTTINGHAM VORTAC. 3. IFR. IFR ARRIVALS TO COLLEGE PARK, POTOMAC, AND HYDE/WASHINGTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORTS ARE AUTHORIZED. PART V. ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS MATTER SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO JAMES L. BEALL AT (202) 267-7232. PART 6 OF 6 WIE UNTIL UFN

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