Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport traffic pattern

Pattern altitude at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA · KDCA) is 1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) by the standard convention — none is published for this field, and 19, 22, 15 are charted right traffic.

All of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport — runways, frequencies, charts and live weather

Pattern diagram

Drawn to scale from the FAA NASR runway alignments and the per end right traffic flags — pick a runway to see its pattern. Live wind picks the favored runway when KDCA reports it.

RWY 15RIGHT trafficRP · charted

Heading: 154° mag · 143° true
Dimensions: 5,204 × 150 ft
TPA: 1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) · standard
Surface: Asphalt
Lights: 4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
CTAF: 122.95

More details — RWY 15

Threshold elev: 14 ft
Markings: nonprecision
Approach obstacle: Trees, 49 ft, 380 ft from threshold, 510 ft R of centerline — 3:1 slope to clear · penetrates the 20:1 visual approach surface
Threshold crossing height: 36 ft
TDZ elevation: 14 ft
Declared TORA/TODA/ASDA/LDA: 5,204 / 5,204 / 5,204 / 5,204 ft
End lights: REIL
Arresting gear: EMAS (arresting bed)

Condition: Excellent. Edge lights: Med. Surface: Grooved. Weight bearing: Single wheel 110k, Double wheel 200k, Dual tandem 360k.

Pattern side: FAA NASR · TPA standard 1,000 ft AGL (not charted) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates

Pattern direction by runway

Runway	Pattern	Heading	Pattern altitude
01	Left traffic	007° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
19	Right traffic	186° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
04	Left traffic	037° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
22	Right traffic	217° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
15	Right traffic	154° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
33	Left traffic	334° mag	1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)

No pattern altitude is published for KDCA; the figure above is the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention for propeller aircraft, rounded to the field. Turbine aircraft normally fly 1,500 ft AGL. Headings are the runway alignment; downwind is the reciprocal.

Flying the pattern at KDCA

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is towered, working 119.1. Contact the tower before entering the surface area and fly the pattern you are assigned — the directions below are the charted default when no instruction is given.

Watch the right traffic ends here: 19, 22, 15. A right pattern at a field where the other end is left is the single most common place to end up pointing at opposing traffic. The full entry procedure is here →

Frequently asked

What is the traffic pattern altitude at KDCA?

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has no traffic pattern altitude published in the FAA NASR data. The AC 90-66B convention for propeller aircraft is 1,000 ft AGL, which works out to roughly 1,000 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) here — but confirm it against the Chart Supplement before you fly, since a field can have a non standard pattern altitude that NASR does not carry.

Does KDCA have right traffic?

Yes, on 3 runway ends: 19, 22, 15. Every other end at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is standard left traffic.

Do I fly a standard pattern at KDCA?

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is towered (119.1), so the pattern shown here is the charted default — but the controller's instruction overrides it. Expect straight in approaches, base entries and midfield crossings as traffic dictates.

More about KDCA

Pattern direction and alignment are drawn from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle); the diagram is generated, not an FAA chart. Pattern altitude is shown as published where NASR carries one, otherwise as the AC 90-66B 1,000 ft AGL convention. For planning and education only; always verify against the Chart Supplement.