National Airport

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Paving Update — Now that the section of Wilson Blvd near Whitlow’s is paved with smooth blacktop, workers are focusing on Washington Blvd. As of Sunday afternoon, one lane between North Highland Street and Pershing Drive was torn up, awaiting fresh asphalt. TBD reports that the repaving of Washington Blvd will stretch into next week.

Flames Seen From Plane Engine — The Associated Press reports that flames were seen coming from the engine of a US Airways plane landing at Reagan National Airport. The captain of the flight from Charlotte, N.C. declared an emergency but landed without incident. No flames were seen after it landed.

‘Old Guard’ Returns from Iraq — Soldiers from the Fort Myer-based Old Guard arrived back home Saturday night after serving one year in Iraq. More than 120 soldiers from the historic regiment, best known for its ceremonial duties at Arlington National Ceremony and the White House, provided security at an Iraqi prison. More from WUSA9.

Students Return to Marymount U — The familiar sight of parents helping their children move into the dorms returned to Marymount University over the weekend. The school’s incoming class includes a record 440 freshman and a record 335 transfer students. More from the Sun Gazette.

Flickr pool photo by Afagen.

DEVELOPING — Power Outage Hits Reagan National Airport

By ARLnow.com

Update at 2:10 p.m. — Airport officials say power has been restored and ticketing lines are beginning to move. They still advising travelers to check with their airline and print boarding passes at home, if possible, due to residual delays from the outage.

Officials at Reagan National Airport are “anticipating major delays and cancellations” as a result of a power outage affecting Terminals B and C.

The outage is affecting ticket counters and concessions, airport spokesperson Courtney Mickalonis said. Power has been restored at TSA security screening stations.

Mickalonis said passengers flying out of Regan National today should check with their airlines first, then, if possible, go online to print out their boarding passes.

The power outage hit at 11:45 this morning, typically a slower time for the airport. But as evening approaches, and more and more flights are affected by the outage, major delays are likely.

At 1:00 this afternoon, there were already long lines forming at the curbside check-in stations.

The source of the power outage appears to be a fire at a power substation just north of the terminal. The substation is located at the headquarters building for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is also without power.

Local Opposition to Long-Haul DCA Flights

By ARLnow.com

“It seems like about every five or six years, a group of senators decide to push the envelope and change the Perimeter Rule,” Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette said in a phone interview, referring to the most recent effort by congress to allow more long-haul flights out of Reagan National Airport. “It’s not a new issue.”

Indeed, it’s not. The last time it was attempted was, in fact, June 2008. At that time, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments issued a resolution, stating:

The COG Board of Directors opposes efforts to usurp regional and local authority over airports and reaffirms its position opposing additional slots and perimeter rule changes at Reagan Washington National Airport.

The Council of Government’s position has not changed, spokesman Steven Kania says.

Fisette says he also opposes any federally-imposed changes to the way National Airport is run. He says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority should be able to manage air traffic as it sees fit, away from federal “meddling.” The airports authority has gone on record opposing the proposed perimeter rule changes.

“They’re the ones who know how to design the regional air transportation system to be the most effective and have the least negative impacts,” Fisette said, adding that Dulles Airport should remain the go-to destination for long-haul flights. He does not, however, expect any action by the County Board, saying Virginia Senators Warner and Webb are best equipped to fight the changes.

Fisette says the possibility of additional noise from larger planes is a another, lesser consideration. But David Sessions of Politics Daily suggests that fear of noise from long-haul flights is unfounded.

Sessions cites the experience of the Dallas-area community groups that protested the lifting of a perimeter rule for Love Field. Sessions says that since the restrictions were removed, fares dropped and  “groups conceded that there had been no change in noise.”

Bill May Allow More Long-Haul Flights at Reagan National

By ARLnow.com

A bill now before congress contains a provision, inserted at the behest of Western lawmakers like Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), that would allow for regular non-stop flights from Reagan National Airport to cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Currently, federal regulations ban most flights beyond a 1,250 mile perimeter. The rule is meant to protect local communities from the noise and air pollution produced by the larger planes needed for cross-country flight.

The Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority, Virgina Senators Webb and Warner, and local community groups have come out against the proposed rule change, the Washington Post reports.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Near Misses for DCA-Bound Planes — An alarming number of close calls have been occurring in the skies over Washington. According to the Washington Post’s Ashley Halsey III, who knows a thing or two about aircraft accidents, there have been several recent near-misses involving planes on approach to Reagan National Airport. Inexperienced air traffic controllers may be part of the problem, Halsey reports.

Hot Hot Heat — Expect temperatures to touch or surpass 100 degrees today, as a dangerous heatwave envelops the east coast. A heat advisory will be in effect from noon today to 11:00 Wednesday night. With the high humidity, it could feel as hot as 110 degrees. Such temperatures could be deadly, especially for young children and the elderly.

Flickr pool photo by Rukasu1.

BREAKING NEWS — Video of Small Plane Flipping Over at DCA

By ARLnow.com

A small World War II-era biplane flipped over while landing at Reagan National Airport this morning, closing the main runway. The crash was captured on video by Dan Webb and posted to YouTube by Jon Ostrower of the website FlightBlogger.

The plane was one of eight Stearman 75 biplanes that were scheduled to land at Reagan National just after 10:00 this morning as part of a promotional event for the new IMAX documentary ‘Legends of Flight.’

On board the aircraft were the pilot and Washington Post reporter Ashley Halsey III, the paper reported. Neither were injured.

Update at 12:50 p.m. — The Post has video from inside the plane as it crashed.

Commercial aircraft are taking off from an alternate runway while an investigation is being conducted.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

DHS Investigating DCA Bomb Sticker — The Department of Homeland Security is investigating a suspicious sticker found on a trash can at Reagan National Airport, reports Government Security News. The sticker appears to be a stencil-type illustration of a man with a bomb strapped to his chest. DHS and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have emailed a photo of the sticker to various security companies and law enforcement agencies, GSN reports.

New ART Route To Pentagon City — A new ART bus line will connect Pentagon City with the Douglas Park and Nauck neighborhoods. The ART 84 line will run every 30 minutes during rush hour, starting June 21. More from the Arlington Transit Blog.

Meet the Artists Reception at Yorktown High Tonight — Yorktown High School (5201 N. 28th St.) is holding its annual art exhibit from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day this week. Tonight there will be a “meet the artists” opening reception and mural dedication from 6:00 to 8:00. All events are open to the public.

Afternoon Notes: Alpine Restaurant Changing Owners

By ARLnow.com

New Ownership for Alpine Restaurant — Alpine Restaurant, the popular Italian eatery on Lee Highway in North Arlington, closed its doors on Sunday. After 44 years in business, owner Ermanno Tonizzo decided to sell the restaurant and retire. The restaurant will eventually re-open under new management. More from NBC Washington.

Small Fire at Reagan National — A scary moment for travelers at Reagan National Airport yesterday afternoon. A small fire broke out at a McDonald’s restaurant past the security checkpoint in one of the terminals. The fire was extinguished within minutes, and airport spokesperson said. There were some minor flight delays, but the terminal was not evacuated. Crews from the Arlington Fire Department assisted airport firefighters on the call. More from the Associated Press.

Arlington Woman to Appear on Jeopardy Tonight — Local resident Liz Murphy, who advanced past the quarterfinals of the Jeopardy Tournament of Champions last week, will face two other returning Jeopardy winners tonight in the semifinals. The show airs at 7:30 p.m. on WJLA (Channel 7).

Afternoon Notes: Statement on Calls, DCA Emergency Landing

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police Investigate “Annoying” Calls — The Arlington Police Department has received more than 150 reports of “annoying” phone calls from the 307 area code. Police say they believe the calls “may have been the result of a computer dialing error.” See the police statement here.

Emergency Landing at DCA — A U.S. Airways flight from Reagan National Airport to Boston turned around and made an emergency landing at Reagan National due to “mechanical problems,” the Washington Post reports.

Library Discusses Budget Impact — Although many of the funding cuts threatened for the Arlington Public Library system were restored thanks to a public outcry and a higher-than-proposed tax hike, the library will still face some service and material cuts. The official Library Blog has more details.

Firefighter Hospitalized After Electrical Fire in Alexandria

By ARLnow.com

A firefighter from the Reagan National-based Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue squad was taken to the hospital after he suffered minor injuries battling an electrical fire in Alexandria.

Firefighters from Arlington and workers from Dominion Power also responded to the small blaze on Herbert Street in the Mt. Vernon section of Alexandria. It was sparked when a piece of aluminum siding came off the roof of a townhouse and struck a power line. Witnesses say the loose siding caused a loud electrical “explosion,” which may have started a fire in the attic.

The injured firefighter is expected to be treated and released from the hospital tonight, according to airport spokesperson Courtney Mickalonis.

JetBlue Coming to Reagan National Airport

By ARLnow.com

Low-cost carrier JetBlue is already flying out of Dulles and BWI. Starting in November, the airline will start operating eight daily departures out of Reagan National.

No word on which airports JetBlue’s DCA flights will serve. So far, the company is only saying it will fly to “select East Coast destinations.”

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