The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 11:13 pm MDT (05:13 UTC)

City Of Colorado Springs Municipal to Charleston Afb/Intl Airport COS → CHS

1,247 nautical miles (1,435 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 099°, about 091° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:46 am EDT (12:46 UTC). Right now COS is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 11 knots; CHS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 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 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 7C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 12:55 am MDT (06:55 UTC). Over the first 0 nm of the route.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120455
    MKCC WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7C
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    TX OK CO NM
    FROM 40NNW PUB-70WSW LBL-40NE CME-40ESE RSK-30ENE HBU-40NNW PUB
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 0 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 70 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 90 nm of the route.
  • 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 route from 80 to 529 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). Over the route from 878 to 968 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 998 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 1018 to 1107 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 COS.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • BE9L at 24,500 ft, 47 nm southwest, 8:21 pm MDT (02:21 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-41. At the departure end, 47 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PUB UA /OV PUB250040/TM 0221/FL245/TP BE9L/TB OCNL MOD/RM ZDVWC-41
    Report
    a routine report filed through PUB
    Where
    40 nm west (250°) of PUB
    Time
    02:21 UTC
    Height
    at 24,500 ft
    Aircraft
    BE9L
    Turbulence
    occasional moderate
    Remarks
    ZDVWC-41
  • E170 at 22,500 ft, 42 nm northwest, 11:06 pm MDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. At the departure end, 42 nm northwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
    Time
    05:06 UTC
    Height
    at 22,500 ft
    Aircraft
    E170
    Turbulence
    continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
    Remarks
    during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13
  • CL60 at 33,000 ft, 12 nm north, 8:35 pm MDT (02:35 UTC): remarks: mtw +/-100FT zdvwc. At the departure end, 12 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    COS UA /OV BRK080015/TM 0235/FL330/TP CL60/RM MTW +/-100FT ZDVWC
    Report
    a routine report filed through COS
    Where
    15 nm east (080°) of BRK
    Time
    02:35 UTC
    Height
    at 33,000 ft
    Aircraft
    CL60
    Remarks
    mtw +/-100FT zdvwc

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 12 forecast points nearest it (PUB, GLD, GCK, ICT, TUL, SGF, MEM, BNA, HSV, ATL, CAE, CHS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft250° at 19 kt−16 kt136 kt9 h 10 min10:23 am EDT (14:23 UTC)
5,500 ft250° at 21 kt−19 kt21 °C139 kt8 h 58 min10:11 am EDT (14:11 UTC)
7,500 ft270° at 20 kt−20 kt14 °C140 kt8 h 54 min10:07 am EDT (14:07 UTC)
9,500 ft280° at 19 kt−20 kt11 °C140 kt8 h 54 min10:07 am EDT (14:07 UTC)
11,500 ft280° at 18 kt−18 kt8 °C138 kt9 h 02 min10:15 am EDT (14:15 UTC)
13,500 ft270° at 19 kt−19 kt3 °C139 kt8 h 58 min10:11 am EDT (14:11 UTC)
15,500 ft270° at 20 kt−20 kt-1 °C140 kt8 h 54 min10:07 am EDT (14:07 UTC)
17,500 ft270° at 21 kt−21 kt-5 °C141 kt8 h 51 min10:04 am EDT (14:04 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 22 kt−21 kt-6 °C141 kt8 h 51 min10:04 am EDT (14:04 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240270° at 27 kt−27 kt-18 °C147 kt8 h 29 min9:42 am EDT (13:42 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300270° at 43 kt−43 kt-31 °C163 kt7 h 39 min8:52 am EDT (12:52 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340270° at 45 kt−45 kt-39 °C165 kt7 h 33 min8:46 am EDT (12:46 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390280° at 40 kt−41 kt-50 °C161 kt7 h 45 min8:58 am EDT (12:58 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
PUBused from 0 nm out; 31 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -46°
GLDused from 100 nm out; 58 nm from the line230/49230/42 15°220/26 8°240/18 -7°230/27 -21°240/62 -30°240/61 -35°250/57 -47°
GCKused from 150 nm out; 27 nm from the line220/48 21°230/37 14°250/30 8°230/37 -6°240/37 -20°240/69 -28°250/67 -37°260/58 -48°
ICTused from 249 nm out; 75 nm from the line200/48230/39 19°240/24 14°240/20 8°240/22 -6°250/31 -18°250/61 -29°260/58 -38°270/54 -49°
TULused from 399 nm out; 71 nm from the line210/37240/29 17°260/15 14°260/11 7°240/22 -6°250/29 -16°270/45 -29°270/47 -40°280/44 -50°
SGFused from 449 nm out; 72 nm from the line230/33230/28 15°250/20 13°240/18 7°250/20 -6°250/24 -17°280/42 -31°280/49 -40°290/46 -51°
MEMused from 648 nm out; 86 nm from the line230/19260/16 15°270/17 12°300/13 6°300/15 -5°300/26 -18°300/34 -32°300/41 -40°310/46 -52°
BNAused from 798 nm out; 75 nm from the line310/20340/20 17°330/24 10°340/22 5°330/26 -6°340/29 -18°330/52 -33°320/62 -41°340/45 -50°
HSVused from 848 nm out; 36 nm from the line310/20330/20 16°320/27 11°340/23 5°320/23 -7°340/30 -17°320/50 -33°330/61 -41°340/41 -50°
ATLused from 948 nm out; 69 nm from the line320/30330/37 16°340/44 11°330/35 7°310/33 -6°300/38 -18°330/58 -33°330/48 -40°320/34 -49°
CAEused from 1097 nm out; 62 nm from the line330/15330/13 12°330/22 9°300/26 6°280/33 -7°270/38 -18°250/45 -33°240/46 -40°270/38 -49°
CHSused from 1197 nm out; 25 nm from the line280/21270/23 12°280/28 11°260/35 6°250/41 -5°250/45 -16°230/59 -32°220/74 -40°230/67 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
COS Colorado Springs, CO departure VFR Sky: a broken layer at 18,000 feet from the south (180°) at 11 knots 10+ mi 18,000 ft 6,187 ft 10:54 pm MDT (04:54 UTC)
GCK Garden City, KS 190 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 21 10+ mi none 2,890 ft 04:54 UTC
ICT Wichita, KS 349 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi none 1,332 ft 04:53 UTC
JLN Joplin, MO 489 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 977 ft 04:53 UTC
BBG Branson, MO 559 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 1,302 ft 04:55 UTC
HKA Blytheville, AR 728 nm out, 2 nm south of the line reported, no category from the south (180°) at 5 knots none 255 ft 04:53 UTC
MKL Jackson, TN 778 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 434 ft 04:53 UTC
CHA Chattanooga, TN 958 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 682 ft 04:53 UTC
AHN Athens, GA 1067 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the west (260°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 812 ft 04:51 UTC
AGS Augusta, GA 1147 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 145 ft 04:53 UTC
CHS Charleston, SC destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 46 ft 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 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, 8:46 am EDT (12:46 UTC)

Wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for CHS
  • From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
  • At times between Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC) and 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): a broken layer at 4,000 feet
  • From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for COS, the departure
  • From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
  • From Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 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 COS 6:25 pm MDT (00:25 UTC), at CHS 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 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 southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: City Of Colorado Springs Municipal, Charleston Afb/Intl Airport.