Washington is the most procedurally complex airspace in the country and the field choice matters more here than anywhere else we fly. Leesburg serves northern Virginia and the Dulles corridor without the restrictions that come with flying inside the capital.
- Northern Virginia and the Dulles technology corridor without the DCA process
- Considerably simpler than operating inside the Flight Restricted Zone
- Manassas is the better answer for the southern suburbs
Worth knowing before you plan
The Washington Special Flight Rules Area imposes real requirements on any aircraft operating near the capital, and Reagan National additionally requires a security program and vetted passenger manifests. None of this is insurmountable, and all of it needs handling in advance rather than on the day.