Regulations and Government
DCA Stirring to Life After 10 Years
The armed security officer requirement remains the largest stumbling block.
Once the flagship location for Signature’s massive FBO network, Reagan Washington National Airport  is still a vital link in the chain. Though pre-9/11 numbers are unlikely to ever return, relaxation of some key restrictions could boost traffic at the site just across the Potomac from the nation’s capital.
Once the flagship location for Signature’s massive FBO network, Reagan Washington National Airport is still a vital link in the chain. Though pre-9/11 numbers are unlikely to ever return, relaxation of some key restrictions could boost traffic at the site just across the Potomac from the nation’s capital.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is marking the 10th anniversary of the return of business aviation following the 9/11 attacks, but business aviation operations remain far below peak, and one of the chief barriers–the requirement for an armed security officer (ASO)–remains unresolved. DCA once stood as the flagship of Signature Flight Support, the sole fixed-base operation at the airport that in 2000 handled 44,592 general aviation flights, for an average of 122 a day.


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