Columbia Metro Airport to General Downing - Peoria International CAE → PIA
575 nautical miles (661 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 317°, about 324° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC). Right now CAE is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots; PIA is VFR, wind from the south (180°) 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: 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 69 to 139 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 79 to 149 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 109 to 228 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 route from 129 to 357 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
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (CAE, GSP, TYS, LOU, EVV, SPI). 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 15 kt | +15 kt | 105 kt | 5 h 29 min | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 14 °C | 102 kt | 5 h 38 min | 9:01 am CDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 10 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 48 min | 9:11 am CDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 7 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 48 min | 9:11 am CDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | +21 kt | 4 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 48 min | 9:11 am CDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 0 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 56 min | 9:19 am CDT (14:19 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 25 kt | +25 kt | -4 °C | 95 kt | 6 h 03 min | 9:26 am CDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 27 kt | +26 kt | -7 °C | 94 kt | 6 h 07 min | 9:30 am CDT (14:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 31 kt | +31 kt | -19 °C | 89 kt | 6 h 28 min | 9:51 am CDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 37 kt | +37 kt | -33 °C | 83 kt | 6 h 56 min | 10:19 am CDT (15:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | +46 kt | -40 °C | 74 kt | 7 h 46 min | 11:09 am CDT (16:09 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 43 kt | +44 kt | -50 °C | 76 kt | 7 h 34 min | 10:57 am CDT (15:57 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; 5 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° |
| TYS | used from 149 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| LOU | used from 248 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| EVV | used from 396 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| SPI | used from 446 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
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 | 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC) |
| EOE Newberry, SC | 30 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 570 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| GSP Greer, SC | 79 nm out, 0 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 963 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| GKT Sevierville, TN | 168 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 1,900 ft | 1,013 ft | 08:16 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 178 nm out, 25 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,100 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 986 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| AAS Campbellsville, KY | 287 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 921 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| SDF Louisville, KY | 337 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 500 ft | 08:09 UTC |
| FRH French Lick, IN | 386 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR | calm | 5 mi | none | 792 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 446 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-northeast (060°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 515 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 545 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,013 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PIA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PIA
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC), at PIA 6:23 pm CDT (23:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm CDT (23:50 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, General Downing - Peoria International.