Narrative:

First; I think the mount vernon visual should have a missed approach procedure. Normally; this is not required for an approach like this; however; P-56; the noise abatement procedures; and the recent increase in air traffic make it a must. You could borrow the one from the ILS 1 or make up a new one. For example: 'climb to 500 ft; then climbing turn to 2000 ft; fly over the potomac river centerline to the georgetown reservoir (dca 4.0 DME); intercept the dca 328 degree radial outbound.' if you don't like this one because of the potential conflict with departure traffic; try something like: 'climb to 500 ft; then immediate climbing left turn heading 276 degrees; climb and maintain 2000 ft.' second; I think the ILS should be depicted on the approach as a possible NAVAID to be used inside the dca 5.6 DME arc. Change the textual description of the approach to read: 'mount vernon visual runway 1: aircraft may proceed via the dca VOR/DME R-189 (009 degree inbound) to dca 5.6 DME; then follow the potomac river and/or the ILS 1 to the airport.' dca is a busy airport with unique and challenging pilot procedures to a short runway with a quick turnoff. Why not give pilots the aid of an ILS GS to reduce landing rollout and expedite runway turnoffs. In my opinion; we should also change the mount vernon visual to include runway 33. This is because it has become commonplace for ATC to clear you for the mount vernon visual and then subsequently clear you to land on runway 33. It would be best to depict a ground track. The text for such an approach would read something like this: 'mount vernon visual runway 33: aircraft may proceed via the dca VOR/DME R-189 (009 degree inbound) to dca 5.6 DME; then follow the potomac river to the woodrow wilson bridge (dca 3.8 DME); then turn right to enter base leg for runway 33. Intercept final approach to runway 33 and remain south of the dca R-140 degree (320 degree inbound).' finally; I think we should set up a GPS overlay for the mount vernon visual and the river visual runway 19. The visual references would still be primary but advisory VNAV and glidepath guidance would be available. The FMS on our plane has a generic visual to runway 19 that I believe goes right through P-56. Replacing it with the river visual 19 GPS overlay would make sense.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 PLT SUGGESTS CHARTING ENHANCEMENTS FOR DCA RWY 1/19 MT VERNON VISUAL APCHS INCLUDING ILS/GPS BACKUP AND MISSED APCH GUIDANCE.

Narrative: FIRST; I THINK THE MOUNT VERNON VISUAL SHOULD HAVE A MISSED APCH PROC. NORMALLY; THIS IS NOT REQUIRED FOR AN APCH LIKE THIS; HOWEVER; P-56; THE NOISE ABATEMENT PROCS; AND THE RECENT INCREASE IN AIR TFC MAKE IT A MUST. YOU COULD BORROW THE ONE FROM THE ILS 1 OR MAKE UP A NEW ONE. FOR EXAMPLE: 'CLB TO 500 FT; THEN CLBING TURN TO 2000 FT; FLY OVER THE POTOMAC RIVER CTRLINE TO THE GEORGETOWN RESERVOIR (DCA 4.0 DME); INTERCEPT THE DCA 328 DEG RADIAL OUTBOUND.' IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH DEP TFC; TRY SOMETHING LIKE: 'CLB TO 500 FT; THEN IMMEDIATE CLBING L TURN HDG 276 DEGS; CLB AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT.' SECOND; I THINK THE ILS SHOULD BE DEPICTED ON THE APCH AS A POSSIBLE NAVAID TO BE USED INSIDE THE DCA 5.6 DME ARC. CHANGE THE TEXTUAL DESCRIPTION OF THE APCH TO READ: 'MOUNT VERNON VISUAL RWY 1: ACFT MAY PROCEED VIA THE DCA VOR/DME R-189 (009 DEG INBOUND) TO DCA 5.6 DME; THEN FOLLOW THE POTOMAC RIVER AND/OR THE ILS 1 TO THE ARPT.' DCA IS A BUSY ARPT WITH UNIQUE AND CHALLENGING PLT PROCS TO A SHORT RWY WITH A QUICK TURNOFF. WHY NOT GIVE PLTS THE AID OF AN ILS GS TO REDUCE LNDG ROLLOUT AND EXPEDITE RWY TURNOFFS. IN MY OPINION; WE SHOULD ALSO CHANGE THE MOUNT VERNON VISUAL TO INCLUDE RWY 33. THIS IS BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE FOR ATC TO CLR YOU FOR THE MOUNT VERNON VISUAL AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY CLR YOU TO LAND ON RWY 33. IT WOULD BE BEST TO DEPICT A GND TRACK. THE TEXT FOR SUCH AN APCH WOULD READ SOMETHING LIKE THIS: 'MOUNT VERNON VISUAL RWY 33: ACFT MAY PROCEED VIA THE DCA VOR/DME R-189 (009 DEG INBOUND) TO DCA 5.6 DME; THEN FOLLOW THE POTOMAC RIVER TO THE WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE (DCA 3.8 DME); THEN TURN R TO ENTER BASE LEG FOR RWY 33. INTERCEPT FINAL APCH TO RWY 33 AND REMAIN S OF THE DCA R-140 DEG (320 DEG INBOUND).' FINALLY; I THINK WE SHOULD SET UP A GPS OVERLAY FOR THE MOUNT VERNON VISUAL AND THE RIVER VISUAL RWY 19. THE VISUAL REFERENCES WOULD STILL BE PRIMARY BUT ADVISORY VNAV AND GLIDEPATH GUIDANCE WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE FMS ON OUR PLANE HAS A GENERIC VISUAL TO RWY 19 THAT I BELIEVE GOES RIGHT THROUGH P-56. REPLACING IT WITH THE RIVER VISUAL 19 GPS OVERLAY WOULD MAKE SENSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.