MikeAdminAnother RV10 adventure. I had a week of meetings scheduled in DC and decided the best way to travel was via the mighty RV10. This was especially challenging since I just we had just returned from Florida the day before having put in 16 hours of RV10 time in the preceding week. But the mighty RV was up for the task and the weather supported this mostly fair weather pilot’s requirements.
While flying to DC should be a simple 2.5 hour trip, what makes it interesting is the restricted airspace surrounding our Nation’s capital. Following the attacks on 9-11 two flight restricted zones were created around DC one extending out to 30nm round BWI with increased restrictions and a second inner circle with even greater restrictions.
This inner ring is referred to as the Flight Restriction Zone or the FRZ which requires the pilot to submit to a background check and receive a special access control number. While relatively painless this process was time consuming and requires to requesting pilot to pay for the background check. Beyond these administrative task I was also concerned with the weather leaving Vermont which was forecast to be 800-2000 foot overcast ceilings with freezing temperatures beginning in ground level. But at my planned departure time the clouds in the vicinity of Franklin County had a few areas that were braking up (holes) along the Canada border. So after a last quick check of the route and destination weather I jumped in and took off for the hole. Once airborne I checked in with Burlington Approach and coordinated to remain VFR to allow me to freely maneuver and spiral up through one of these breaks remaining clear of the
clouds and the potential for airframe icing. Passing 6K feet it was clear on top, where I picked up my IFR clearance to College Park Maryland (GCS). Using the autopilot to do the heavy lifting as I programed the complete rerouting of the plan I had submitted to the Washington Airspace Control Center two hours earlier.
The weather remained clear about the cloud deck from the Canadian border to the Glens Falls NY. Air traffic control was very accommodating as the tops of this cloud deck rose as I went south gradually reaching a peak of about 8K feet. Because of this I had to ask for 9K feet an odd altitude (normally you are at an even altitude when headed west) to remain clear of clouds. I was also fortunate that the winds remained pretty much from the west most of the flight and I only lost about 10 knots for the majority of the flight. The N95VT seemed very frisky this day and I saw TASs around 175 knots for most of the flight.
About 30NMs North of Baltimore BWI Potomac approach provided us a vector taking us directly south and started our decent. Arriving round 1400 local the traffic into BWI and National wasn’t too heavy and while the radio was busy it wasn’t over whelming.
I was very lucky with my selection of a day to fly into the FRZ as the weather in DC was clear with light winds from the south so I was able to focus on the procedures without the distraction of the flying an IFR approach. This also allowed the control to help me out when he directed me to the BRNCH fix and I was forced to say “not familiar”. They provided me a vector e continue until I had the field in sight.
The runway was a “cute” 3700 asphalt strip tucked in to a suburb next a little pond. After taxing in I was greeted by 1950s rock blaring over the fields speakers. The line crew was wonderfully responsive – and while they have a self-serve pump the line guys actual have to pump it for you and they install a “prop lock” for you.