The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 11:38 pm EDT (03:38 UTC)

Charlotte/Douglas International to Norfolk International CLT → ORF

252 nautical miles (290 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 065°, about 072° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 77-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CLT is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots; ORF is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20. 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: 4,902 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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

  • SIGMET E11E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 120255
    MKCE WST 120255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11E
    VALID UNTIL 0455Z
    NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND DE NJ NY MD CT VA CSTL WTRS
    FROM 20NE JFK-90SE SIE-20NNW ORF-30ENE EKN-10S JST-20NE JFK
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 19 to 48 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 CLT.

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 02:00–09:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (FLO, RDU, ORF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft280° at 26 kt−22 kt142 kt1 h 46 min1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC)
5,500 ft280° at 21 kt−17 kt137 kt1 h 50 min1:28 am EDT (05:28 UTC)
7,500 ft280° at 21 kt−17 kt10 °C137 kt1 h 50 min1:28 am EDT (05:28 UTC)
9,500 ft280° at 23 kt−19 kt7 °C139 kt1 h 49 min1:27 am EDT (05:27 UTC)
11,500 ft270° at 25 kt−22 kt5 °C142 kt1 h 46 min1:24 am EDT (05:24 UTC)
13,500 ft260° at 29 kt−27 kt2 °C147 kt1 h 43 min1:21 am EDT (05:21 UTC)
15,500 ft260° at 34 kt−33 kt-1 °C153 kt1 h 39 min1:17 am EDT (05:17 UTC)
17,500 ft250° at 40 kt−39 kt-5 °C159 kt1 h 35 min1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180250° at 41 kt−41 kt-6 °C161 kt1 h 34 min1:12 am EDT (05:12 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 53 kt−52 kt-18 °C172 kt1 h 28 min1:06 am EDT (05:06 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 70 kt−66 kt-31 °C186 kt1 h 21 min12:59 am EDT (04:59 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340230° at 81 kt−77 kt-39 °C197 kt1 h 17 min12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390230° at 60 kt−59 kt-50 °C179 kt1 h 24 min1:02 am EDT (05:02 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
FLOused from 0 nm out; 81 nm from the line300/16320/14 12°320/19 7°290/26 5°260/39 -6°250/45 -18°230/62 -32°230/83 -40°230/64 -51°
RDUused from 48 nm out; 41 nm from the line280/33300/23 11°300/28 8°290/28 4°260/41 -6°240/52 -18°230/66 -31°230/76 -39°240/52 -49°
ORFused from 194 nm out; 34 nm from the line250/24230/32 11°220/37 10°220/37 6°230/47 -5°230/62 -17°220/89 -30°220/93 -40°230/77 -51°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
CLT Charlotte, NC departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 747 ft 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC)
JQF Concord, NC 19 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower VFR from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 704 ft 03:15 UTC
HBI Asheboro, NC 58 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 670 ft 03:15 UTC
RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC 116 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,300 feet from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots 10+ mi 4,300 ft 435 ft 02:51 UTC
LHZ Louisburg, NC 136 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,800 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet, overcast at 4,400 feet from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots 10+ mi 3,500 ft 368 ft 03:15 UTC
IXA Roanoke Rapids, NC 174 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 144 ft 03:35 UTC
FKN Franklin, VA 213 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line VFR Sky: overcast at 5,500 feet from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots 10+ mi 5,500 ft 40 ft 03:15 UTC
ORF Norfolk, VA destination marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,400 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet from the west-southwest (240°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi 3,000 ft 26 ft 10:51 pm EDT (02:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 747 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ORF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for ORF
  • From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
  • From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
  • From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
  • From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
  • From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
The forecast for CLT, the departure
  • From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 23,000 feet
  • From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

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 CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC), at ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORF is before sunrise there (7:09 am EDT (11:09 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

Radar now, the Southeast
Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Charlotte/Douglas International, Norfolk International.