Flight in to DCA

[Carl Froehlich]

If our schedules work, you can fly into Dogwood (VA42). You can park in my hangar and I'll take you to the VRE commuter train station for your trip downtown (5 min from the house). The train only runs north in the morning and south in the afternoon Monday thru Friday, so that might not support your needs.

If you rather get a rental car and drive north, fly into Stafford (KRMN). It is outside the SFRA.

Carl

[Auburntsts]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

Is there a train from Manassas to Alexandria?

Yes, the VRE, http://www.vre.org right there at the airport. There's also another VRE line that parallels I-95 with stations that you could get to from Stafford via taxi/uber. However, if it were me, I'd just rent a car and drive vs using the train which have a limited schedule so would probably not be practical for you as they are designed for commuters.
.

[Capflyer]

Guys, stop confusing Ryan with complicated scenarios. This is very simple. Fly into GAI, take a short cab ride/Uber to the Shady Grove metro station, then take the subway down to Alexandria. Simple.

[maus92]

Originally Posted by miyu1975

Good info.. Guess I'll scratch DCA. Manassas and Leesburt look a little far from where i gotta get to. I need to be in Alexandria for the interview. Perhaps Potomac instead, VKX?..

Or Maryland 2W5? The other two require FRZ vetting. Enterprise is your friend.

[Capflyer]

Originally Posted by maus92

Or Maryland 2W5? The other two require FRZ vetting. Enterprise is your friend.

The only three airports that require vetting are Potomac VKX, Hyde W32, and College Park CGS.

Montgomery GAI, Leesburg JYO, and Manassas HEF are not in the FRZ and do not require vetting and a pin code. They are however in the SFRA which requires you to take the SFRA course, file an SFRA flight plan, then squawk & talk. 2W5 is not a bad stop but will require renting a car.

[crabandy]

I flew into KHEF, parked on the NW side and walked to the VRE for transport into the metro. If this Kansas boy found it doable it should be no problem for you. If you're interviewing for an airline I assume you could IFR into the SFRA without any special training, a climb via departure was the fanciest clearance I had to comply with. So Many cool places within RV range around D.C., don't forget Tangier Island!

[Capflyer]

Originally Posted by crabandy

I flew into KHEF, parked on the NW side and walked to the VRE for transport into the metro. If this Kansas boy found it doable it should be no problem for you. If you're interviewing for an airline I assume you could IFR into the SFRA without any special training, a climb via departure was the fanciest clearance I had to comply with. So Many cool places within RV range around D.C., don't forget Tangier Island!

As someone based in the SFRA/ADIZ since its inception, I would highly recommend that if Part 91 and IFR that the SFRA course is taken. We have no empathy for pilots who bust the SFRA anymore, the information has been out for a really long time and the proceedures are simple. The course is informative with important information to know, it is painless and should not be a roadblock. For example, you fly a visual into the airport and cancel IFR airborn you are then VFR. Besides all that it shows good judgement and planning for an airline interview.

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

If you're going to fly within 60 nm of Washington, D.C., you have to take the online course (https://www.faasafety.gov/gslac/ALC/...g.aspx?cID=405).

Actually, the course is quite well done and my take no prisoners proof-reading self only found one minor goof.

By the way, the MINIMUM passing grade is 100%. The feds take all this very, very seriously, so there is considerable downside risk to screwing up. And the feds have no sense of humor on all this...

Whoever said you can just fly in to the SFRA was grossly ignorant of the facts.

Ed

[bkthomps]

i do this trip at least monthly, if not twice a month

of all the suggestions, (metro, taxi, friend picking you up, VRE, etc) i can offer this wisdom i've gained

please do not lose sight of how simple and convenient UBER can be, it's cheap, efficient, no waiting, and you can get picked up right at the ramp of the any of the 3 airports in the FRZ

Having said that, I don't like the handful of times that i've had poor weather, be it wind, low ceilings, rain, or just night time limiting my options at the airports, I now pay the extra few dollars to land at dulles and use uber from there, it's so much easier, stress free, and great to know you have a fully lit 10,000ft runway to land/depart from, i find my door to door time is actually shorter than using college park or leesburg and my primary destination is near the pentagon

[jdmunzell]

I live near Leesburg and fly out of Dulles. Leesburg (KJYO) is convenient to the toll road that will take you into Alexandria and no landing fees. A rental car there and you're on your way. Dulles has a landing fee, but then has easy access to the Washington Flyer (bus) either all the way into town or a quick stop to the Silver Line Metro stop which will take you where you want to go... in other words, planes, trains and automobiles.

With Leesburg, it's one stop shopping! Leesburg is in the SFRA ( right on the edge of it) and does require you to take the course, which is easy shmeezy. Leesburg also has its own special procedure for flying into and out of without having to talk to anybody....probably the easiest of all the SFRA airports.