[throw827474737]

Hmm, can someone just paint me that path into Google Maps?

Washington National has no 18, but only a 19, and I guess everyone takes off southwards as directly north is the White House? Also the river is like parallel to the runway and then the natural extension of it, so "follow the river" there is super clear, no turn needed?

I must be looking at the wrong airport?

[wolrah]

> Washington National has no 18, but only a 19

Depending on how long ago this happened that could be the same runway. There was an article that made the front page here in the last month or so about how the movement of the magnetic poles requires runway names to be adjusted periodically. This isn't that same article, I didn't feel like digging through my history, but it explains the same topic.

https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/airport-runway-names-shift-ma...

Agreed on the rest though, I just can't figure out a path that makes this story make sense.

[etothepii]

Indeed but CGPGrey explains it in excruciating detail on YouTube. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qD6bPNZRRbQ

[throw827474737]

Thanks for all and that link, but yeah I was assuming 18==19 already and meant to understand runway numbers, maybe should have left out that detail.

Actual question still sticks: Takeoff on 18 southwards basically makes you follow the river immediately. Where did this guy encounter his left/right decision, to get back towards white house? he must have made almost a uturn then?

And even assuming the article is a bit inaccurate and he took of northwards (thanks for pointing out the patterns pilots have to fly if doing that @ others): I still cannot imagine how that plane flew and where it matches the description of: "When I reached 1500 feet I looked down. I was crossing the river. It went right and left."

???

[ocdtrekkie]

I always find it funny how shortly after CGPGrey posts about a thing (or John Oliver does a segment on LWT), a large number of commenters will speak on it as experts at the next available opportunity. It's obvious how many of us watch the same channels.

[snowwrestler]

When planes take off northbound from National, they immediately bank left (northwest) to remain over the river and avoid the exclusion zones in DC.

Conversely, planes landing southbound follow the river and so are banking to the right until a few seconds before touching down.

[cowsup]

You’re correct. I live near DC and travel there for photography (much like the novice pilot in the OP).

If you’re flying near DC, or anywhere really, you should at least have a broad understanding of where you cannot fly. That is your responsibility; nobody in your ear will say “remember, don’t go to the restricted airspace.”

The pilot never claims to be the victim here, either. They screwed up and learned their lesson.

[dwater]

I used to sit nearby on my lunch break, and on a clear day you could watch planes after takeoff clearly follow the course of the river N/NW until completely out of sight, which would probably have been close the DC/Maryland border. They would be going in and out every few minutes and they all took the exact same flight path.

[tylermw]

Many planes take off northwards, and immediately bank to follow the river.

Famously, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Florida_Flight_90