Flying a ATR 72-600 into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
KDCA / DCA Β· Washington D.C., United States
By Renzo, CPL
Field Elevation
15 ft
Aircraft Range
825 NM
Cruise Speed
275 kt
Runway Requirements
The ATR 72-600 is a turboprop aircraft (MTOW 23,000 kg). At sea level under standard conditions, expect approximately 3,500 ft takeoff distance. Always cross-reference your specific aircraft POH performance charts and current weather for actual TOD/LDR.
- β Number of runways at KDCA: 3
- β Coordinates: 38.8512, -77.0402
- β Type rating required
Approach Considerations
- βApproach plates: Reference current Jeppesen or FAA charts before each flight. ILS, RNAV (GPS), and visual approaches typically available depending on runway. Check NOTAMs for outages.
- βWake turbulence: Stay alert for wake turbulence from preceding heavy aircraft, especially at major airports like KDCA.
Common Considerations
Close-in airport to the capital with strict airspace restrictions. The River Visual to Runway 19 is iconic. For the ATR 72-600, the most relevant factors are runway length sufficiency, density altitude impact at field elevation 15 ft, and single-runway pattern management.
Fuel Availability
Jet A is universally available at KDCA. The ATR 72-600 burns approximately 1375 pph at cruise β multiple FBOs typically compete on pricing.
KDCA Airport Guide
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ATR 72-600 Specifications
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