Frederick FDK chaos

H

hankrausch

Pre-takeoff checklist
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GoodbyePOA
I am curious if other pilots find FDK as chaotic as i. Flew into there yesterday to drop off some dogs for PnP. Had not been there since they got the tower. When I approached there was a fellow doing 360s, for some reason
they let me in ahead of him. On landing I got a taxi vector for 3 taxiways, none of which were marked! Found myself waiting at each intersection to confirm the taxiway. Same thing on the way out, got a hold short command for taxiway Bravo that had no markings, here is where being a nuc paid off, if I had not stopped and asked would have shot through it. Waited 20 minutes at the runway to take off, the last 7 for an inbound that reported as 4 miles away. In sum a place to avoid if possible.
 
I've had a few interesting experiences at FDK myself, but overall a positive experience. It is a very busy airport, hence the introduction of a control tower (about 5 years ago?), but it could be better. Lots of primary training going on, as well as IFR practice approaches most days. This coupled with a non-radar tower (not sure of the official term for this, sorry) relying on pilots to accurately report their position can sometimes lead to a bit of a chaotic environment. It seems to have a blend of atmosphere between a towered and un-towered airfield. With all of that said, I tend to steer clear of FDK unless I have a reason to be there. If I want to knock the rust off at a towered field, I head over to ESN.
 
I feel for the controllers, their life would be easier if FDK broke down and labelled all the taxiways.
In sum I found the signage rather like a bikini--showed enough to get your attention but not everything I wanted to see.
 
I flew into there four years ago or soand had a similar experience to the OP. I am very used to flying into all different kinds of towered airports but fdk had me the most confused I have ever been. The taxiways being unmarked are particularly annoying.

On top of our expiriences they did have a bad midair a few years ago where at the very least the tower was a contributing factor.

Towered airports should not be more confusing to transient pilots. Most aren't. FDK definitely is.
 
Irony of the whole thing is it's the home of AOPA and their world-renowned Air Safety Institute! Certainly need to be on your toes at that field!
 
ya....it's a mess. I live there and still have mixed feelings about the tower. Some days it's good ....and other days it's quite comic. The airport is lacking proper taxiway markings and the tower is not equipped well with radar. Those are both problematic and hazards waiting for an event....and there have been recent events (since the new tower - no events that I knew of prior to the tower - I been flying there since the late 70's).
 
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AWACSEng said:
. . . It is a very busy airport, . . .
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Funny, there is a Bo pilot based there that flies every weekend (pretty much) for a $100 something or another, or a local meetup, etc., and posts about it on a D.C. email list for pilots. 90% of the time he includes the line "not much activity at FDK" which I always find surprising.
 
catmandu said:
Funny, there is a Bo pilot based there that flies every weekend (pretty much) for a $100 something or another, or a local meetup, etc., and posts about it on a D.C. email list for pilots. 90% of the time he includes the line "not much activity at FDK" which I always find surprising.
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Ya I think I know who you are talking about. I hope one day I have enough money and time to fly as often as he does. I'm happy for him!
 
catmandu said:
Funny, there is a Bo pilot based there that flies every weekend (pretty much) for a $100 something or another, or a local meetup, etc., and posts about it on a D.C. email list for pilots. 90% of the time he includes the line "not much activity at FDK" which I always find surprising.
Click to expand...
no activity when John is flying....lol. He's right, but for the casual observer it must be busy.
 
I fly over FDK on my commute from JYO to MMU. The traffic lights up constantly on my panel - sometimes so much clutter I have to adjust zoom and other factors.
 
Would it be possible for the tower to get an ADS-B receiver and display the traffic in the area? They may need some kind of repeater to get the signal from Dulles or BWI but they would get better SA if they could. I would not want them to depend on it but if a guy reports a 2 mile final and the tower sees him on the ADS-B at 5 miles they can make adjustments to the traffic flow.
 
They'd also have to staff it with controllers who had a clue. I guess the've gotten over telling the gliders to hold altitude for the incoming powered traffic.

It only took the control tower to really muck things up at FDK. Even when the pattern was busy before, it worked pretty well uncontrolled. Every time they put a temporary tower, it because chaos and the permanent one isn't much better.

The tower has already caused one fatal accident, at least.
 
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