CARJ CREW FORGOT TO GET THE PASSWORD BEFORE TKOF; FOR A FLT INTO DCA. THE ZDC RADAR CTLR GAVE THE CREW THE PASSWORD OVER THE VHF COM LINE.

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A PASSWORD IS REQUIRED TO ENTER POTOMAC APCH AIRSPACE AND LAND AT DCA. OUR COMPANY PROC REQUIRES THE PIC TO CALL THE DISPATCHER BEFORE DEPARTING TO GET THIS PASSWORD. I FORGOT TO DO THIS. I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS UNTIL WE WERE ABOUT 200 MI FROM DCA. WE HELD FOR A WHILE AS WE TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO. AFTER A FEW MINS; ATC GAVE US THE PASSWORD AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BY 2 THINGS: 1) I FORGOT TO GET THE PASSWORD. 2) A COMPANY POLICY THAT LETS THIS HAPPEN. THE REASONS I FORGOT TO GET THE PASSWORD: I WAS RUSHED WITH A QUICK TURN. THERE WAS A LAST MIN FO AND ACFT CHANGE. I HAD TO EAT AND MY WIFE WAS SICK AND I HAD TO CHK ON HER. ALSO; THE NEW FO PICKED UP THE RELEASE WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE. I USUALLY PICK IT UP AND CALL THE DISPATCHER AT THAT TIME; BUT THERE WAS NO RELEASE TO PICK UP. THE COMPANY PASSWORD POLICY IS INEFFECTIVE AND THIS PROB HAS HAPPENED BEFORE AND WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE ARE AT LEAST 2 OTHER EASY WAYS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING: 1) PUT THE PASSWORD ON THE RELEASE. 2) DO NOT SEND THE RELEASE TO THE GATE UNTIL THE PIC CALLS THE DISPATCHER.