Columbia Metro Airport to Appleton International CAE → ATW
708 nautical miles (815 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 333°, about 340° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 8:09 am CDT (13:09 UTC). Right now CAE is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots; ATW is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 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 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 route from 30 to 150 nm out.
- 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 90 to 160 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 120 to 239 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). Over the route from 130 to 559 nm out.
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
- LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 23 nm east, 12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. 489 nm along the route, 23 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
- Report
- a routine report filed through FWA
- Where
- over OLK
- Time
- 04:31 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- LJ45
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- smooth
- Remarks
- ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14
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 7 forecast points nearest it (CAE, GSP, TRI, CVG, FWA, MKG, GRB). 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 | 310° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 11 °C | 102 kt | 6 h 56 min | 8:09 am CDT (13:09 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +21 kt | 13 °C | 99 kt | 7 h 09 min | 8:22 am CDT (13:22 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | +22 kt | 10 °C | 98 kt | 7 h 13 min | 8:26 am CDT (13:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 6 °C | 99 kt | 7 h 09 min | 8:22 am CDT (13:22 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 2 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 05 min | 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +23 kt | -1 °C | 97 kt | 7 h 18 min | 8:31 am CDT (13:31 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -5 °C | 95 kt | 7 h 27 min | 8:40 am CDT (13:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 29 kt | +27 kt | -8 °C | 93 kt | 7 h 37 min | 8:50 am CDT (13:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 34 kt | +33 kt | -20 °C | 87 kt | 8 h 08 min | 9:21 am CDT (14:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 43 kt | +42 kt | -35 °C | 78 kt | 9 h 05 min | 10:18 am CDT (15:18 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 53 kt | +51 kt | -42 °C | 69 kt | 10 h 16 min | 11:29 am CDT (16:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 50 kt | +48 kt | -50 °C | 72 kt | 9 h 50 min | 11:03 am CDT (16:03 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAE | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 330/15 | 330/13 12° | 330/22 9° | 300/26 6° | 280/33 -7° | 270/38 -18° | 250/45 -33° | 240/46 -40° | 270/38 -49° |
| GSP | used from 50 nm out; 22 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° |
| TRI | used from 100 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| CVG | used from 249 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| FWA | used from 399 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| MKG | used from 549 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| GRB | used from 648 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
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 west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
| SPA Spartanburg, SC | 70 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 802 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 110 nm out, 21 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,600 feet | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 2,163 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 160 nm out, 14 nm northeast 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-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CPF Hazard, KY | 229 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 400 ft | 1,256 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LUK Cincinnati, OH | 349 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,400 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1.5 mi | none | 481 ft | 06:03 UTC |
| OXD Oxford, OH | 379 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 1,040 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| MIE Muncie, IN | 429 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 3 mi | none | 937 ft | 06:01 UTC |
| SBN South Bend, IN | 529 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 8 mi | none | 798 ft | 06:09 UTC |
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | 629 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 728 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| MWC Milwaukee, WI | 638 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 744 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| ATW Appleton, WI | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 918 ft | 12:55 am CDT (05:55 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 ATW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:09 am CDT (13:09 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ATW
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): light rain showers, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
The forecast for CAE, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 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
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, 349 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC), at ATW 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 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, Appleton International.