Flying a Piper PA-18 Super Cub into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
KDCA / DCA · Washington D.C., United States
By Renzo, CPL
Field Elevation
15 ft
Aircraft Range
460 NM
Cruise Speed
100 kt
Runway Requirements
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub is a single engine piston aircraft (MTOW 794 kg). At sea level under standard conditions, expect approximately 1,500 ft takeoff distance. Always cross-reference your specific aircraft POH performance charts and current weather for actual TOD/LDR.
- → Number of runways at KDCA: 3
- → Coordinates: 38.8512, -77.0402
- → No type rating required (single pilot)
Approach Considerations
- →Approach 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.
- →Wake 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 Piper PA-18 Super Cub, the most relevant factors are runway length sufficiency, density altitude impact at field elevation 15 ft, and single-runway pattern management.
Fuel Availability
100LL avgas is typically available at KDCA via on-field FBOs. The Piper PA-18 Super Cub burns approximately 6 gph at cruise — verify pricing through ForeFlight or AirNav before arrival.
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