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GenericReditAccount t1_j1pwjgj wrote

Reply to comment by CriticalStrawberry in Sometimes it pays to sit on the right side of the plane into National by mister_meeseeeks

Same. I actually never thought about it until seeing this photo, and now am curious what I have to do to get this approach

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PinheadtheCenobite t1_j1q4y4u wrote

This is a relatively common approach when you're flying in from the Northeast (Philadelphia, JFK, Laguardia, Boston, Providence, Hartford, etc.). Flights are landing and taking off from Reagan on runway 1 as the wind is out of the north/northwest/northeast - much more common in fall and winter.

Aircraft continue south past DC, and depending on the flight patterns, traffic, and congestion, will do a 180 degree turn to line up with the main runway - sometimes as quick as the Wilson Bridge and sometimes as far south as La Plata. Fort Washington is a very common turn point.

This is known as the "CLIPR2" approach.

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PinheadtheCenobite t1_j1q5fzx wrote

FWIW, this approach isn't always done when coming out of the northeast. When NYC is very congested, flights from New England will often fly off the coast and cross over the Eastern Shore. This is known as the "DEALE3" arrival approach.

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