The River Visual Approach
 

The River Visual Approach at Washington Reagan National (DCA) is said to be a very interesting and somewhat difficult approach.

For those who fly it regularly or have flown it, what do you think about it?
Easy or Hard?
Almost had a landing gone bad?

I think the sharp turn at the end makes it a little difficult (I used to live in Arlington, Va..see planes land from my window:) )

I don't fly into DCA anymore but loved that approach when I did. I didn't think it was difficult as long as you manage altitude and airspeed correctly on the way in. Leave yourself high and fast and you're fooked.

DCA River Approach
 

Favoring the left side of the river will give you a little more turning room, and be prepared for traffic on intersecting runways crossing rwy 19 while you're on short final.

Its a relatively easy approach. You can use the Rosslyn LDA (109.9 147 inbound) and just follow the loc/glideslope down to about 1000' then just continue at that descent rate right to the runway. The amount of turning is minimal, and the only prohibited airspace is on the left side of the river. If they ask you to switch runways to 15 instead of 19 then its just straight in and even easier. It DOES get tricky when they ask you to circle for rwy 22. That can be tight in a jet, but its fun :) Just remember to stay over the water at all times for approach or missed appr and youll be fine.

"Cross Cabin John at or above 3,000, cleared the River Visual 19 approach, 170kts to a 5 mile final, contact Washington Tower 119.1, SEEYA"

River Visual is about the most fun you can have flying an airplane IMO, perhaps more fun than the Expressway Visual 31 at LGA because of the scenery. I normally set up the approach in the box with white needles Visual 19, 0.5nm final fix and set the inbound to that to be 148 degrees. Gives you a 3 degree snowflake glideslope down the river and will keep you clear of P-56A & B.

Its not a difficult approach to fly; all you have to do is cross the bridges on altitude, configure on schedule, don't screw up the turn at Rosslyn, don't fly any further left than the east bank of the Potomac, follow the VASIs, don't turn too late over the three bridges to final, follow the VASIs and you'll be fine. Did I mention don't allow yourself to be too high?

Never done a River Visual circle to 22 yet, and don't plan on it...

Flying like this is getting folks in Virgina along the river complaining about airplane noise (reference USA Today article earlier this week). Its the RIVER VISUAL, you should follow the river as charted to abide with the noise abatement procedures and everybody will be happy. Just like when you are cleared for the Mt. Vernon Visual 1/33 you aren't supposed to fly the LOC straight in, you are supposed to fly over the middle of the river for noise abatement.

Besides, its fun to turn the damn autopilot and FD off and actually fly the airplane...

EDIT - don't mean to sound holier than thou or preachy, its not my intent...I just think not following procedure is gonna make life for DCA crews much harder in the near future...

The river visual isn't that bad. it is actually a very fun approach to fly (look at the post above mine, flying the plane no fd, or auto). The one that always has me on edge a "little" bit is the lda approach. you pop out of the clouds and boom there is the river and you have to start making that left hand turn (there are buildings straight ahead and the runway is around the corner). Still a fun approach though!!

Or how about doing the ils to runway 1, and then at the faf they ask you to circle to 33!!! that is a blast too!!

If you follow the rosslyn down to 1000' that will take you to the point before the peninsula, at that point just fly left around the buildings and it sets you up on a nice final at about 500' for 19. I dont advocate flying the approach with autopilot on, but if you use the glideslope on the Rosslyn approach then it will keep you at all the recommended crossing altitudes for the bridges.

easy approach and really fun to fly. I also like the expressway visual as well. The one approach that can have you elbows and *******s in the flightdeck is the LDA 19 actually shot down to mins. Thats when there are hands going every where between the autopilot controls and calling out different stepdowns. Good Times!

Now that looks like a fun visual!

http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0703/00443RIVER_VIS19.PDF