FAA evaluates risks to flights from Trump's 'triumphal arch': report
Source: msn/The Independent
10h
President Donald Trump’s giant “triumphal arch” is under evaluation by the Federal Aviation Administration for potential risks to flights near one of the country’s busiest airports, according to a new report. The proposed 250-foot arch would be built at the end of Arlington Memorial Bridge, across from the Lincoln Memorial. The massive structure is expected to sit less than two miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, potentially posing a danger to flights into the D.C. area.
Trump’s Interior Department has requested a formal aeronautical study from the FAA for the arch, CNN reported Tuesday. According to federal regulations, the FAA must be notified of any construction more than 200 feet. The FAA told the outlet it had begun the study. But it’s unclear how long it will take.
The agency has said it attempts to finish a review like the one the Trump administration requested within 45 to 90 days, but it can take up to nine months, per CNN.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said last month that construction for the arch will begin this year as a “fitting way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence.”. The Independent has reached out to the FAA and the National Parks Service, a division of the Interior Department, which reportedly submitted the request for FAA review, for comment.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/faa-evaluates-risks-to-flights-from-trump-s-triumphal-arch-report/ar-AA233hlb
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I flew this River Visual 18 approach to DCA in Boeing 737s and MD-80s many, many times during my airline pilot career (I was DCA based for most of the time). This is an old training chart for that approach, but the basics remain the same. For orientation: the top of the chart is north, the bottom is south. West is to the left, and east is to the right.
Notice the altitude "recommendation" at the Key Bridge - 900 feet. When you pass over Key Bridge you are starting a right turn, to stay over the river, and you had better be at 900 feet (certainly no higher) with gear down and landing flaps down, on speed (usually around Vref+5 = 140-145 knots). In other words, you are low and slow .. not a good combo in a swept wing jet aircraft.
The Trump Ego Arch will be at the west end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge (see chart), which is where you must be wings-level and hugging the westside of centerline of the Potomac River. Flying into P-56 (prohibited area) on the east end of the Arlington Memorial and Roosevelt bridges gets you an FAA violation and maybe a couple of F-16 escorts, or worse.
To maintain a safe glidepath to the runway touchdown zone, your aircraft should be at an altitude of no more than 500-600 feet crossing the Arlington Memorial Bridge. That puts the Trump Arch about 250 feet below you. That is probably close enough to get an EGPWS (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System) alert when the radar altimeter gets the 250 foot jump if you happen to cross directly over the arch.
If the weather visibility is at minimums, 3 statute miles, then you have probably just spotted the runway touchdown zone for the first time as you pass between the Roosevelt and Arlington Memorial bridges, and you can't yet see the south end of the airport. Maybe there is light snow falling, or rain. Or a significant crosswind. Or another jet on the runway, landing or taking off. In conditions like that, AT THIS EXACT POINT on this approach, it is one of the most stressful visual approaches in the world in a high performance jet airliner.
This arch location will be worse than the parking deck on the visual approach to runway 27 at San Diego. The whole idea is insane, and there is no way to put the Ego Arch there without severely compromising aviation safety.
