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The Best Plane Spotting Happens Just Outside Of DC's Restricted Airspace

Where: Reagan National Airport [map], Arlington, VA, United States
December 10, 2009 at 5:56 PM | by JetSetCD | 3 Comments

Lately in our series of stories on the best places to plane spot, we've focused on warm weather destinations, but some of us won't be taking tropical trips this winter and maybe still want to check out a little aviation action on our home turf. So we turn to Washington DC's Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), located in Arlington, Virginia, but still within sight of the Capitol and the Washington Monument.

DCA is a plane spotters dream; it has a park with scenic views to the city, over the water, and onto the airport right at the end of the runway. This is Gravelly Point Park, and those biking the paths or picnicking on the grass are usually all here for the same reason: a little outdoors activity on a nice day, with the additional benefit of watching the mostly domestic flights zoom a few hundred feet above them and then make a left turn to avoid restricted airspace over DC.

According to the Washington Post, there's plenty of action to be seen from Gravelly Point:

Takeoffs are louder, while landings create a false sense of drama -- the plane is coming in too low! -- that won't be lost on kids. It's a fun diversion, but parents may not want to stay too long. During airplane rush hours (corresponding roughly with the automotive equivalent, plus Sunday afternoons), as many as 30 planes an hour land or take off - one every two minutes. At slower times, the action is every eight or nine minutes.

You can reach Gravelly Point easily, since it's just off the George Washington Parkway north of the airport.

Do you know of any great plane spotting locations—at any airport? Let us know in an email or leave us a note in the comments!

Related Stories:
· About Gravelly Point Park [Washington Post]
· Plane Spotting Coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: dchousegrooves]

3 Comments

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Return to » The Best Plane Spotting Happens Just Outside Of DC's Restricted Airspace

  1. Max Drillings

    Jaunted Reader

    Awesome!

    As a resident of Arlington, I must say that Gravelly Point is a pretty amazing spot on just about any nice day, though it can get busy on weekends. It should be noted that you can only access the park via the Northbound GW Parkway. If you're coming from the North, just turn around at National Airport. An even better way to access the park is via bicycle along the Mount Vernon Bike path.
    December 11, 2009 at 8:13 AM
    #Permalink

  1. JetSetCD

    Jaunted Editor

    thanks

    Thanks for the added access details! Next time I'm in DC (hopefully when it's warm), this is my first stop.
    December 11, 2009 at 9:24 AM
    Parent #Permalink

  1. Walter Wilson

    Jaunted Reader

    It's a great place

    Thank you for posting this wonderful article about Gravelly Point. I have been visiting Gravelly Point since I was 4 years old in 1970, and from then on I was hooked on aviation as a career and hobby. I'm there 2 or 3 times a week mostly when winds are south spending much of the day photographing aircraft up until they ask me to leave sometime between 10pm and whenever the Park Police decide to chase everyone out. Summer weekends are crowded when you will have to park on the grass. Bring along plenty of water if you will spending an afternoon there. Keep in mind that Saturday evenings get very slow at DCA. Takeoffs are few and far between after 4pm, getting worse between 6pm and 7pm and even more sparse after 8pm. Also visiting during the middle day of a holiday weekend can be very boring when many flights do not operate. There are middle days within a long holiday weekend when nothing moves at the airport for 45 minutes. There is one small error with the article's headline. The airport is definitely within Washington DC's restricted airspace known as the FRZ or Flight Restricted Zone. However, it is outside the Prohibited Area (P-56) which roughly extends from the Lincoln Memorial, over the Mall to the Capitol Building to the White House, and there is a small circle over the Naval Observatory where the Vice President resides. Aircraft turn immediately after takeoff to avoid P-56 and for noise abatement where they are to fly 10 miles northwest before turning on course. While landing over Gravelly Point, they follow the Potomac River from 10 miles out, again for noise abatement, making that last turn over the 14th Street Bridge to avoid P-56. Enjoy your visit...the best part is it is FREE!
    December 14, 2009 at 3:13 PM
    #Permalink

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