N

N616LM

Member
I am flying to Washington DC this weekend for meetings next week. Any experience/opinions on the best airport to go to? My meetings are downtown.

Thanks,
Jay Martin
 
TFR,s

Hope your IFR, and watch the TFR around DC, they come after you with F16,s over here. You might consider Frederick as it is outside the TFR (Not by Much) and you can get a rental car there. DC is about a 30 -45 min ride from there if you do not get into too much traffic. Prices climb fast the closer you get to DC. Gathersburg is most likely the closest.
 
Last edited:
Where are you going to in the DC area. There are airports all over. If your going into the city, GAI (Montgomery Air Park in Gaithersburg, MD) is your best bet. It is a short ride to the metro station or a 1/2 hr drive downtown.

Don't worry about the ADIZ. As long as you follow the proceedures you should be fine. I would be happy to give you the proceedures which are fairly easy to follow. The alternative is flying into an airport that is way way out such as Frederick.

Worst case is that if you bust the ADIZ they take you to GAI anyways

Mike R.
 
Last edited:
You may also consider Stafford (KRMN)

Great airport. 5000' with an ILS. Good security. 35 miles south of DC. I used to use it for weekly commutes to DC. Also, it is 3 miles outside the ADIZ.

No public transportation, but you can rent a car there.

bruce
N297NW
 
VA options

Hi Jay:

I used to live in VA, so I am more familiar with the airports there. Leesburg is a nice airport, but it's a hike into DC. I am guessing that 267 to 66 is the fastest way in, but that will take about an hour. Hopefully someone who still lives there can give you a better estimate of the time.

Judging from mapquest Gaithesburg, MD is a good option as Mike pointed out. The metro is a great way to get around DC. It's clean, safe, quiet and inexpensive.

If you are an AOPA member take a look at their ADIZ penetration animated presentation. It's pretty good.

Also, be very sure you know where Camp David is. It should be delineated on your GPS.

Have a good trip, and be careful.

Antony
 
Jay,

KFME (Fort Meade, MD) is about 30 minutes north of DC. If you don't need a car, you can grab a cab to the MARC commuter train station in Odenton, MD (< 5 miles) and ride that downtown to Union Station where you can pick up the DC metro.

If you are VFR'ing it into the ADIZ, just make sure you have a flight plan on file and call potomac approach to get a squawk code before you enter.
 
Why not try try DCA? Is that what they stillcall Washington Reagan(National)? I am going to Washington this summer and I am going to try to fly right into the heart of things? Has anybody flown into DCA since it has been opened back up to GA?
 
check it out

Hmmm, I don't think National/Reagan is really open to GA. If I recall correctly there are only a certain number of GA planes allowed in and I think you also have to comply with some sort of security screening prior to entering the ADIZ.

I am going to leave it at that because I don't remember the specifics, and I don't want to spread disinformation.
 
MSFT-1 said:
Stafford (KRMN), 5000' with an ILS. Good security. 35 miles south of DC. I used to use it for weekly commutes to DC. Also, it is 3 miles outside the ADIZ. No public transportation, but you can rent a car there.

bruce
N297NW
Click to expand...

I agree with Bruce as that's where I landed; Easy in, easy out. As for DCA, I also recall that an Air Marshall had to be aboard the GA flight...Rosie

Update: Found the TSA security link for DCA...all 73 pages!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.