Landings at Washington Dulles in a Mooney

[Trex20105]

Here is the video of my 3 touch and go's at Washington Dulles IAP.  It was a very slow Sunday afternoon and there were dozens of United Airlines aircraft parked at various locations on the field.  We were able to land on 19C, 19L, and then 19R before departing to the west.

 

 

[Bob Goulais]

Nicely done.  These are interesting times.  I'm kicking myself for not trying a low and over at Toronto Pearson.  Since last week, there's a NOTAM requiring prior permission now.  Although I did get to do a rare civilian approach at Trenton Canadian Forces Base.

[1001001]

Cool video.  Sad that things are so slow right now.  Normally here in the Pittsburgh area it is easy to get practice approaches at PIT on the weekends, as we aren't a very busy area, but now it seems the controllers are extra happy for the company...lots of airliners parked up at PIT too, all up and down 10C/28C.

I have a question about arriving at IAD during normal times (not pandemic-light traffic).  I know people do this in piston singles fairly frequently, but I'm looking for some specifics.  I have a friend who lives in an area nearby Dulles, and it would be nice to fly in to visit.  For a piston single coming in at J model performance, what arrivals would normally be expected from the northwest?  The only two STARs I see that feed in from the north/west are for turbine aircraft only.  Would they simply fit you into the flow via vectors or would it be pretty roundabout?

Can anyone point me to some references that might help me understand what to expect?  I have flown in to some busy class C airports before, and spent a lot of time in B airspace, but haven't attempted a landing at a busy B airport before.  I am aware of the need to be SFRA trained; mainly just wondering how smaller stuff fits into the big picture down there.

[201er]

16 hours ago, 1001001 said:

Cool video.  Sad that things are so slow right now.  Normally here in the Pittsburgh area it is easy to get practice approaches at PIT on the weekends, as we aren't a very busy area, but now it seems the controllers are extra happy for the company...lots of airliners parked up at PIT too, all up and down 10C/28C.

I have a question about arriving at IAD during normal times (not pandemic-light traffic).  I know people do this in piston singles fairly frequently, but I'm looking for some specifics.  I have a friend who lives in an area nearby Dulles, and it would be nice to fly in to visit.  For a piston single coming in at J model performance, what arrivals would normally be expected from the northwest?  The only two STARs I see that feed in from the north/west are for turbine aircraft only.  Would they simply fit you into the flow via vectors or would it be pretty roundabout?

Can anyone point me to some references that might help me understand what to expect?  I have flown in to some busy class C airports before, and spent a lot of time in B airspace, but haven't attempted a landing at a busy B airport before.  I am aware of the need to be SFRA trained; mainly just wondering how smaller stuff fits into the big picture down there.

No Stars. Just go in VFR, cross over KGAI and enter on a downwind or base 19L/9R. They have a Signature at the north end of that runway. Maybe it was the time of day I went or maybe how it is, but it wasn’t particularly busy. Easier than KBOS. 
 

The hardest thing about going to class B airports is taxiing! Landing and takeoff is pretty much the same as any C or D. You might be asked to follow a DP if you’re IFR. But, taxiing can be tricky. Not only cause there’s jets and a million taxiways, but also the signs are designed to be seen from up high in a jet. Being low to the ground, it can be tough to see ahead. Make sure you study the APD up front and know how to use your app to tell where you are. Take your time and think it through. Those big airports have more runways you can accidentally cause an incursion on. Good to have a pilot friend helper for keeping an eye on the taxiing part your first time.

When I was asked what the tough part about going into KBOS, I said flying an ILS at night in actual between 737s was the easy/familiar part. Finding my way around the airport with so many taxiways and sitting low was the real challenge.

You gotta be prepared to copy and act on a clearance such as “Taxi 19 right on Juliet Alpha Zulu Yankee Seven Cross 19 Center Whiskey Uniform Uniform two intersection.” Don’t be surprised to have 3 frequency changes while taxiing and spending more time taxiing than flying the entire approach when they gotta make you cross the airport.

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by 201er

[1001001]

2 hours ago, 201er said:

 

Thanks for the reply!  I've had a few crazy taxi instructions at class C airports (the first time was a surprise, afterward, I make sure to have pen in hand as soon as I'm solidly on the ground!).  Going to Udvar-Hazy is part of why I want to fly to Dulles.  I have been there once before, but one day is not enough to really see everything there.  Plus when I visited, Enterprise, not Discovery, was the OV on display.  I really want to see Discovery some day.

 

[gsxrpilot]

I've got video (need to edit and post) of a landing Scott, @Denver98 and I did at KDEN a couple of weeks ago. I'll get it posted hopefully next week. But our experience was the same. We landed, taxied across the whole ramp, about 5 miles, to the other side of the airport and took off again. 

I was greatly aided by Scott in the right seat handling the radios and as an American Airlines pilot, very familiar with the area, the ramp, procedures, etc. As @201er said, there were lots of things that were hard to see from a Mooney eye level. We also benefitted from Scott's wife Michelle, a tower controller at KDEN and working the tower that day.

What a great experience!