The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that a planned 250-foot triumphal arch near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will not pose a hazard to aircraft, but the structure will require lighting and other markings to make it visible to pilots.
The agency released its final determination Sept. 18 after reviewing the proposed structure’s effect on airspace and flight operations around DCA and nearby military and public-use airports.
The arch is planned for Memorial Circle, near the Arlington National Cemetery entrance and roughly 3,000 feet from the airport. The site is also within a heavily used approach and departure corridor for DCA.
FAA safety experts concluded that the structure would have no substantial adverse effect on the use of the airport’s airspace or its navigation facilities. Aircraft operating in the area must maintain an altitude that leaves roughly 488 feet between the top of the proposed arch and the aircraft, according to Reuters.
The agency did, however, attach specific requirements to its determination. The arch will need to be marked with a “non-standard eternal flame” on top and continuously illuminated by floodlight projectors positioned around its base. An earlier FAA review had called for red obstruction lights, but that requirement was dropped in the final determination.
The unusual lighting requirement is intended to make the structure conspicuous to pilots, particularly given its location near DCA’s flight paths.
The FAA’s decision followed public concerns about the arch’s effect on pilot workload and the already complex airspace around Washington. The agency said its review considered air traffic patterns and procedures at DCA as well as nearby airports.
The aviation review does not represent final approval for the entire project. The FAA determination can be challenged through Oct. 18, and the agency’s determination becomes final Oct. 28 unless further action is taken.
