The Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control is a FAA air traffic control facility which provides radar services to the Washington D.C. and Special Fight Rules Area. The PCT is a combination of four TRACON facilities for the region’s four major airports: Washington Dulles (IAD), Washington National (DCA), Baltimore-Washington (BWI) and Richmond (RIC).
Washington Dulles International Airport is an international airport 26 miles west of downtown Washington. Dulles handles 90% of all international traffic within the Baltimore-Washington region, with 67,000+ passengers passing through its airport daily with routes to/from 116 destinations (December 2019)
Dulles is a hub for United Airlines.
The Shenandoah Area is the part of the Potomac PCT which mainly covers IAD in addition to KFDK and KHEF. The airspace is relatively large, so here is a diagram of the airspace that MTV owns.
2019: 24.8m+ passengers 2019: 308,159 aircraft movements
More information above under About this facility.
DCA is an airport just 3 miles south of downtown Washington. It covers 861 hectares, acting as a fortress hub for American Airlines. The airport is known by many pilots for its River Visual procedure for runway 19 which requires at least 3 statute miles of visibility. It uses the Potomac River and various bridges including the Roosevelt Bridge, Memorial Bridge, Rochambeau Bridge and more.
Mount Vernon (MTV) mainly covers DCA and central portions of the PCT.
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is 9 miles south of downtown Baltimore and 32 miles northeast of Washington. BWI handles the most passengers out of all the three major airports within the Baltimore-Washington area. The airport handled 248,585 aircraft movements in 2015-2016; the majority of those flights being operated by Southwest Airlines, which has a fortress hub here.
Chesapeake (CHP) covers Baltimore and the northern area of the PCT.
Richmond International Airport is the smallest of the four major airports within the Potomac Consolidated TRACON, 7 miles southeast of downtown Richmond. During 2015-2016 it handled 3,818,759 passengers across 10,073 aircraft movements.
James River (JRV) covers Richmond and the southern area of the PCT.
The instrument procedures are as of AIRAC 2006.
Dulles has 10 Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) which are all available in openScope. The only departure which is not assigned automatically is the Capital One (CPTAL1) departure as it is used much less frequently than the others.
| SID | Departure Gate(s) | Altitude (ft) | Notes | Handoff To |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JCOBY# | All | 10,000 | Direct RIGNZ to join SID | MTV - KRANT |
| CPTAL# | SWANN/AGARD/PALEO/COLIN | 10,000 | Vector through C-Gate (heading 100-120) | MTV - KRANT |
| WOOLY# | All | 11,000 | Direct RAZZA to join SID or vector towards RAZZA if vectors WOOLY | CHP |
| JERES#, MCRAY# | All | 11,000 | On course | CHP - BUFFR |
| BUNZZ#, CPTAL#, RNLDI# | LDN/OTTTO/RAMAY | 10,000 or lower filed cruise | On course | MTV - LURAY |
| JDUBB#, CLTCH#, CPTAL# | JDUBB#/CLTCH#: All; CPTAL#: GVE | 10,000 or lower filed cruise | On course | MTV - FLUKY |
There are 11 Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) into Dulles.
Pilots are expected to descend to meet certain altitude and speed restrictions when they are cleared to “descend via the STAR”.
CAVLR#
COATT#
DELRO#
DOCCS#
GIBBZ#
LEGGO#
HYPER#
MAPEL#
PRIVO#
SEG#
WIGOL#
Dulles is home to four runways:
| Runway | Length (ft) | Width (ft) | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1L/19R | 9,400 | 150 | Concrete/grooved |
| 1C/19C | 11,500 | 150 | Concrete/grooved |
| 1R/19L | 11,500 | 150 | Concrete/grooved |
| 12/30 | 10,501 | 150 | Concrete/grooved |
The following sectors are part of the Shenandoah Area of the PCT and available in openScope.
Potomac Departure (ASPER Sector)
Potomac Departure (TILLY Sector)
Potomac Approach (BARIN Sector)
Potomac Approach (BINNS Sector)
Potomac Approach (BRSTO Sector)
Potomac Approach (IAD Final East)
Potomac Approach (IAD Final Center)
Potomac Approach (IAD Final West)
Potomac Approach (LUCKE Sector)
Potomac Approach (MANNE Sector)
Potomac Approach (MULRR Sector)
Potomac Approach (RCOLA Sector)
With Dulles’ close proximity to downtown Washington, D.C., it is important to be cognizant of the various restricted airspace in the region. The areas around the National Mall and US Naval Observatory are both prohibited airspace with a ceiling of 18,000ft.
For details of other restricted airspaces, see FAA Order JO 7400.8Z
P-56A is the airspace which seeks to protect the National Mall and various other monuments in Washington D.C.
P-56B is a circle of 0.5nm radius around the U.S. Naval Observatory.
Designated altitudes. Surface to 18,000 feet MSL. Time of designation. Continuous. Using agency. United States Secret Service, Washington, DC.
Hill MOA is in the south of the Mount Vernon Area.
Altitudes. Surface to and including 3,000 feet MSL. Times of use. Sunrise to sunset. Controlling agency. FAA, Potomac Approach. Using Agency. U.S. Army, Fort A. P. Hill, Bowling Green, VA.
The Demo 1 MOA is in the southwest of the Mount Vernon Area.
Altitudes. 500 feet to 5,000 feet MSL. Times of use. Intermittent by NOTAM. Controlling agency. FAA, Potomac TRACON. Using agency. U.S. Marine Corps, Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA.
Frederick Municipal Airport is classified as a general aviation airport. According to analysis, FDK experienced approximately 129,000 operations in 2004 with an expected increase to about 165,000 by 2025.
| Runway | Length (ft) | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| 5/23 | 5,219 | Asphalt concrete |
| 12/30 | 3,600 | Asphalt |
Manassas Regional Airport is five miles southwest of the center of Manassas, VA. It is also the largest regional airport in Virginia, and it is located 30 miles (48 km) from Washington, D.C..
| Runway | Length (ft) | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| 16L/34R | 6,200 | Asphalt |
| 16R/34L | 3,704 | Asphalt |
The videomap contains the following:
The map is courtesy of VATSIM’s vZDC vSTARS file.
SHD Airspace Diagram
IAD Arrival Flows Diagram
vZDC PCT SOP
FAA Airport Information
FAA Charts (via FlightAware)