Donald Trump’s proposed Triumphal Arch will stretch 250 feet into the air near the Memorial Bridge, reaching to 279 feet above sea level. Unfortunately, it will sit directly on the visual approach path to Runway 19 at Washington Reagan National Airport. Within two miles of the airport, the arch could create additional difficulties for pilots on an already challenging approach path.
The River Approach to Runway 19 isn’t Easy to Fly
The River Visual Approach for Runway 19 at DCA requires minimum weather conditions of 3 miles visibility and a ceiling of 3,500 feet. But the tricky route following the river, maneuvering around restricted airspace for the White House, Capitol, and Pentagon, and low-altitude, low-speed turns makes this a difficult approach even for experienced pilots.
The proposed site for the Arch is at Memorial Circle on Columbia Island at the western end of the Memorial Bridge. The arch will be directly on the approach path, as shown in the approach chart above.
Safety is a Concern
Will that approach be safe in marginal weather conditions, including rain or snow that restrict visibility? Many in the aviation community, including AirInsight, are concerned about degrading safety margins for an already difficult approach to DCA. Using the River Visual Approach, pilots hand-fly the aircraft along the river, which is not a straight-line path and runs extremely close to restricted area P-56A for the Pentagon, just a few hundred feet off the flight path. Avoiding that requires a steep banking turn inside the Key Bridge to stay on course, which is not easy in approach configuration with gear and flaps deployed.
Low altitude turns, especially at lower approach speeds, can be dangerous in inclement weather, even if the approach minima are met. Planes routinely cross the Memorial Bridge at altitudes of 400-500 feet. With the new arch at 279 feet, the clearance margin is reduced to 121 to 221 feet for typical operations. Adding a new obstacle at the river’s edge on an already unforgiving approach will complicate maneuvering on final approach, increase cockpit workload during night flights, and create potential glare from lighting on the arch, particularly if the external monument lighting illuminates upward.
The glide path for the VASI system for Runway 19 is 3.0 degrees. Increasing the minimum altitude at the Memorial Bridge would require a steeper approach for the runway, which itself raises safety concerns and could require special training like London City Airport, which would be costly for airlines.
The Impact on Aviation Safety
In a preliminary aeronautical feasibility study, the FAA determined that the arch would not significantly affect visual or instrument flight procedures, provided the structure is equipped with standard red aviation obstruction lighting at its highest points. Somehow, we don’t believe that flashing red lights are a part of Mr. Trump’s vision for this memorial, particularly if the highest point is the Lady Liberty statue on the top.
Nonetheless, the full investigation by the FAA remains to be completed, assessing the final dimensions, lighting profiles, and construction crane heights as it evaluates the plans. The key question now is whether that full investigation will require higher visibility and ceiling minima for the approach above and beyond the current 3,500 ft. ceiling and 3 miles visibility. Given typical Washington, DC weather, that could force additional instrument approaches, a difficult situation for a slot-controlled airport that would result in cascading flight delays and potential cancellations.
The Bottom Line
The current atmosphere in Washington, DC, where Trump appointees do not challenge the President, even when ideas could affect public safety and common sense, is frightening. Will the FAA or DOT clearly delineate the impact on aviation safety so that Congress could make an informed decision on the arch? If the past is prologue with this administration, the answer is no, as it has begun preliminary construction without the appropriate approvals. Flying into DCA could become riskier unless someone steps up to challenge the President’s lack of common sense.
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