Altoona/Blair County to Charlotte/Douglas International AOO → CLT
330 nautical miles (379 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 203°, about 213° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:05 am EDT (05:05 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now AOO is low IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots; CLT is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 8 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: 1,166 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
- SIGMET 7E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 33,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 10 to 180 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7E VALID UNTIL 0355Z PA MD VA DC WV OH FROM 10NNE JST-30WNW SBY-40ENE RIC-50SW BKW-20SE APE-10NNE JST AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL330.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 160 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 110 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 250 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Over the last 130 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 AOO.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 4 forecast points nearest it (PSB, EKN, ROA, GSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −13 kt | 12 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 29 min | 1:08 am EDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 12 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 26 min | 1:05 am EDT (05:05 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 8 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 26 min | 1:05 am EDT (05:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −15 kt | 5 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 27 min | 1:06 am EDT (05:06 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −13 kt | 2 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 29 min | 1:08 am EDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −12 kt | -2 °C | 132 kt | 2 h 30 min | 1:09 am EDT (05:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | −10 kt | -6 °C | 130 kt | 2 h 32 min | 1:11 am EDT (05:11 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | −9 kt | -9 °C | 129 kt | 2 h 33 min | 1:12 am EDT (05:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 28 kt | −2 kt | -21 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 42 min | 1:21 am EDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 30 kt | −3 kt | -33 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 41 min | 1:20 am EDT (05:20 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 32 kt | +10 kt | -39 °C | 110 kt | 3 h | 1:39 am EDT (05:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 33 kt | +9 kt | -47 °C | 111 kt | 2 h 58 min | 1:37 am EDT (05:37 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSB | used from 0 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° | |
| EKN | used from 50 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| ROA | used from 150 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| GSP | used from 300 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 320/22 | 340/19 13° | 320/18 8° | 310/24 5° | 300/34 -7° | 300/36 -18° | 290/30 -33° | 300/32 -39° | 320/42 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOO Altoona, PA | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 2 mi | 200 ft | 1,503 ft | 10:15 pm EDT (02:15 UTC) |
| HMZ Bedford, PA | 20 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,161 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| CBE Cumberland, MD | 50 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, a broken layer at 4,600 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain, mist | calm | 7 mi | 4,600 ft | 757 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| VBW Bridgewater, VA | 120 nm out, 18 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 1,165 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| HSP Hot Springs, VA | 160 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | from the west (270°) at 8 knots | 0.25 mi | none | 3,792 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| ROA Roanoke, VA | 190 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,800 feet, a broken layer at 3,400 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 3,400 ft | 1,175 ft | 02:18 UTC |
| MTV Martinsville, VA | 230 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,500 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 3,500 ft | 948 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| INT Winston Salem, NC | 270 nm out, 13 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 10,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 969 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| RUQ Salisbury, NC | 300 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 772 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 9:52 pm EDT (01:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,792 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:05 am EDT (05:05 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 23,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for AOO, the departure
- From Sun 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at AOO 6:38 pm EDT (22:38 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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: Altoona/Blair County, Charlotte/Douglas International.