Athens/Ben Epps Airport to Buffalo Niagara International AHN → BUF
581 nautical miles (669 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 020°, about 026° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC). Right now AHN is VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 3 knots; BUF is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools. Airlines fly this pair: 2 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.
The route the straight line, the warnings crossed, restrictions, pilot reports and the airports along the way · click a mark for its words
Green, blue, red and purple airport dots are the flying conditions reported there now (VFR, marginal VFR, IFR, low IFR); grey means no report. Red areas are SIGMETs, orange areas AIRMETs, hatched red areas temporary flight restrictions. Map tiles: OpenFreeMap, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Warnings the route crosses SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area the line passes through or comes within 25 nm of
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the first 148 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 10 to 187 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 79 to 483 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the last 473 nm of the route.
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft; an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments. "From 60 to 180 nm out" is measured along the route from AHN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 5 forecast points nearest it (GSP, TRI, CRW, AGC, BUF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 330° at 16 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 5 h 20 min | 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 340° at 19 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 5 h 32 min | 10:12 am EDT (14:12 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 350° at 24 kt | +20 kt | 10 °C | 100 kt | 5 h 49 min | 10:29 am EDT (14:29 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 350° at 30 kt | +24 kt | 7 °C | 96 kt | 6 h 03 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | +24 kt | 5 °C | 96 kt | 6 h 03 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 340° at 34 kt | +25 kt | 1 °C | 95 kt | 6 h 07 min | 10:47 am EDT (14:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 340° at 36 kt | +26 kt | -3 °C | 94 kt | 6 h 11 min | 10:51 am EDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 340° at 38 kt | +27 kt | -7 °C | 93 kt | 6 h 15 min | 10:55 am EDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 39 kt | +28 kt | -8 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 19 min | 10:59 am EDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 340° at 42 kt | +32 kt | -20 °C | 88 kt | 6 h 36 min | 11:16 am EDT (15:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 340° at 57 kt | +44 kt | -34 °C | 76 kt | 7 h 39 min | 12:19 pm EDT (16:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 340° at 61 kt | +46 kt | -42 °C | 74 kt | 7 h 51 min | 12:31 pm EDT (16:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 43 kt | +24 kt | -51 °C | 96 kt | 6 h 03 min | 10:43 am EDT (14:43 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 UTC; temperatures above 24,000 ft are below zero. Heights are above sea level; a height is left out when the forecast has no wind for it over most of the line (the ground is higher). Ground speed is the airspeed less the headwind; the time en route is for the straight line and ignores climb, descent and routing around weather.
The forecast points as issued
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSP | used from 0 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
| TRI | used from 99 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 340/25 11° | 350/37 9° | 350/34 6° | 340/39 -7° | 340/43 -19° | 340/55 -32° | 330/58 -42° | 320/37 -50° | |
| CRW | used from 197 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 320/17 | 340/23 12° | 340/32 8° | 340/35 4° | 330/40 -7° | 340/45 -20° | 340/57 -34° | 340/64 -42° | 320/38 -50° |
| AGC | used from 345 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 340/11 | 350/12 11° | 360/25 7° | 340/30 2° | 340/41 -8° | 340/44 -21° | 350/59 -36° | 340/68 -42° | 340/50 -51° |
| BUF | used from 493 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
The weather now: both ends and the airports along the way public airports with a weather report within 25 nm of the line, one for each stretch
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AHN Athens, GA | departure | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 812 ft | 3:51 am EDT (07:51 UTC) |
| CEU Clemson, SC | 49 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 890 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 99 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,900 feet | from the north (360°) at 8 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 2,163 ft | 08:30 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 158 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west (270°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| VJI Abingdon, VA | 177 nm out, 1 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 2,087 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| CRW Charleston, WV | 276 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: light rain, mist | variable at 4 knots | 6 mi | 800 ft | 947 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| USW Spencer, WV | 305 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 928 ft | ||||
| HLG Wheeling, WV | 394 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots | 1.75 mi | 300 ft | 1,194 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| PIT Pittsburgh, PA | 424 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the northwest (310°) at 9 knots | 6 mi | 400 ft | 1,202 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| FKL Franklin, PA | 473 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet | from the west (280°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 1,540 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| JHW Jamestown, NY | 532 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,700 feet | from the north (350°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,700 ft | 1,723 ft | 08:06 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,900 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 726 ft | 4:28 am EDT (08:28 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BUF
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for AHN, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 453 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 7 nm from the route, 453 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at AHN 7:03 pm EDT (23:03 UTC), at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)).
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.
Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft, observations and terminal forecasts), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes, and the FAA's airport file for the positions, elevations and magnetic variation. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Each leg is the straight line between its two airports; airways, terrain and airspace are not considered. The airports in detail: Athens/Ben Epps Airport, Buffalo Niagara International.