Popped my Bravo cherry.

genna

genna

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
Messages
1,720
Display Name
Display name:
ТУ-104
Into KIAD. Washington Dulles.

Didn't even get yelled at much :). Pretty cool experience and they are really very nice there.

Nothing quite like seeing 777 on final on parallel runway, and having 747 wait for you to taxi by in 172

Even got to use a SID
 
Congrats,Dulles is one of the easier class Bravos. Use it to go to the air museum.
 
genna said:
Nothing quite like seeing 777 on final on parallel runway, and having 747 wait for you to taxi by in 172
Click to expand...
Was even better when the Concorde was still flying.
Even got to use a SID
Click to expand...
Hopefully they issued it right. It always bothered me when they gave me the CAPITAL EIGHT (or whatever they are up to) and then read me all the stuff that's in the SID. All they need is "CAPITAL EIGHT HANEY" and a squawk code.
 
It's NINE now. They did spell it out, which was ok by me.

At least on the way out, I actually flew what they cleared me for. On the way in, the route I got was crazy... And had nothing in common with my flight path. Literally, not a single point in common
 
I enjoyed flying in and out of Class Bravo, but nothing like Dulles. Communication is always key when operating in the Bravo, beyond that they treat you like any of the other pilots.
 
CMTowner said:
I enjoyed flying in and out of Class Bravo, but nothing like Dulles. Communication is always key when operating in the Bravo, beyond that they treat you like any of the other pilots.
Click to expand...

Agree. This wasn't my first time in Bravo. Just my first time landing there.

Honestly, communication is still a bit of an issue for me. I tend to miss some of the ATC instructions and questions. I've gotten better and I no longer have a problem asking to say again. Even if I have to do it 5 times.

At this point it's just a matter of gaining more experience.
 
genna said:
Agree. This wasn't my first time in Bravo. Just my first time landing there.

Honestly, communication is still a bit of an issue for me. I tend to miss some of the ATC instructions and questions. I've gotten better and I no longer have a problem asking to say again. Even if I have to do it 5 times.

At this point it's just a matter of gaining more experience.
Click to expand...

The joys of having that pilots license, giving you the license to always be learning.
 
Sounds like you went in on an ifr flight plan? Or were you vfr? I know the sfra requires training and flight plan to enter, I'm just a stone throw away from it pretty much.
What were landing fees and/or fuel like?

Edit to add: that moment when you feel like a total dumb a$$ because you posted 'were you on an ifr flight plan' in the forum location dedicated for ifr......
 
farmerbrake said:
Sounds like you went in on an ifr flight plan? Or were you vfr? I know the sfra requires training and flight plan to enter, I'm just a stone throw away from it pretty much.
What were landing fees and/or fuel like?

Edit to add: that moment when you feel like a total dumb a$$ because you posted 'were you on an ifr flight plan' in the forum location dedicated for ifr......
Click to expand...

IFR :). Both in and out. Fees at Landmark: 8 landing, 5 security, 30 parking= 43$ total for 1 day.
 
under IFR, class B airports are indistinguishable from class C (or many D) airports. Personally, I find TEB (a busy class D) much more challenging than say BWI, CLT, or PIT.
 
One of my friends landed his Skyhawk there just to day he did. At night no less. I think he must have become confused with the taxi instructions, as the ground controller at one point told him to stop "right now!", followed by a commercial airliner passing right in front of him.

I myself will probably remain clear. I have a hard enough time at small airports.
 
steingar said:
One of my friends landed his Skyhawk there just to day he did. At night no less. I think he must have become confused with the taxi instructions, as the ground controller at one point told him to stop "right now!", followed by a commercial airliner passing right in front of him.

I myself will probably remain clear. I have a hard enough time at small airports.
Click to expand...

Taxiing is definitely tricky in there. At one time, the Ground confused me by calling a wrong taxiway(I was on Z and he told me to continue on J). But I just stopped and asked him again until we got on the same page. Even got an apology.

I think the big thing is to work the frequencies. This time I had my pilot friend with me to help me with the radios. Next time, I'll be alone(well, with my wife, but she has no interest). So, yeah. Be one with the radio!

Class B was always one of those mythical places where only big boys went, for me. Before now, I've only landed once in C as well. Most of my flying was out of non-towered fields with just enough D in the mix. So this went a long way to de-mystifying it.

The feeling I got was that clearly they do not get a lot of GA aircrafts, but when they do, they try to be as clear and as nice as possible to expedite the process for the pilot and the airport. Also, there are a lot of runways to choose from, so they are not terribly busy(per runway) a lot of times.
 
steingar said:
One of my friends landed his Skyhawk there just to day he did. At night no less. I think he must have become confused with the taxi instructions, as the ground controller at one point told him to stop "right now!", followed by a commercial airliner passing right in front of him.

I myself will probably remain clear. I have a hard enough time at small airports.
Click to expand...
As long as you come prepared it's not a big deal. If ground and tower have to repeat instructions several times, it's not good.
 
It used to be easier before they decided to get all politically correct and rename the taxiways. It was really confusing when they started using the new designators before they got the signs in place.
 
I've landed there a few times and always liked the controllers. They're usually busy, but never made me feel rushed...
 
Daytonabch04 said:
Did a stop and go at IAD once, fees: $0 :D
Click to expand...

Landing fee to MWAA only accrues if you leave the movement area. Even then it's really only enforced because the FBO adds it to your bill when you register with them. I can tell you even if you leave the movement area if you don't bother to tell the FBO you've arrived you don't get billed (long story).

I did two stop and goes on 1L one night (wasn't quite able to get up to pattern altitude and back down again the third time in 11,000 feet).
 
Popping your cherry with Potomac Approach sure must have been fun! (no joke intended)
I have so far only Houston and DFW class B under my belt. Can't imagine going into the KIAD zoo. Maybe one day in the future.
 
genna said:
IFR :). Both in and out. Fees at Landmark: 8 landing, 5 security, 30 parking= 43$ total for 1 day.
Click to expand...
Was that with or without fuel ($30 parking)?
Brad Z said:
under IFR, class B airports are indistinguishable from class C (or many D) airports. Personally, I find TEB (a busy class D) much more challenging than say BWI, CLT, or PIT.
Click to expand...
Agreed! I'm scared of TEB - I stayed overhead and went into EWR.
steingar said:
One of my friends landed his Skyhawk there just to day he did. At night no less. I think he must have become confused with the taxi instructions, as the ground controller at one point told him to stop "right now!", followed by a commercial airliner passing right in front of him.
Click to expand...
genna said:
Taxiing is definitely tricky in there. At one time, the Ground confused me by calling a wrong taxiway(I was on Z and he told me to continue on J). But I just stopped and asked him again until we got on the same page. Even got an apology.
Click to expand...
Some posters have called asking for 'progressive' a sign of laziness. At big unfamiliar airports I call it safe. The folks in the big iron work as teams and they have a better view. I'm small and lonely and like guidance when I'm not confident and the stakes are high.
The feeling I got was that clearly they do not get a lot of GA aircrafts, but when they do, they try to be as clear and as nice as possible to expedite the process for the pilot and the airport. Also, there are a lot of runways to choose from, so they are not terribly busy(per runway) a lot of times.
Click to expand...
Because of the museum, they do get some interesting traffic mixes. My buddy likes to recount his trip in there in his Pietenpol where normal taxi, cruise, and a stiff breeze are practically one in the same speed.
 
Bill Watson said:
Some posters have called asking for 'progressive' a sign of laziness. At big unfamiliar airports I call it safe. The folks in the big iron work as teams and they have a better view. I'm small and lonely and like guidance when I'm not confident and the stakes are high.
Click to expand...


Yeah, this.

OTOH, I was at a class B, might even have been IAD, took a wrong turn (almost certainly my fault, but I still remember the instruction and read back as being the route I followed) and ended up at the airline terminal part of the airport. Got switched to another frequency and was progressively taxied through the terminal. I can only imagine what some people thought looking out the window and seeing a Maule roll by...
 
rwellner98 said:
.... and was progressively taxied through the terminal. I can only imagine what some people thought looking out the window and seeing a Maule roll by...
Click to expand...

While on left base for 12L at San Antonio Int'l, I got instruction "make sure you don't overshoot the final course for 12L" because there was an airliner on 12R final. So then for a few seconds, we were racing side by side. The race was over quickly, though, as his ref speed was at least twice of mine. :)
I wonder how many port-side passengers were taking pictures out the windows, expecting an imminent collision with a small ugly slow Cherokee. :goofy:
 
rwellner98 said:
Yeah, this.

OTOH, I was at a class B, might even have been IAD, took a wrong turn (almost certainly my fault, but I still remember the instruction and read back as being the route I followed) and ended up at the airline terminal part of the airport. Got switched to another frequency and was progressively taxied through the terminal. I can only imagine what some people thought looking out the window and seeing a Maule roll by...
Click to expand...
Ha! This old Maule pilot would have smiled and waved!

Moving to the '10 was like getting HD TV as far as visibility goes... but it's still low and lonely down here.
 
Bill Watson said:
Because of the museum, they do get some interesting traffic mixes. My buddy likes to recount his trip in there in his Pietenpol where normal taxi, cruise, and a stiff breeze are practically one in the same speed.
Click to expand...

The most amusing one is the time they had the Curtis Pusher replica at Margy's event. They thing has no ground steering. He can get it to track pretty much straight ahead with the rudder, but any turns involves him hopping out of his seat, picking up the nose of the airplane, swinging it to the new heading, setting it down, and getting back in the seat. I can imagine what Dulles Ground was saying to themselves watching that operation.
 
rwellner98 said:
Yeah, this.

OTOH, I was at a class B, might even have been IAD, took a wrong turn (almost certainly my fault, but I still remember the instruction and read back as being the route I followed) and ended up at the airline terminal part of the airport. Got switched to another frequency and was progressively taxied through the terminal. I can only imagine what some people thought looking out the window and seeing a Maule roll by...
Click to expand...

These days I'm surprised they didn't come running at you with automatic weapons. Better to confirm routes, ask for progressive, and have the diagram up on FF. It is not laziness, it's risk management.

And before you go, review those airport markings! They're all in use at a Class B and a lot of them at Class C as well.
 
Last edited:
Years ago I flew from APA down to COS and followed the sign leaving the runway that said "TRANSIENT AIRCRAFT." I realized I was in trouble when the next sign I found said WELCOME TO NORAD.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top