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Moving to DC

Sumo

Member
Good morning!

The boss just told me its time to sit in an office for a while, so I'll be moving to DC this summer (August - right after Oshkosh :). I'm hoping to find some hangar space for my RV-6A, currently at KFLY in Colorado. If anyone has any advice or know of any leads, I'd greatly appreciate your insights.

thanks!
-Anna
 
KVKX

Call or emai David Wartofsky the Chief of everything at Potomac Airpark KVKX.
He will take care of you. You have to get a special secret pin to operate from there but it's easy and fast.
 
"DC" is a large sprawling metro area, and hanger space is scarce and expensive in the close-in areas. Do you know where you work / home will be yet? That would help narrow down your choices. Keep in mind that flying in the immediate DC area (~30nm of DCA) means talking to controllers because of the SFRA and Class Bravo airspace, and a few airports have even more procedures to enable flight in the FRZ. But once you get used to the procedures, it's not a big deal. I choose to base outside of the SFRA at a controlled field with relatively inexpensive hanger space (ESN,) about a 45 minute drive from my home (which is about a 45 minute drive form downtown DC (on a good traffic day.))
 
What he said. You will need to define what painful option you will have to live with. For example, an acquaintance at the pentagon hates commuting daily, so he lives in Crystal City and commutes once a weekend an hour each way to the airplane in a 'relatively' cheap $300/mo hangar. Another wants to fly in the evenings often, so she lives 5 minutes from a $400/mo hangar but has a 1+15 one way commute to the office, mitigated a bit by some telecommuting. There are some options in between, but all require a sacrifice of some sort (money, QOL, freedom of flight, etc).
 
Thanks for the great thoughts everyone. I?m doing a policy fellowship, so most of my time will be at the Pentagon. I think I?ll end up living close in to work and then biting the bullet for the long weekend drives to go fly. I?m also a little weary (maybe intimidated?) of having to file a flight plan just to beat up the pattern or take a friend on a quick first flight (thus leaning towards KHWY or something like that over KVKX). I was looking on the Virginia side, but I?ll check out ESN too.
 
Sumo,

I did the commute for years to DC. I live in in VA so I have been at CJR; its a bit of a trek, but people do it. HWY is a little closer Ive been there too. Now I am at HEF in the SFRA is not a big deal; we just got used to it. Our EAA chapter conducts a lot of YE flights from HEF and hosted a few times the EAA's B-17 and Ford Trimotor. The CAF has been here too. There is JYO on the north side of IAD; all these airports have active RV planes and pilots. About an hour south of DC in VA is RMN and EZF, both are nice airports. I think EZF is a little nicer it has a smaller runway, and a nice cafe. Can't tell you much about MD but there are quite a few.
 
Dogwood Airpark (VA42)

I moved to Dogwood 13 years ago and commuted to downtown DC everyday on the VRC commuter train (5 min from the Airpark). Right now there is a nice home with hangar for sale at the airpark. The original owner (Korean War F86 jockey) passed away.

Carl
 
Some MD options for you.

I live in Baltimore and fly (rent) out of Martin State (KMTN). So, here are some options for you:
1. Tipton (KFME): I used to take lessons and fly out of here. Very nice non-towered airport between DC and Baltimore. Not much hanger space that I'm aware of, but plenty of ramp space. You'll be flying in and out of the SFRA, which is a pain, but manageable.
2. Martin State (KMTN): Very nice Towered airfield. Very quiet. HUGE runway. Outside of the SFRA, but under the BWI class B. I think they might have hanger space available (at least they did last summer, I haven't checked recently) as well as ramp space.
3. Essex Skypark (W48): A real nice small airfield northeast of Baltimore. Everyone I have met there has been real nice. As of this summer, they were building new hanger space.
4. Montgomery Co (KGAI): Never been here, but I here it's nice, but busy. Once again you are inside the FSRA.
5. Frederick (KFDK): Never been here, but it's the home of AOPA. It can be busy here, too. Outside the FSRA.

Hope that helps.

Jeff
 
Sumo,

I live in DC proper, and have been flying out of Manassas, VA (HEF) for many, many years.

On the weekends it takes me about 45 minutes from DC to HEF.

As far as filing, it is less than a 2 minute conversation. You establish a profile and FSS recognizes the phone number/associated with a tail number. It really is quite painless.

I have a number of active duty military folks that work for me, it is all about where will you live (commute/schools for kids....) as others have said.

I have two planes in my hangar (share cost- $550 a month), and you can work on the plane. I was on the waiting list for Stafford Airport, and was told one plane to a hangar, and no working it. Took my name off the list.

I will ask around and determine if hangars are available on the field. Tim
 
KMRB is a bit further than the others depending on where you end up, but nice facility. Runway is 8800' x 150', hangars are $200 a month I believe.
 
I lived in the D.C suburbs and just moved away in March. I kept on the Maryland side. Depending where you decide to live I would suggest St Marys (2W6). Its a nice public airport that is outside of controlled airspace. They are in the process of building new hangars so some should be available. Added benefit is this is Mitch Lock's home field (Van's East Coast rep) and my previous hangar neighbor. It is also the home to Nalls aviation (only civilian harrier). Nice facility and runway is in great shape. Other Maryland options are Freeway airport (W00 - pricey) and Maryland airport (2w5- rundown and old facilities but runway and taxiway are new).
 
Sumo,

Tim mentioned HEF in an earlier post. If you are an EAA member, Chapter 186 is based there.

If you are leaning toward the Virginia side of the river don't forget to check out Leesburg (JYO). I've been flying out of there for years. Nice facilities.

You can't really go wrong either way.
 
Moving to the DC area will make you appreciate your RV more thats for sure because it enables you to get the **** out of there . Driving isnt an option, worst traffic in the nation i think. I was lucky enough to grow up in live in the area before it became the quagmire it is now, used to be a great place. That said Shannon is a nice airport , almost far enough away but not really. Stafford has a nice airport but no hangers available.
 
There is only one thing worse than trying to find a hangar in the DC area and that is traffic.

If you will be at the Pentagon and living close that probably means the Arlington area or downtown DC (which is pretty darn nice in many areas). Don't bother with any of the Baltimore area airports, they are a haul especially with traffic. ESN Easton is on the Eastern Shore and not close by. Annapolis is out Rt.50 and a possible choice but no hangars just carport style hangars. Manassas is distant but doable as other brave souls have mentioned. Potomac Airpark and Hyde are close by and a good option and don't forget about College Park which is easy to get to by the Metrorail. Moving south there is Warrenton and Stafford.

I have spent most of my life in the area plus drive all around the area to appointments so trust when I tell you that rush hour traffic is rediculous. Think about when you will want to fly and figure out a way to drive against the traffic to your airport. Even weekend traffic can be insane in some areas. A simple 15 mile trip can turn into two hours. If it snows anything more than a dusting you may not get home until the next day. I live close to my home airport GAI in Gaithersburg (great airport by the way but good luck getting a hangar) which is only a few miles North of DC. It takes me at least 1 hour to get from Arlington to home during rush hour and if there is an accident.....oh boy.

Don't sweat the SFRA or FRZ and let that stop you from some airports. Once you file, squawk & talk a couple of times it becomes part of the routine.

Welcome to DC living.
 
I don't have much to add to the previous posts other than welcome to the D.C. area! We moved to Dumfries VA (Prince William county just North of Quantico) while I was still active duty USAF and was assigned to the Pentagon back in 2006. I'm now retired and have become a DoD civilian at Ft Belvoir.

Like many others I'm based at KHEF and a member of EAA Chapter 186. So if you have any questions, just ask.
 
Thanks again everyone for all the insights and suggestions. I'm working in the Pentagon for at least part of the year, starting in August, so I'm going to aim to live close by there.

I'm busy googling and mapping out places to live and (more importantly) places to keep the plane based on all your great suggestions.

Tim and Auburntsts - definitely interested in learning more about HEF hangar availability if you hear anything.

Really appreciate everyone's time and help!
-Anna
 
Thanks again everyone for all the insights and suggestions. I'm working in the Pentagon for at least part of the year, starting in August, so I'm going to aim to live close by there.

I lived in Vienna VA near Wolf Trap when I was at the Pentagon. This is a well kept secret as you can make the commute to the Pentagon via 123 and the George Washington Memorial Parkway and never go near the headache roads (I-95, I-66, I-285, Highway 50, etc,). I parked the plane at Leesburg (KJYO). I still have an RV-8 buddy with a hangar there if you want to talk to him.

Carl
Dogwood Air Park (VA42) to downtown DC commuter train commando.
 
KJYO

Leesburg (KJYO) has a multi year waiting list for hangars. Even if you can ever get one (sublet) it will cost $550-600 monthly. If you want to go west of DC, you have to go to Winchester (KOKV) for reasonable prices and availability.
 
Or you can come to WV22 and I'll rent you hangar space and accommodations as needed. The living quarters in my horse trailer are top notch! ;)
 
I'm in Laurel, DE - maybe a little far - but an option if you can't find hangar space anywhere - I think there might be one open here...
 
Not to hijack the thread but outside of Dogwood what are some other D.C. Area fly-in neighborhoods within 60 miles or so of downtown?
 
Not to hijack the thread but outside of Dogwood what are some other D.C. Area fly-in neighborhoods within 60 miles or so of downtown?

We have 3W3 Kentmorr here on the Eastern Shore. Not a lot of homes, not much turnover. I could not convince my meal ticket when one was for sale a few years ago, might try for a townhouse across the road from my hangar at W29, which isn't the worst option. Similar to that, there are a few houses adjacent to the hangars at VKX Potomac, and lots of recent McMansions within walking distance.
 
My home field WV22 isn't too far out of the Metro area and there is hangar space here available for rent. Turf runway, outside of the ADIZ, and beautiful country to fly. In an RV, your only an hour away from being where you want to be.
 
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