Hey Jeb, I actually saw you filming this video! I am a pilot for the AA regional side and this new terminal is also great for us too! As far as your question about being a good hub. When I was based in DCA (Currently CLT now), it was way more efficient! Due to the limited real estate on the airport ATC does a great job getting us on and off the ground as quickly as possible! I fly a lot of those routes you mentioned, Id love to have you up front and show you around the CRJ!
Sitting here in the lounge on the 14th floor of the J.W. Marriott watching the inbound traffic into DCA flying past the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, while watching a Jeb Brooks video on DCA. It doesn't get much better than this!
I grew up in DC and I fondly remember waiting at the gate for my father's return from a business trip. My mother would give us a couple of quarters so we could watch the black and white TV's to keep us occupied. Remember those? And I also have fond memories of taking our daughter to Gravelly Point to watch the planes take off and land. Such great memories! Thanks for the video!
Brian, I also grew up in D.C. Cardozo High Class of '69. We both can write a book or make a movie about it, call sign National Airport, the old terminal. When I flew out of there on the weekends (Military) my family could walk to the gate and wait for me to board. The good old days.
@@Dr.Schlitz yes, MWAA (airport operator), WMATA (Metro operator), NPS (National Park Service) and local officials from DC, VA and MD were all opposed, and the fact that they didn’t even give funding to make the change was a huge slap in the face of the Democratic stronghold.
I am not a frequent flyer but my parents met in the area and have always called it National. They aren't the biggest fan of Reagan and his fight with the Air traffic controllers union is a strange to then name an airport after him 18 years later. Reagan isn't from the area and it sort of feels slapped on. You can tell how old some is but it sometimes has to do with party affiliation.
I grew up outside DC and we picked up my grandfather regularly from National. I also remember in Jan. 1982 when Air Florida took off during a snowstorm, ice accumulated on the wings and it crashed into the 14th Street Bridge.
July 4 2007 had a 4 PM arrival at DCA on the left side of aircraft. I was flying in for a long weekend with my then sweetie, pure magic. The view of the crowds down the mall and around the monuments and the park were just perfect. One of my favorite aviation moments.
I've worked at DCA since 1998. I'm glad you love our little airport! The new terminal is fantastic! We're now at about 55% capacity, and should be back at 90 to 100% by the end of the summer. 😀
Mt Vernon trail connects to the C&O Canal Towpath, which connects to the Great Allegheny Passage, which connects to the Montour Trail, meaning you can ride a bike from Pittsburgh's airport all the way to DCA
Well, I’d say that DCA should be a hub airport, but I’m biased since I’m a pilot who’s based here. The river visual approach is even cooler in the air! Pilots get to hand fly it so it’s more fun and challenging than most other approaches we get to do. I get excited whenever they’re on a south flow at DCA.
The only better views of DCA I had were from the crew chiefs door of a CH-53. Was stationed at PAX and the DC trips were always nice especially at night. Thanks to all now serving, those who have, and those who will in the future, FLY NAVY!!!
I was lucky enough to visit DCA in the left seat of a Cessna 310 (N311V) one very early morning (about 2:00am). Seeing Washington unfold in front and all around you was really special.
Love Gravelley Point from my days living in DC. The rooftop of the Kennedy Center also had greart views of arriving planes. RIP 35X. Glad it's gone! Nice video.
Jonathan, I buzzed around in Delta's L-1011s as often as I could and loved them. One flight they were deadheading the aircraft from LGA to ATL and I virtually had it all to myself. Enjoyed chatting with a gaggle of flight attendants. Such a lovely aircraft, and those plastic tubes they gave us for headphones! When one crashed in Dallas, I truly grieved for it.
One of my favorite spots to watch flights coming in/out of DCA from Gravelly Point. Also like walking along Mt Vernon trail that goes through Gravelly Point.
Jeb, this video gets a big 2 thumbs up for sure! This is my home airport and you get extra credit for that fab intro and for using the proper name for DCA! 👍🏽👍🏽
Love this one Jeb! Living in MD we can choose from 3 airports but none compare to DCA. All aviation geeks need to visit Gravelly - a must! Also, L1011 my fav along with the Queen of the skies. I would scan the flight directories in the 80s to book flights specifically on L1011’s. Glad you are back in the sky Jeb.
As a native Washingtonian....thank you for calling our beloved little airport, National, instead of that other name....and I won't even say it. It will always be National Airport.
The L1011 is the best commercial airliner ever. Something about that 3rd engine sitting on the fuselage and not integrated into the tail fin like the DC-10/MD-11, it just looks right. Also, shout out to the best aviation movie of all-time: The Langoliers.
As someone Who's lived in Washington D.C. for 20 years, it is a great hub airport!!! If you don't live in Washington D.C. you will never understand the importance of Washington National Airport (DCA). It is convenient and easy to access and depart from while allowing visits to quick metro services. I hope in the future the airport continues to grow and provide more services to additional locations. Dulles Airport (IS NOT IN WASHINGTON DC, IT IS 2 HRs AWAY IN VA.) and is only a great airport for international flights.
Thank you for this video! I'm not a frequent flyer of American, but the other day I booked a flight to Knoxville, TN out of DCA and so I'm glad I saw this to ensure that I put some more time in to make it all the way down to the new concourse.
Thanks for being the first person to welcome me to the demise/replacement of 35X at DCA. Truly wonderful news. Oh, and my last ever flight on an L1011 was Dec 26, 2000 from PBI - ATL. I think my first ever flight on one might have been in Aug 1985 SFO - ATL. The high ceilings and the elevator to the galley are fond memories. Thmemories of mminimal overhead bin space are not.
Hey Jeb, great video! Shorecrest Drive in Dallas, which winds through Bachman Lake Park is right outside the north perimeter fence of Dallas Love Field. Great for the same sort of up close plane spotting…cheers!
The walk between terminal B, C and terminal is a really neat walk. Lots of history about the airport. Next time I'm back going to try spend some more time there.
I've only flown into and out of DCA once. It was on Frontier to and from Denver. I went through A concourse and absolutely loved it. I didn't care that it was cramped with narrow hallways taking me where I needed to go.
Gravelly Point is awesome (I try to go every Jan. 13 in memory of Air Florida 90 as a friend of mine survived the flight) and everyone in this part of the world is thanking God that we are no longer x-rated. Flying in from CRW, I knew it well.
I lived in the area for many years. I spent countless hours at the park with my scanner watching the action. I remember when they were building B,C and D and the area housing the new terminal was a hanger temporarily turned into the main terminal. 35X was truly a nightmare. As far as being a hub, while it is constrained, the vast majority of the flights are not allowed to be more than 650 miles limiting potential destinations due to the perimeter rule.
My sister used to live on the VA side, so I’ve flown through DCA a number of times. Prior to the pandemic, Delta (and before that, Frontier) ran a daily round trip to Madison, which was really nice. Oddly, the only time I flew American there was when I had to connect via ORD during the holidays when the direct flight isn’t run.
Excellent review as always, Mr. Brooks. I'm absolutely thrilled that DCA's new concourse is finally open to passengers. Thank you for giving us one of the first looks inside. As for your question, DCA can absolutely be a hub airport, just maybe not right now. This airport has immense potential, but there are 2 big issues: the runways and the property lines. When it comes to the runways, having all 3 intersect each other is one of the least efficient ways to get planes in and out. Realistically, there is room to build a parallel runway to Runway 1/19, which would require building a small amount of new artificial land to keep it at a reasonable length. However, that leads to the issue of the airport's property lines. The entire airport itself is in Virginia, but the moment you set foot in the Potomac, you're in DC. This means that realigning the runways like this would require multiple territorial jurisdictions (mainly DC and Arlington County) to get involved to agree on transferring land area from one to another. One of these days I hope to see DCA reach its fullest potential, and I'm going to do my part to make sure that happens. This Fall, I am going back to school to pursue a degree in Transportation Engineering, and one idea I already have in the works is a rework of DCA like the one I described earlier. I won't say much, but it would eventually end up with the removal of Runway 15/33, giving the airport room for yet another concourse extension north of this new one. Thank you again for another great review, Mr. Brooks! Can't wait for the next one!
one of my favorite things to do here is bike to this park and then stay and planespot. In Geneva, Switzerland there is a spot just like it and when planes land from the Meyrin side, I think they fly even lower than in DC!
Nice video! BWI also has an outdoor observation area where you can watch planes come in. It also has a trail around the airport and links to other trails in the region where the airport is located.
Former PTI user and FL employee there now at PDX. Good ol’ 35X and non-revving on the USAir Express Dash 8’s to GSO and RDU. Loved eating at the Legal Seafood Restaurant before Security there.
Great video, Jeb! Gravely Park looks like a great place for planespotting! Two places I’ve had some great planespotting experiences are at Earthquake Park at the runway 14 end of ANC and the runway 8 end of my home airport of JNU. And I think this video added DCA to my eventual bucket list.
Also worth noting that BWI has an observation park (complete with a walking loop around the airport and an actual playground) at the approach end of Runway 33L.
As someone who lives 20 minutes away from this airport, I love it. The only thing is that I’m not a fan that American Airlines is the biggest airline here. Other than that, I love DCA and I’m proud to call it my home airport.
I love Gravely Point! But shhhhh.... it's a hidden gem. ;) Although it's true that American probably doesn't "need" a DCA hub, as it's close to both Philly, NYC and Charlotte, - it's too valuable to give up slots. It's the airport closest in to DC, it's also in the heart of Amazon HQ2. DCA takes in nearly as many passengers as IAD, even if it is almost purely domestic. There is a reason that AmEx is putting their next Centurion Lounge in National and not Dulles. All of those passengers in a relatively small footprint makes National extremely efficient... I would expect that efficiency helps Charlotte and Philly focus on the bigger mainline and international routes too.
Next time if you get a chance to hang out in gravelly point you’ll hopefully see some of the really cool helicopter and occasional military traffic on the river.
Thanks for the explanation of what 35X was. Saw that this gate was mentioned in a different video but was giving no explanation on why it was so disliked
Love your videos! I also love Gravely Point, I've been there recently, but the planes were going the other way, so I couldn't get some cool shots like yours, maybe another time! You know for gate 35, back in Europe when I was flying from Venice, many many times we parked the airplane in the middle of nowhere and had to take a bus. It was harsh during winter ahah, but also fun. I guess it's a thing we do in Europe, especially for low-cost companies as Transavia, RyanAir, and others.
Washington National aka Reagan National, was the first airport that I flew out of in 1976, at the age of 12. Flew on Piedmont Airlines. I had been visiting my sister and was returning home to Charleston, West Virginia.
As a current ramp employee (started about a year and some months ago) on the the regional side of things, it is a nice place even though any new thing has its drawbacks and bugs until it's really finished. 35X is now closed to even airport employees though. It was nice to use to relax between flights while it was still open. I think its being converted into MWAA offices or something for police and or Menzies.
Great vlog as always! In feb 1990 I flew a TWA 727-031 from JFK to STL on to IND. It was a thunder storm like no other, deleys, flights cld. Sitting in the aircraft looking at the catering staff changeing food and drink carts. We landed from the north. I was sure we was slide off the rwy due to all the water! Mamma Mia! We took off for STL, ran to our MD-80, sat and waited for more pax for over an hour. We landed at IND at like 1 am. What a trip. After that we flew up and the east coast to MCO TWA first class. The no.1 AH asked me: What would you like me to call you, Sir? I was like say again. That was a first. Lol!
Your "tribute" to gate 35X was hysterical.
Jeb is literally the only person who would do that.
It was pretty funny..🤣
That was too funny
As a DC resident, it's still exciting to fly in and out of DCA every time. Best airport and sights!
True
Jeb - Your tribute to 35x was the nerdiest thing in the world AND I LOVED IT.
🤣🤣🤣
@@GreenerGrass LOL
Edit: New Concourse opened at LAX!
Hey Jeb, I actually saw you filming this video! I am a pilot for the AA regional side and this new terminal is also great for us too! As far as your question about being a good hub. When I was based in DCA (Currently CLT now), it was way more efficient! Due to the limited real estate on the airport ATC does a great job getting us on and off the ground as quickly as possible! I fly a lot of those routes you mentioned, Id love to have you up front and show you around the CRJ!
Wow! Thanks for watching! Wish you’d said hi. Definitely hope to see you sometime and would love to check out the front of a CRJ!
I've worked at DCA since 1998. Thank you for the kind words about us!
Jeb we NEED to hear you sing in more videos. Image if you made a rap your pet peeves with airlines.
Sitting here in the lounge on the 14th floor of the J.W. Marriott watching the inbound traffic into DCA flying past the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, while watching a Jeb Brooks video on DCA. It doesn't get much better than this!
I grew up in DC and I fondly remember waiting at the gate for my father's return from a business trip. My mother would give us a couple of quarters so we could watch the black and white TV's to keep us occupied. Remember those? And I also have fond memories of taking our daughter to Gravelly Point to watch the planes take off and land. Such great memories! Thanks for the video!
Brian, I also grew up in D.C. Cardozo High Class of '69. We both can write a book or make a movie about it, call sign National Airport, the old terminal. When I flew out of there on the weekends (Military) my family could walk to the gate and wait for me to board. The good old days.
Oh the memories of wind, rain, cold, snow, etc when boarding a Dash-8 from DCA to GSO dozens of times from 35X many years ago.
Technically, Jeb, you can walk to any airport if you try hard enough 😉
So true
Hahaha. Good one! At least its has a trail next to DCA, one of the kind, I supposed.
His name is Jeb?
Nevermind
how abt an aircraft carrier…
You know someone's a real old school DCA traveler when they call it Washington National and not Reagan National
LOL true! Most locals still call it National!
The airport was renamed by Congress, not by MWAA. Another example of the plantation-style governance of the City of Washington by the Feds.
When people from far away decide to rename your local airport without considering local opinion, maybe you’ll understand.
@@Dr.Schlitz yes, MWAA (airport operator), WMATA (Metro operator), NPS (National Park Service) and local officials from DC, VA and MD were all opposed, and the fact that they didn’t even give funding to make the change was a huge slap in the face of the Democratic stronghold.
I am not a frequent flyer but my parents met in the area and have always called it National. They aren't the biggest fan of Reagan and his fight with the Air traffic controllers union is a strange to then name an airport after him 18 years later. Reagan isn't from the area and it sort of feels slapped on. You can tell how old some is but it sometimes has to do with party affiliation.
I grew up outside DC and we picked up my grandfather regularly from National. I also remember in Jan. 1982 when Air Florida took off during a snowstorm, ice accumulated on the wings and it crashed into the 14th Street Bridge.
Now that's an intro 😍
I was smiling lol
July 4 2007 had a 4 PM arrival at DCA on the left side of aircraft. I was flying in for a long weekend with my then sweetie, pure magic. The view of the crowds down the mall and around the monuments and the park were just perfect. One of my favorite aviation moments.
I've worked at DCA since 1998. I'm glad you love our little airport! The new terminal is fantastic! We're now at about 55% capacity, and should be back at 90 to 100% by the end of the summer. 😀
Mt Vernon trail connects to the C&O Canal Towpath, which connects to the Great Allegheny Passage, which connects to the Montour Trail, meaning you can ride a bike from Pittsburgh's airport all the way to DCA
Well, I’d say that DCA should be a hub airport, but I’m biased since I’m a pilot who’s based here. The river visual approach is even cooler in the air! Pilots get to hand fly it so it’s more fun and challenging than most other approaches we get to do. I get excited whenever they’re on a south flow at DCA.
I've worked at DCA since 1998. We are one of the 10 hubs for AA.
Gravelly Point Park is amazing. I caught so many great views of some gorgeous planes!
I absolutely LOVE this park! I'm there with FlightAware and LiveATC atleast once a month! Great video!
Im from DC, and its so nice to see changes to the airport after 10+ years of an outdated small airport
The only better views of DCA I had were from the crew chiefs door of a CH-53. Was stationed at PAX and the DC trips were always nice especially at night. Thanks to all now serving, those who have, and those who will in the future, FLY NAVY!!!
I was lucky enough to visit DCA in the left seat of a Cessna 310 (N311V) one very early morning (about 2:00am). Seeing Washington unfold in front and all around you was really special.
Paying a visit to gate 35x is definitely on my bucket list of aviation enthusiasts things to do.
As someone who worked the ramp on 35X, it was quirky but had some good times out there.
Thanks Jeb! As someone who grew up in Baltimore, we always avoided National like the plague! Nice to see the old gal spruced up!
That long walkway reminds me of the walkway that connects the new extension of the A Concourse at CLT to the rest of the A Concourse.
I love Gravelly Point Park! We go every year when we’re in the Baltimore and DC area!
I live in the area and Reagan will always be my favorite place to fly out of and spot, gravely is amazing
Love Gravelley Point from my days living in DC. The rooftop of the Kennedy Center also had greart views of arriving planes. RIP 35X. Glad it's gone! Nice video.
completely agree, Kennedy Center is the best!
L-1011 fan checking in! I remember flying on Delta's L-1011s at least a couple of times as a kid.
Jonathan, I buzzed around in Delta's L-1011s as often as I could and loved them. One flight they were deadheading the aircraft from LGA to ATL and I virtually had it all to myself. Enjoyed chatting with a gaggle of flight attendants. Such a lovely aircraft, and those plastic tubes they gave us for headphones! When one crashed in Dallas, I truly grieved for it.
One of my favorite spots to watch flights coming in/out of DCA from Gravelly Point. Also like walking along Mt Vernon trail that goes through Gravelly Point.
As an European living in DC, I’d say DCA is the most eficient airport in the US. Easy to get in, easy to get out.
Flew in and outt of 35x MANY times when I was at university in DC back home to Wichita, KS. RIP
This intro and perfect planespotting reminds me of the old Kai Tak Airport
Jeb, this video gets a big 2 thumbs up for sure! This is my home airport and you get extra credit for that fab intro and for using the proper name for DCA! 👍🏽👍🏽
Love this one Jeb! Living in MD we can choose from 3 airports but none compare to DCA. All aviation geeks need to visit Gravelly - a must! Also, L1011 my fav along with the Queen of the skies. I would scan the flight directories in the 80s to book flights specifically on L1011’s. Glad you are back in the sky Jeb.
As a native Washingtonian....thank you for calling our beloved little airport, National, instead of that other name....and I won't even say it. It will always be National Airport.
I’ve been on the left side of a plane on that approach to DCA, was like wait why are we turning now this close to the ground, haha!
The L1011 is the best commercial airliner ever. Something about that 3rd engine sitting on the fuselage and not integrated into the tail fin like the DC-10/MD-11, it just looks right. Also, shout out to the best aviation movie of all-time: The Langoliers.
The 727 also has that 3rd engine design.
I walked to the San Diego Airport from the Gaslamp district when I was there for a football game. Crazy
As someone Who's lived in Washington D.C. for 20 years, it is a great hub airport!!! If you don't live in Washington D.C. you will never understand the importance of Washington National Airport (DCA). It is convenient and easy to access and depart from while allowing visits to quick metro services. I hope in the future the airport continues to grow and provide more services to additional locations. Dulles Airport (IS NOT IN WASHINGTON DC, IT IS 2 HRs AWAY IN VA.) and is only a great airport for international flights.
Thank you for this video! I'm not a frequent flyer of American, but the other day I booked a flight to Knoxville, TN out of DCA and so I'm glad I saw this to ensure that I put some more time in to make it all the way down to the new concourse.
I love this concourse! I flew through DCA about 2 weeks ago but I couldn’t stop to see it!
I love DCA! Yes, it definitely should be a hub!
That’s a really cool park! I love how airplanes naturally get almost everyone excited!
I saw the Piedmont retro jet leave BOS today! Such a gorgeous livery
When I lived in Alexandria VA, I loved the approach from the north
I fly the E175 and absolutely love flying this approach!
Your videos are awesome!
Thanks for being the first person to welcome me to the demise/replacement of 35X at DCA. Truly wonderful news.
Oh, and my last ever flight on an L1011 was Dec 26, 2000 from PBI - ATL. I think my first ever flight on one might have been in Aug 1985 SFO - ATL. The high ceilings and the elevator to the galley are fond memories. Thmemories of mminimal overhead bin space are not.
That tribute was epic!!!
Also, no carpet compares to MCO!
Thanks Jeb for everything!
Hey Jeb, great video! Shorecrest Drive in Dallas, which winds through Bachman Lake Park is right outside the north perimeter fence of Dallas Love Field. Great for the same sort of up close plane spotting…cheers!
The L1011 was the first airplane my family ever flew on. It was an Air Lanka, now Sri Lankan Airlines, aircraft back in 1995. ✈
DCA is such an underrated airport! The new concourse is going to be nice.
It's been years since I visited DCA. I have fond memories of terminal A. Thanks for the video.
my fav park ever, a must everytime in DC!
Dizzying is an apt description for that carpet! ! !
I have flown through gate 35X. I remember that one! Took the kids up to Albany and changed planes there.
I remember coming from YYZ - DCA into 35X on American. That was a great trip, usually I would fly into A on Air Canada.
The walk between terminal B, C and terminal is a really neat walk. Lots of history about the airport. Next time I'm back going to try spend some more time there.
I've only flown into and out of DCA once. It was on Frontier to and from Denver. I went through A concourse and absolutely loved it. I didn't care that it was cramped with narrow hallways taking me where I needed to go.
Gravelly Point is awesome (I try to go every Jan. 13 in memory of Air Florida 90 as a friend of mine survived the flight) and everyone in this part of the world is thanking God that we are no longer x-rated. Flying in from CRW, I knew it well.
I lived in the area for many years. I spent countless hours at the park with my scanner watching the action. I remember when they were building B,C and D and the area housing the new terminal was a hanger temporarily turned into the main terminal. 35X was truly a nightmare. As far as being a hub, while it is constrained, the vast majority of the flights are not allowed to be more than 650 miles limiting potential destinations due to the perimeter rule.
On the Metro...now that song is in my head!
I’m learning a lot thanks to you!!! 😂 RIP gate 35 x
you should do more airport tours....pretty interesting!
My sister used to live on the VA side, so I’ve flown through DCA a number of times. Prior to the pandemic, Delta (and before that, Frontier) ran a daily round trip to Madison, which was really nice. Oddly, the only time I flew American there was when I had to connect via ORD during the holidays when the direct flight isn’t run.
Excellent review as always, Mr. Brooks. I'm absolutely thrilled that DCA's new concourse is finally open to passengers. Thank you for giving us one of the first looks inside.
As for your question, DCA can absolutely be a hub airport, just maybe not right now. This airport has immense potential, but there are 2 big issues: the runways and the property lines.
When it comes to the runways, having all 3 intersect each other is one of the least efficient ways to get planes in and out. Realistically, there is room to build a parallel runway to Runway 1/19, which would require building a small amount of new artificial land to keep it at a reasonable length.
However, that leads to the issue of the airport's property lines. The entire airport itself is in Virginia, but the moment you set foot in the Potomac, you're in DC. This means that realigning the runways like this would require multiple territorial jurisdictions (mainly DC and Arlington County) to get involved to agree on transferring land area from one to another.
One of these days I hope to see DCA reach its fullest potential, and I'm going to do my part to make sure that happens. This Fall, I am going back to school to pursue a degree in Transportation Engineering, and one idea I already have in the works is a rework of DCA like the one I described earlier. I won't say much, but it would eventually end up with the removal of Runway 15/33, giving the airport room for yet another concourse extension north of this new one.
Thank you again for another great review, Mr. Brooks! Can't wait for the next one!
one of my favorite things to do here is bike to this park and then stay and planespot. In Geneva, Switzerland there is a spot just like it and when planes land from the Meyrin side, I think they fly even lower than in DC!
35X was my favorite gate at DCA. I loved going out into the weather and feeling the heat or cold of the flightline before boarding your aircraft.
In 2016, probably the best flight on American I had was ORD-DCA. The views were superb.
Flew out of 35X many times and I'm definitely not sad to see it go. Shout out to a fellow PTI home airport user!
Nice video! BWI also has an outdoor observation area where you can watch planes come in. It also has a trail around the airport and links to other trails in the region where the airport is located.
Former PTI user and FL employee there now at PDX. Good ol’ 35X and non-revving on the USAir Express Dash 8’s to GSO and RDU. Loved eating at the Legal Seafood Restaurant before Security there.
Hey Jeb, i work at O'hare for Envoy Air, I work with all the American Eagle regional jets. glad to see you talking about it, makes me happy.
I just love to watch your videos before I go to bed they are so relaxing. Keep it up
My very first flight was on an L-1011 way back in ‘93 BOS-MCO. 🤘
From the look of the grass, no one been taking care of the park!!! (love your videos)
Started with Piedmont in 1988....she was my heart ❤️.
Another great video. DCA is definitely a great story, especially the park area to watch arrivals. 👍🎥
Jeb is in my stomping grounds!
Glad, you still call it “National Airport” it’s actual name not, “Reagan National.”
Most locals call it National!
Spent lots of time at Gravelly with my scanner when I lived in DC.
I started watching your videos before I realized we are from the same town :) but now its even cooler! Thank you for all your great content!
I had the chance so fly into DCA back in October, and that view of the mall is UNBEATED!
Great video, Jeb! Gravely Park looks like a great place for planespotting! Two places I’ve had some great planespotting experiences are at Earthquake Park at the runway 14 end of ANC and the runway 8 end of my home airport of JNU. And I think this video added DCA to my eventual bucket list.
Also worth noting that BWI has an observation park (complete with a walking loop around the airport and an actual playground) at the approach end of Runway 33L.
As someone who lives 20 minutes away from this airport, I love it. The only thing is that I’m not a fan that American Airlines is the biggest airline here. Other than that, I love DCA and I’m proud to call it my home airport.
Thank you for a great video..I've put this on my bucket list
I love Gravely Point! But shhhhh.... it's a hidden gem. ;)
Although it's true that American probably doesn't "need" a DCA hub, as it's close to both Philly, NYC and Charlotte, - it's too valuable to give up slots. It's the airport closest in to DC, it's also in the heart of Amazon HQ2. DCA takes in nearly as many passengers as IAD, even if it is almost purely domestic. There is a reason that AmEx is putting their next Centurion Lounge in National and not Dulles.
All of those passengers in a relatively small footprint makes National extremely efficient... I would expect that efficiency helps Charlotte and Philly focus on the bigger mainline and international routes too.
Next time if you get a chance to hang out in gravelly point you’ll hopefully see some of the really cool helicopter and occasional military traffic on the river.
Thanks for the explanation of what 35X was. Saw that this gate was mentioned in a different video but was giving no explanation on why it was so disliked
Love your videos! I also love Gravely Point, I've been there recently, but the planes were going the other way, so I couldn't get some cool shots like yours, maybe another time!
You know for gate 35, back in Europe when I was flying from Venice, many many times we parked the airplane in the middle of nowhere and had to take a bus. It was harsh during winter ahah, but also fun. I guess it's a thing we do in Europe, especially for low-cost companies as Transavia, RyanAir, and others.
I have flown in and out of DCA many times and I really hate that airport, excited that the ongoing work will help.
There's excellent plane spotting at Anchorage airport too, with a park and bike trail at the end of one of the runways. Bonus: plenty of heavies.
Washington National aka Reagan National, was the first airport that I flew out of in 1976, at the age of 12. Flew on Piedmont Airlines. I had been visiting my sister and was returning home to Charleston, West Virginia.
Very modern looking concourse!
When I visit dc this is the park you rock
I have fond memories of L-1011's!
As a current ramp employee (started about a year and some months ago) on the the regional side of things, it is a nice place even though any new thing has its drawbacks and bugs until it's really finished. 35X is now closed to even airport employees though. It was nice to use to relax between flights while it was still open. I think its being converted into MWAA offices or something for police and or Menzies.
Great vlog as always! In feb 1990 I flew a TWA 727-031 from JFK to STL on to IND. It was a thunder storm like no other, deleys, flights cld. Sitting in the aircraft looking at the catering staff changeing food and drink carts. We landed from the north. I was sure we was slide off the rwy due to all the water! Mamma Mia! We took off for STL, ran to our MD-80, sat and waited for more pax for over an hour. We landed at IND at like 1 am. What a trip. After that we flew up and the east coast to MCO TWA first class. The no.1 AH asked me: What would you like me to call you, Sir? I was like say again. That was a first. Lol!
I’ll be changing planes at DCA tomorrow night, and now I have something to look forward to
Thank you for this great video, of my favourite airport.
If you come to Minneapolis check out the dog park on the north side of the airport. It’s amazing when they are using runway 12R/12L/17