Sport Pilot Talk

theskunk · Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 11:59 pm Post subject: Sport Pilot in Washington SFRA

So -- was wondering if anybody has done the washington SFRA into a class B in an LSA...

Right now, I don't have access to a LSA, so I've been doing this in the Cirrus SR20 I've been training in. I'm about to get access to a sport cruiser, so that'll become my trainer of choice.

My big question -- have any of you landed at a large class-b airport? I've got family that live just outside of KIAD and have landed there multiple times, leveraging my instructors IFR rating to file en-route IFR prior to entering the SFRA. Its gone perfectly thus far, I fly VFR basically on my own with him right-seat to keep me legal, and then he files IFR, and i keep flying to get some instrument training. I asked him, weather permitting, if we could run the next one 100% VFR, since thats what I'm going to encounter.

I'm just curious as to how much i'll clog things up by landing a 110kt aircraft in a class B with turbines behind me... Any tips for this? Like don't burn off speed and float half way down the runway? ;) (i've heard jokes of this, never done it, and probably won't...)

bshort · Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 59 Location: Ca

That's exactly what I did with a one day. It got busy all of a sudden and there was a business jet in the mix. I did come in hot and float half way down, but he was still way to fast and had to go around anyway. If I could do it again, I would just land as short as possible and exit asap.

dstclair · Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Posts: 212 Location: Allen, TX

Its a personal choice but I wouldn't fly any light aircraft (not just LSA) into busy, scheduled passenger service airports. I didn't when I flew fast, complex aircraft, either. We clog things up, IMHO, and it is just common courtesy to the thousands of passengers you may delay. There are typically plenty of reliever airports around that are easier to navigate and, often, want your business.

Flying an LSA on a 1 mile final at 60kts will not make you popular with the controllers, either :)

On a related topic, I used to be based at a towered airport that was typically very busy on Saturday mornings. Traffic would range from trainers, to complex, to Care Flight and corporate jets. Doing my normal pattern speeds really messed up things so I learned how to keep my speeds up to near 90 then slow down on final and do a slip. Helped out the tower, who in turn would help me out, such as holding traffic to get me out on a hot day :)

Daidalos · Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 137 Location: KHWV

I used to fly right at the edge of the SFRA out of W29 but never within it. Just a reminder, take the Washington SFRA course at faasafety.gov if you haven't done so yet.

Helen · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 119 Location: Maryland

We take our students over to BWI on a regular basis and took the whole fleet into IAD last year for the Plane Pull. It really depends upon the field and pilot. There are a handful of Class B airports that sport pilots are prohibited from landing at but most are open. Many like BWI have a separate GA runway that keeps light aircraft completely out of the mix with larger aircraft. All have busy and slow times. IAD has more busy times than most. As long as you are comfortable with fast radio talk, complicated taxi diagrams, and serious ramp fees, I'd have no problem flying into IAD during their slow times but would avoid flying in during their major "pushes." Give Potomac Tracon a call and they can tell you when the slow times are for any given day of the week. 866-709-4993

theskunk · Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2011 7:51 pm Post subject:

dstclair: I can understand that, however I think i was perhaps slightly misleading with this topic. I'm more wondering about the flying into and out of the SFRA, not necessarily landing at KIAD (in my mind, two separate issues). Regarding calling potomac tracon, thats a GREAT idea, and I will absolutely do that. I've also looked into flying myself into manassas or somewhere slightly south (shorter flight, too) and just finding a little executive airport that has on-site car rental, and going from there.

Helen -- been meaning to make it up to you guys and get some flight time in... really really missing being in the air!