IAD- The Future is on Rails

For those of you that are interested-
Check out this- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302157.html
And this- http://www.airliners.net/discussions/general_aviation/read.main/2992420/6/#ID2992420
Looks like Dulles is replacing the mobile lounges with something better. Finally. It also looks like the Metro will be expanding out to Dulles. For us DC-area folks, it will be the Silver Line, starting at Stadium-Armory, passing through Metro Center, and going all the way out to Route 772 by IAD.
http://www.dullesmetro.com/Dec8/project_overview/images/5_systemMap.jpg

Regards
JetBlast :slight_smile:

I’m gonna miss the mobile lounges there! Like the main terminal and old control tower’s architecture, the lounges are a part of that airport’s character that make it unique. There’s something about riding across the field in one of those behemoth buses that seemed to be a part of the overall flight experience. But understandably, that’s progress. There’s no way the small fleet of those things can support the massive growth the airport has seen.

I think I heard that they will continue to operate a few of them for special purposes. Anyone know what they plan to do with the rest of them once they’re phased out. I think they put one of each model in a new wing at the new Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy facility!

Interesting link to the Metro system map. As a daily rider of the Blue line from The Pentagon to Foggy Bottom (and back), I can’t see them adding a third line along the same rails between Rosslyn and RFK. It can’t handle the traffic of the Blue and Orange lines as it is. We (eastbound Blue line riders) often wait for 5 to 10 minutes before arriving at Rosslyn as several Orange line trains are allowed to pass ahead of us. I CAN’T WAIT to see what the Silver line does for that! I imagine I’ll either go into early retirement or find another job, or start driving to work when that opens.

It’s about time. DC and NY are the hardest cities to get into from an GA perspective. In the ‘old days’ you’d just fly into College Park and hop on the Metro which was right outside the airport and be into the city toot sweet. Now, you simply cannot get into CGS anymore without an major hassle and none of the other airports are that easy to get to the city from. GA is essentially banned from Reagan.

None of the other local have rail access. Manassas has VFE but that does not run weekends. Same with MARTA and Fredrck and Martin State. bWI is really the only choice for reliable and regular access from an airport. If you are gonna spend an arm and a leg to use a taxi or car service you might just bite the bullet and fly into Reagan.

Now with Dulles as an option and a rail connection. it makes sense and become practical.

Reagan is off-limits to all but “corporate” GA operations.
http://www.aopa.org/whatsnew/air_traffic/dca.html

I mean by airline . . .

I was agreeing with your “GA is essentially banned” comment. My wife gets charter requests into there all the time but the customers don’t realize that it’s not possible.

well, it is possible, you just need to either participate in DHS 12.5 Security or stop somewhere first and take on a passenger.

The problems is that there is actually no one stationed or trained at any of the gateway airport - that is a little secret known only to charter companies. Even if you WANTED to deal with the hassle, you could not get in since there is no one availalbe to be your armed guard in DCA.

As for CGS, that was the first cross-country I went on after getting my private “certificate” (sigh). My then-girlfriend-now-wife and I flew to College Park and walked to the Metro station right next door to go into town to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. We ate dinner at the 94th Aero Sqdrn before flying back home. It’s a royal pain in the ass now to get approval to fly in there.

Initiating the Process:

Initiate the process by contacting the airport for which you wish to apply for access. You will need to present your pilot certificate and government-issued photo identification (ID) to the airport security coordinator (ASC), or their alternate, to be photocopied. Acceptable forms of government-issued photo ID include, but not limited to, a driver’s license issued by a U.S. state, U.S. passport, or U.S. military ID.

PIN Issuance Form:

To be issued a PIN, you must complete the PIN Issuance Form and submit it to TSA. When completing the form:

Check the appropriate box for the type of operation. (Transient pilots will check the “Non Maryland Three Based Transient Aircraft” box.
Complete all relevant applicant information. Mark all areas that are not applicable as “N/A.”
Transient pilots are encouraged to provide the aircraft N number for their most frequently used aircraft. It is understood that renters may not be able to provide this information. Providing specific N numbers does not limit you to these aircraft.

FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) Visit:

Applicants must contact the respective FSDO Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to make an appointment to have their documents reviewed. Applicants will need to bring their driver’s license or government-issued photo ID, airmen certificate, and medical certificate for review by a FSDO inspector.

College Park Airport applicants should contact the Baltimore FSDO by sending an e-mail message to 7-aea-bal-fsdo@faa.gov. The e-mail message should contain the applicant’s name, airman certificate number, and the desired date and time for an appointment. If an applicant does not have access to a computer, he/she may contact David Schumacher by calling 410/787-0040 (ext. 228) to request an appointment.
Potomac Airfield and Washington Executive/Hyde Field applicants should contact the Washington FSDO and request an appointment with Jeffery Cupp by calling 703/661-8160.
The FAA does not sign the form, even though a space is provided on some versions.

Fingerprinting:

Fingerprints are taken only at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) in the airport operations area. Specific directions to the office can be found in the PIN Issuance Process Form. The office is open weekdays from 7 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Applicants are required to pay the $29 processing fee with cash or credit card, due at the time of fingerprinting.

Security Procedure Review:

Applicants then return their completed PIN Issuance Form to the airport where they began the process. Present the PIN Issuance Form to the ASC, or his/her alternate, and then view the security procedures videotape (approximately 40 minutes). When cleared, the TSA will notify the ASC, who will contact the applicant with their PIN number.

After all of that, which probably takes a few weeks of bureaucratic horseshit, as well as numerous trips to the airport, out to Reagan, to the FSDO, back to the airport, and then waiting for them to contact you with your PIN…only THEN can you fly there.

Maybe that explains the masses of bizjets at IAD then. Of course it’s a dream for planespotters 8)

Regards
JB