Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport to Tucson International CHO → TUS
1,627 nautical miles (1,872 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 267°, about 275° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 15 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 8:49 pm MST (03:49 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 4 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 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 90 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the first 120 nm of the route.
- 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 40 to 419 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 40 to 230 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 689 to 1088 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Near the route, 1457 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1487 to 1507 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 CHO.
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 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 16 forecast points nearest it (EKN, ROA, CRW, LOU, EVV, CGI, SGF, FSM, TUL, OKC, GAG, AMA, TCC, ROW, ELP, TUS). 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 | 250° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 14 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 57 min | 9:16 pm MST (04:16 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | +16 kt | 14 °C | 104 kt | 15 h 39 min | 8:58 pm MST (03:58 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 15 h 30 min | 8:49 pm MST (03:49 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +16 kt | 8 °C | 104 kt | 15 h 39 min | 8:58 pm MST (03:58 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +18 kt | 5 °C | 102 kt | 15 h 57 min | 9:16 pm MST (04:16 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | +22 kt | 1 °C | 98 kt | 16 h 36 min | 9:55 pm MST (04:55 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 24 kt | +26 kt | -3 °C | 94 kt | 17 h 19 min | 10:38 pm MST (05:38 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 27 kt | +29 kt | -7 °C | 91 kt | 17 h 53 min | 11:12 pm MST (06:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 33 kt | +35 kt | -18 °C | 85 kt | 19 h 08 min | 12:27 am MST (07:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 45 kt | +47 kt | -30 °C | 73 kt | 22 h 17 min | 3:36 am MST (10:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 48 kt | +48 kt | -39 °C | 72 kt | 22 h 36 min | 3:55 am MST (10:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 46 kt | +46 kt | -50 °C | 74 kt | 21 h 59 min | 3:18 am MST (10:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EKN | used from 0 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 330/20 10° | 350/29 7° | 340/32 2° | 340/44 -8° | 350/50 -21° | 350/63 -35° | 340/69 -40° | 330/42 -50° | |
| ROA | used from 50 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 310/32 | 340/32 14° | 350/25 9° | 340/24 3° | 340/42 -8° | 340/52 -20° | 350/62 -34° | 350/64 -39° | 310/44 -48° |
| CRW | used from 100 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 320/17 | 340/23 12° | 340/32 8° | 340/35 4° | 330/40 -7° | 340/45 -20° | 340/57 -34° | 340/64 -42° | 320/38 -50° |
| LOU | used from 250 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 300/16 | 310/19 15° | 310/17 9° | 300/15 4° | 300/26 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 290/30 -34° | 310/49 -42° | 310/58 -51° |
| EVV | used from 399 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| CGI | used from 449 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| SGF | used from 649 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/37 | 260/20 15° | 250/16 13° | 250/15 8° | 260/28 -7° | 250/31 -17° | 280/59 -31° | 280/59 -39° | 290/55 -50° |
| FSM | used from 749 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| TUL | used from 799 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 230/42 | 250/23 17° | 220/16 14° | 240/10 8° | 240/20 -6° | 260/28 -17° | 270/61 -29° | 280/52 -38° | 290/46 -50° |
| OKC | used from 898 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/43 | 230/31 17° | 260/13 16° | 270/11 7° | 240/20 -6° | 250/32 -17° | 260/60 -28° | 280/50 -37° | 290/45 -50° |
| GAG | used from 998 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 240/35 22° | 240/27 14° | 230/25 6° | 240/38 -7° | 230/44 -19° | 250/73 -28° | 270/66 -37° | 270/58 -49° | |
| AMA | used from 1048 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 230/32 | 230/28 14° | 230/27 7° | 230/38 -6° | 230/50 -17° | 250/69 -28° | 260/62 -37° | 270/65 -49° | |
| TCC | used from 1198 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| ROW | used from 1248 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 230/12 | 230/17 13° | 220/30 7° | 230/41 -5° | 240/52 -17° | 230/66 -28° | 240/63 -38° | 240/60 -50° | |
| ELP | used from 1397 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 300/8 | 210/14 12° | 210/28 6° | 230/47 -6° | 230/56 -14° | 220/58 -27° | 230/60 -38° | 230/56 -50° | |
| TUS | used from 1497 nm out; 105 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | departure | no report just now | 640 ft | ||||
| LWB Lewisburg, WV | 90 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,301 ft | ||||
| LEX Lexington, KY | 289 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 979 ft | ||||
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 409 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 407 ft | ||||
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 529 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 341 ft | ||||
| BBG Branson, MO | 709 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,302 ft | ||||
| RVS Tulsa, OK | 848 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 638 ft | ||||
| CSM Burns Flat, OK | 1008 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,922 ft | ||||
| CVN Clovis, NM | 1208 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,215 ft | ||||
| TCS Truth Or Consequences, NM | 1427 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,861 ft | ||||
| CFT Clifton/Morenci, AZ | 1527 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,797 ft | ||||
| TUS Tucson, AZ | destination | no report just now | 2,643 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,861 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:49 pm MST (03:49 UTC)
TUS has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 1338 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
Daylight
Sunset at CHO 6:40 pm EDT (22:40 UTC), at TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:18 pm MST (01:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TUS is after sunset there (5:55 pm MST (00:55 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: Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, Tucson International.