KDCA 6/14/25 US Army 250th Birthday Celebration - Flyover Coordination

[baldiedc]

KDCA 6/14/25 - Flyover coordination excerpts...

[baldiedc]

6/14/25 ~22:12Z - The opening to the parade/flyovers coordinated on DCA Final 124.7.  News/Media helicopter was orbiting around north end of DCA getting updates for positioning and separation from Tower 119.1.  Not been able to find comms for subsequent multiple helicopter flyovers out of Andrews (Apaches, Chinooks, Blackhawks etc) they may have been on UHF.

Callsigns:

• GKA264 - Golden Knights drop plane from Davison seems to accelerate drop timeline, proceeds directly to P56-A @ 3k ft to drop, returning South along the river to Davison
• Warbird-1 and -2 each a flight of 3 from Dulles, returned to the North to Dulles with coordination from Potomac to maintain separation as separate flights
• NAM-1 a flight of ~8 helicopters from Vietnam era out of Manassas holding on Potomac to the N of Dulles, proceeded along Route 1/4 for the flyover, returning South along the river to Manassas around the weather
• N203HA Media/News chopper orbiting North of DCA
• DRAGO-2 - assumed to be US Army flyover ground controller located near flyover target
• DRAGO-3 - assumed to be US Army flyover controller located in Potomac TRACON

Combination DCA Final 124.7 and TWR 119.1 from 22:12 - 22:47Z, edited for time/content, not realtime.

[baldiedc]

KIAD 6/14/25 ~22:40Z Warbird-1&2 both a flight of 3 headed back from DC flyover to Dulles...

Approach and Tower coordination for landing 01R, with storm to the South, approached from the East with a short approach and right break.

Timing between arrivals didn't quite work out - UAL413 B737 instructed to go-around @ 22:54Z with Warbird-2 just landed on 01R; UAL413 circled around and anded about 10 mins later on Rwy 30 instead.

Combo KIAD North Arr MULRR 126.1 and KIAD Tower 120.1, edited for time/content not realtime.

[baldiedc]

Last part... KDCA Sunday 6/15/25 1802Z (2pm local) - FESTIVAL1/2/3 contacts DCA Tower to depart National Mall in P-56A for Davison Army Airfield, but held on ground for coordination til ~1855Z.

Once cleared, FESTIVAL1 (flight of 3 - AH1 Cobra, UH1 Huey and Jetranger), ZEUS49 (single AH64 Apache) and RAVEN90 (single UH60 Blackhawk) departed Mall to the South along the river past DCA (old route 4) and then West to Davison.  DCA departures/arrivals held during the movement, along with Nighthawk-5 looking to lift from Anacostia.

Combo HELI, TWR, Final, OJAAY 1802-1906Z, edited for time/content, not realtime