Columbia Metro Airport to Albany International CAE → ALB
631 nautical miles (726 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 031°, about 038° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 9-knot headwind), arriving about 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CAE is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 4 knots; ALB is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) 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 SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the last 108 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the last 79 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 CAE.
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 14:00–21:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (CAE, FLO, RDU, ROA, RIC, ACY, AVP, ALB). 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 | 340° at 19 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 5 h 47 min | 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 340° at 21 kt | +13 kt | 107 kt | 5 h 54 min | 6:39 pm EDT (22:39 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 23 kt | +14 kt | 11 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 57 min | 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | +15 kt | 8 °C | 105 kt | 6 h 01 min | 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | +16 kt | 6 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 04 min | 6:49 pm EDT (22:49 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 340° at 27 kt | +16 kt | 2 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 04 min | 6:49 pm EDT (22:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 340° at 29 kt | +17 kt | -2 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 08 min | 6:53 pm EDT (22:53 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | +17 kt | -6 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 08 min | 6:53 pm EDT (22:53 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 32 kt | +17 kt | -7 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 08 min | 6:53 pm EDT (22:53 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 36 kt | +18 kt | -19 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 11 min | 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 41 kt | +22 kt | -34 °C | 98 kt | 6 h 26 min | 7:11 pm EDT (23:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 45 kt | +21 kt | -43 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 22 min | 7:07 pm EDT (23:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 42 kt | +9 kt | -51 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 41 min | 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAE | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/11 | 330/13 14° | 350/24 11° | 350/26 8° | 340/26 -5° | 350/33 -18° | 340/31 -32° | 340/30 -41° | 330/32 -52° |
| FLO | used from 49 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 330/11 | 330/15 14° | 330/22 10° | 350/21 7° | 340/30 -5° | 350/37 -19° | 350/34 -32° | 350/32 -42° | 310/37 -51° |
| RDU | used from 99 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 340/12 | 330/17 14° | 320/20 10° | 330/25 6° | 340/34 -6° | 340/38 -19° | 330/37 -32° | 330/35 -42° | 310/36 -51° |
| ROA | used from 197 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 310/18 | 350/22 15° | 350/21 9° | 340/24 6° | 320/31 -6° | 310/34 -19° | 310/39 -35° | 310/46 -42° | 310/33 -49° |
| RIC | used from 246 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 350/24 | 350/28 14° | 340/25 8° | 340/26 5° | 340/40 -6° | 340/44 -19° | 340/48 -33° | 330/45 -42° | 310/38 -50° |
| ACY | used from 394 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 010/26 | 360/24 11° | 350/28 8° | 350/26 4° | 340/29 -8° | 350/39 -21° | 350/57 -35° | 350/52 -43° | 310/50 -50° |
| AVP | used from 443 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 330/21 | 340/24 14° | 350/27 9° | 350/25 3° | 330/29 -8° | 310/31 -20° | 330/41 -36° | 330/57 -46° | 320/55 -51° |
| ALB | used from 591 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/25 12° | 330/29 8° | 330/29 3° | 320/34 -10° | 310/42 -21° | 320/43 -37° | 330/55 -47° | 320/52 -54° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAE Columbia, SC | departure | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 11:56 am EDT (15:56 UTC) |
| PYG Pageland, SC | 59 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | no report just now | 574 ft | ||||
| VUJ Albemarle, NC | 99 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,900 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 7 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 609 ft | 16:35 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 138 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 925 ft | 15:54 UTC |
| FVX Farmville, VA | 246 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,300 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 415 ft | 16:35 UTC |
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | 286 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 640 ft | 15:53 UTC |
| HEF Washington, DC | 335 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,900 feet | from the north (350°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 192 ft | 15:56 UTC |
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 434 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,100 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 9 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 402 ft | 15:53 UTC |
| RDG Reading, PA | 463 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,600 feet, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 343 ft | 15:54 UTC |
| AVP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA | 512 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,600 ft | 961 ft | 16:41 UTC |
| ALB Albany, NY | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 284 ft | 11:51 am EDT (15:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 961 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ALB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC)
Wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ALB
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC) and 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
The forecast for CAE, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, 355 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, 355 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC), at ALB 6:18 pm EDT (22:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ALB is after sunset there (6:18 pm EDT (22:18 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: Columbia Metro Airport, Albany International.