KDCA 5/26/25 1500Z Memorial Day - 3 Stops, 2 Go-Arounds and a Medevac

[baldiedc]

5/26/25 14:39-15:20Z (10:39am - 11:20am) ... Tough morning at DCA with 3 stops in ~30 mins due to Memorial Day events at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) and the knock-on effects of compacted traffic and a medevac on Route 4...

Split into 4 parts below...

1. Stop on departures for VIP Movement
2. Stop on departures and arrivals for Moment Of Silence
3. Compacted sequence with 2 Go-Arounds for Missed Approach and Traffic/Separation
4. Stop on departures and arrivals for Medevac on Route 4

Combo HELI/TWR/OJAAY(=DCA Final)/DEP/KRANT, edited for time, overlapping comms and content, not realtime etc.

[baldiedc]

~1439-1449Z Stop on departures for USPP Eagle helicopter over Arlington National Cemetery in advance of VIP Movement (Trump motorcade from WH to ANC).  Arrivals for Rwy 1/33 continue.

[baldiedc]

~1457-1505Z Stop on departures and arrivals for Moment Of Silence including delay vectors on DCA Final Approach.

"we promise we'll be real quiet landing"

[baldiedc]

~1505Z Tower dealing with compacted sequence due to the previous stop...

• JIA5207 asked to circle to Rwy 33, with SWA1333 LUAW on Rwy 1, and RPA5693 on Final for Rwy 1 asked by Tower to do an S bend for spacing.
• JIA5207 has a missed approach (reason not stated, likely unstable) and go-around to the West, preventing timely takeoff clearance for SWA1333, so Tower has to send RPA5693 around to the East, repeating instructions due to some unclear readbacks (Controller likely focused on their turn to ensure they do not enter prohibited area P-56A, where Eagle is also operating).
• RPA5693 is asked by KRANT controller reason for go-around - "yeah... these guys putting airplanes on the runway when we're like about a mile and a half out"
• JIA5207 misses an unclear frequency switch to Potomac and both Departure 118.95 and Final 119.85 are calling for ~90s before Tower gives the frequency again.
• Medevac Pegasus-1 calls Tower a couple of times, was given 119.1 frequency by Potomac instead of 134.35.

[baldiedc]

~1513Z Stop on departures and arrivals for Medevac on Route 4...

• Medevac Pegasus-1 at Fort Washington heading to Children's Hospital in North DC requests Route 4 up the river thru restricted airspace requiring halt at DCA (TFR issued 5/13/25 https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_0390 in addition to the previous Route 4 closure).
• Potomac - "Well attention all aircraft looks like you're going to have to hold out some more for a helicopter operation - yey!"
• RPA5845 missed their chance to make it out in front of the medevac bc someone was "in the lav" .
• Meanwhile some separation/coordination needed between Pegasus-1 and Eagle coming the opposite direction back to the Nest on the Washington Channel towards Hains Point.
• Pegasus-1 originated from St Mary's in Richmond VA at 14:31Z so this was a 45min flight and they had to do a brief hold/circle at Fort Washington maybe due to the delay getting the right frequency for route clearance.  Other medevacs requiring DC transition from South/West of DCA have generally been going through VA in Zone 5 to the West of DCA and crossing Key Bridge from VA requiring coordination on the final transition but not a complete stop at DCA.