A retired pilot, Chuck Smith, recently shared a first-hand perspective of landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, offering insight into the challenges and complexities of flying in one of the busiest airspaces in the country. Smith, who made the approach and landing at the airport hundreds of times during his career, posted a video showcasing what it’s like to fly over Washington, D.C., and the Potomac River. The video, recorded on a clear Christmas morning in 2013, was filmed after Smith had just become captain at Republic Airways, a regional carrier.
In his video, Smith highlights the notoriously busy airspace around the airport, which is shared by commercial, military, and other aircraft. He also pointed out that this area is often crowded with news helicopters, Coast Guard planes, and military traffic. The approach to runway 33, which Smith has flown countless times, is especially tricky due to the high volume of air traffic.
Smith reflected on the potential dangers of such a busy airspace, saying, “It’s awful, and you know, it could have happened to any of us.” He described the specific section of the approach where the tragic midair collision occurred on Wednesday night between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial aircraft. Smith pointed out that the collision likely took place where the airplane’s shadow crosses over the Potomac River.
Smith acknowledged the difficult job of air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, who manage the flow of traffic through the complex airspace. He praised their efforts over the years but also recognized that a failure occurred on the night of the collision. According to Smith, the helicopter should not have been in that particular corridor at the same time the aircraft was arriving, and better direction from the air traffic control tower was needed.
