Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

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.

15