Plane Spotting at Dulles, Reagan National and BWI (Washington, D. C.Airports)

My husband and son are addicted to plane spotting. Fortunately for them, we live in the landing pattern of a D. C.-area airport. They'll both drop whatever they're doing when they hear an unusual plane fly overhead. Ordinary 737's don't interest them on a daily basis; they go for older airframes, commuter jets and unusual planes.

If you're near one of the three Washington, D. C. airports, you, too, can watch as planes thunder overhead, practically shaking the ground with their power. You'll join dozens of local aircraft aficionados who love to watch airplanes take off and land.

Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) has a wonderful outdoor aircraft observation park. Officially called the Thomas A. Dixon, Jr., Aircraft Observation Area, the airport observation park is on Dorsey Road (Maryland route 176) between Route 170 and Aviation Blvd. This small park has parking, a playground for children, a few benches that face the typical landing pattern, and the BWI Trail map and trailhead. Bring your bike, stroller or in-line skates and explore the trail while you watch airplanes land or take off.

I've been going to the Observation Area for years, long enough to remember when it was called Friendship Park. Over time, the facilities have expanded to accommodate the large number of people who love to sit and watch the planes land. Some people carry binoculars; others, like my son, bring cameras. Small children point at the airplanes, gaze in wonder and race off to the play equipment.

If you're closer to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, you can drive to Gravelly Point Park to watch airplanes take off and land. The park is just north of the airport, off the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. (There's no exit from the southbound lanes; you will need to drive past the park and turn around.)

On sunny weekends, you'll see people strapping on in-line skates, launching kites and spreading picnic blankets. If you arrive around 4:30 on a weekday afternoon, you'll be treated to a seemingly endless parade of airplanes, either landing or taking off as conditions allow. The D. C. skyline adds to the glamour.

Dulles International Airport doesn't have a nearby park or field that lends itself to plane spotting. Instead, airplane buffs should visit the National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Located next to the Dulles Airport complex, the Udvar-Hazy Center's observation tower allows aviation buffs to watch airplanes land and take off from a unique perspective, high off the ground. Simply visit the museum during normal operating hours and take the elevator to the Donald D. Engen Tower.

From the tower's 164-foot vantage point, you'll have a 360-degree view, which includes Dulles' runways. You can watch domestic and international jets as they land. The tower's height gives you a different view of airport operations.

While admission to the Udvar-Hazy Center is free, parking costs $12 per visit. If you think you'd like to stop by the observation tower often, consider buying an annual parking pass for $65. You can do this at the museum's website.

Whether you're trying to photograph the specially-painted Southwest Airlines state-themed airplanes or watch a fully-loaded 747 lumber down the runway, Washington, D. C.'s three airports offer unique observation opportunities.