Charlotte/Douglas International to Richmond International CLT → RIC
223 nautical miles (257 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 051°, about 058° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 80-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:50 am EDT (07:50 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CLT is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 7 knots; RIC is IFR, wind from the west (260°) at 9 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: 4,876 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 first 136 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 87 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 last 29 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 CLT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E145 at 800 ft, 1 nm northwest, 2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 1 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
RIC UA /OV RIC340001/TM 0607/FL008/TP E145
- Report
- a routine report filed through RIC
- Where
- 1 nm north (340°) of RIC
- Time
- 06:07 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- E145
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, RIC). 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 | 280° at 24 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 1 h 38 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 20 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 1 h 43 min | 4:26 am EDT (08:26 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 300° at 20 kt | −9 kt | 10 °C | 129 kt | 1 h 44 min | 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | −11 kt | 7 °C | 131 kt | 1 h 42 min | 4:25 am EDT (08:25 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 23 kt | −16 kt | 5 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 38 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 27 kt | −22 kt | 2 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 34 min | 4:17 am EDT (08:17 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 32 kt | −28 kt | -2 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 30 min | 4:13 am EDT (08:13 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 37 kt | −35 kt | -5 °C | 155 kt | 1 h 26 min | 4:09 am EDT (08:09 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 39 kt | −37 kt | -6 °C | 157 kt | 1 h 25 min | 4:08 am EDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 50 kt | −50 kt | -18 °C | 170 kt | 1 h 19 min | 4:02 am EDT (08:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 68 kt | −68 kt | -31 °C | 188 kt | 1 h 11 min | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 80 kt | −80 kt | -39 °C | 200 kt | 1 h 07 min | 3:50 am EDT (07:50 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 59 kt | −59 kt | -50 °C | 179 kt | 1 h 15 min | 3:58 am EDT (07:58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLO | used from 0 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 300/16 | 320/14 12° | 320/19 7° | 290/26 5° | 260/39 -6° | 250/45 -18° | 230/62 -32° | 230/83 -40° | 230/64 -51° |
| RDU | used from 48 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -49° |
| RIC | used from 145 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLT Charlotte, NC | departure | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 1:52 am EDT (05:52 UTC) |
| JQF Concord, NC | 19 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 704 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 68 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 feet, a few clouds at 7,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 925 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| TDF Roxboro, NC | 116 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 608 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| CXE Chase City, VA | 155 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,400 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 503 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 184 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| RIC Richmond, VA | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the west (260°) at 9 knots | 5 mi | 900 ft | 167 ft | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 925 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RIC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:50 am EDT (07:50 UTC)
Wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet marginal VFR
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 feet IFR
The whole forecast for RIC
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for CLT, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered 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 RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RIC is before sunrise there (7:14 am EDT (11:14 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: Charlotte/Douglas International, Richmond International.