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Flying into DC SFRA


georgeb

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Hello all,

Looking for Some assistance and clarification for those of you that fly up in the DC SFRA. I'm heading up there in the next week or so and Have taken the SFRA cert course but I'm unsure about Leesburg KJYO in particular. I know there's a movement area specifically for KJYO, but I'm unclear about whether or not I need to file the SFRA flight plan or not. I'm VFR and most likely will be using flight following so I'll definitely be talking to Center (unless they can't take me), but the plan is flight following up there and flying into KJYO. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

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26 minutes ago, georgeb said:

Hello all,

Looking for Some assistance and clarification for those of you that fly up in the DC SFRA. I'm heading up there in the next week or so and Have taken the SFRA cert course but I'm unsure about Leesburg KJYO in particular. I know there's a movement area specifically for KJYO, but I'm unclear about whether or not I need to file the SFRA flight plan or not. I'm VFR and most likely will be using flight following so I'll definitely be talking to Center (unless they can't take me), but the plan is flight following up there and flying into KJYO. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

You don't need to file a DC SFRA flight plan for Leesburg. There is an access area cut out for the Leesburg airport. You need to squawk 1226 (I will verify this code for you. It used to be two codes, one for entering and one for exiting), stay out of the Class B that overlays the airspace (drops to 1500' over the airport). 

The main thing is that you enter the area squawking the 1226 code, announce per the instructions below, land at JYO (no sight seeing around the maneuvering area). And when you leave, you do the reverse, direct line out, squawk the same 1226, no flying around in the LMA and announce the correct information before you depart.

Edited by Marauder
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I just flew IFR into Leesburg... removes all questions..  Just keep your squawk.  

IFR back out to NJ... damn that route sucked... via MODENA...   but you can get clearance on the ground.

Just file... and contact Potomac to get a squawk..     If you are IFR... then the limits don't exist..  less stress vs the VFR zones. 

Flight following will be fine.. they just want to know where you are.   If you are FF they won't switch you to the VFR codes, just keep the code to the ground. 

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1 hour ago, georgeb said:

Hello all,

Looking for Some assistance and clarification for those of you that fly up in the DC SFRA. I'm heading up there in the next week or so and Have taken the SFRA cert course but I'm unsure about Leesburg KJYO in particular. I know there's a movement area specifically for KJYO, but I'm unclear about whether or not I need to file the SFRA flight plan or not. I'm VFR and most likely will be using flight following so I'll definitely be talking to Center (unless they can't take me), but the plan is flight following up there and flying into KJYO. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

This does not apply to Leesburg, but you cannot rely on flight following to get you into the area if you decide to go somewhere else within the SFRA.  When I was touring the East Coast, ATC dropped me every time just short of the SFRA.  I then had to reestablish with the SFRA ATC (Potomac Approach?).  There was never a handoff.  I had to squawk 1200 between controllers.  As someone not familiar with the area, this was a surprise to me.  The SFRA training made no mention of this.  Especially at Mooney speeds, you need to watch the SFRA boundary as you attempt to call the SFRA ATC and get cleared in.

This was in 2012.  Their standard procedures may have changed to make things easier.  I do not understand why it was not easier for them and the pilots to have a handoff in advance. 

The OP stated he was VFR, but I agree with @PaulM, file IFR if you can and limit your challenges. 

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Do not.  Repeat, do not, ever go into the SFRA on 1200.  If you are on flight following, they will usually tell you keep your assigned code to the ground at JYO.  Otherwise 1226.  Under *no* circumstances should you use 1200.  Be careful about the boundaries in the carve out and otherwise its no big deal.  The (required) training doesn't take long and is probably worth watching again before your trip in if you aren't familiar.

Do check notams though as the remote tower at JYO is back in operation certain hours.

Also monitor 121.5.  Lots of people bust that shouldn't have.  I've heard the air force call approaching aircraft several times.  If they were listening, they might have figure out to fix their code or turn away before they did a violation.

Edited by hypertech
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On 7/11/2018 at 12:21 AM, carusoam said:

Haven’t seen @georgeb around in a while...

Just noticed how time really flys...

MooneySpace 10 year anniversary is coming up.

George was one of the really early adopters!

Go MS!

And good luck George getting around in and near the SFRA.

Best regards,

-a-

Thank you for the welcome back... had a few life changes that made me have to sell 88V :(. Dabbled with a tri-pacer for a couple years and was miserable. They're fun to fly but not the greatest traveling machine. Once back on my feet got into an '82 J with updated avionics, full  autopilot, etc..... Gotta love these machines ;). Been poking around here the last couple of months just to see what's going on. Glad to be back here.

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