Lovell Field to Charleston Afb/Intl Airport CHA → CHS
287 nautical miles (331 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 115°, about 120° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CHA is low IFR, wind calm; CHS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) 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: 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 10 to 59 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 40 to 109 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 50 to 119 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 40 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 CHA.
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 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 (TYS, ATL, GSP, CAE, CHS). 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 21 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 2 h 07 min | 6:50 am EDT (10:50 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 2 h 07 min | 6:50 am EDT (10:50 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −18 kt | 12 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 05 min | 6:48 am EDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 27 kt | −20 kt | 8 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 03 min | 6:46 am EDT (10:46 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 28 kt | −23 kt | 6 °C | 143 kt | 2 h | 6:43 am EDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 30 kt | −25 kt | 2 °C | 145 kt | 1 h 59 min | 6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 31 kt | −26 kt | -2 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 58 min | 6:41 am EDT (10:41 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 330° at 32 kt | −27 kt | -6 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 57 min | 6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 32 kt | −27 kt | -7 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 57 min | 6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 33 kt | −27 kt | -19 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 57 min | 6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 41 kt | −34 kt | -32 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 52 min | 6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 340° at 43 kt | −31 kt | -40 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 54 min | 6:37 am EDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 31 kt | −29 kt | -50 °C | 149 kt | 1 h 56 min | 6:39 am EDT (10:39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYS | used from 0 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| ATL | used from 50 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| GSP | used from 99 nm out; 58 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° |
| CAE | used from 149 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -49° |
| CHS | used from 248 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 330/14 | 300/17 14° | 320/21 9° | 310/26 6° | 310/32 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 260/37 -32° | 280/30 -39° | 310/30 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | departure | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 300 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 300 ft | 682 ft | 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC) |
| DNN Dalton, GA | 20 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 2 mi | none | 709 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| GVL Gainesville, GA | 79 nm out, 12 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 1,276 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| AHN Athens, GA | 109 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 812 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| EBA Elberton, GA | 129 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 614 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| AGS Augusta, GA | 188 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 4 mi | none | 145 ft | 08:39 UTC |
| OGB Orangeburg, SC | 238 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 195 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| DYB Summerville, SC | 267 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 55 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| CHS Charleston, SC | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,276 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CHS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC)
Wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CHS
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 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
The forecast for CHA, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind calm, 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 CHA 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC), at CHS 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CHS is before sunrise there (7:21 am EDT (11:21 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: Lovell Field, Charleston Afb/Intl Airport.