Reagan Airport Cam4 Live

This is a long view over the Potomac towards the approach to runway one at Reagan National, near Washington. The camera catches aircraft turning onto final over the water.

The airport is about five kilometres from the Capitol, which makes it one of the closest large airports to the centre of any capital city. The land it stands on was argued over for years: it lies in Virginia, but until 1945 it was administered as part of the District of Columbia.

Traffic here is capped by agreement and the slots are traded like property. The runways cross rather than run parallel, so a change of wind rearranges the whole operation.