City Of Colorado Springs Municipal to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport COS → DCA
1,289 nautical miles (1,483 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 081°, about 073° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 48-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:12 am EDT (11:12 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: 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
- SIGMET W11W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm MDT (04:55 UTC). Near the route, at the departure end.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120255 MKCW WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11W VALID UNTIL 0455Z CO NM FROM 20WNW PUB-10ENE CIM-50WNW ABQ-30NNE DVC-20WNW PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- SIGMET E11E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm MDT (04:55 UTC). Over the last 110 nm of the route.
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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the first 80 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 70 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 500 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 last 460 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1079 to 1239 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 160 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 COS.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (PUB, GLD, SLN, MKC, COU, SPI, IND, CVG, CMH, CRW, EKN, 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 | 240° at 23 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 9 h 12 min | 8:44 am EDT (12:44 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 22 kt | −23 kt | 12 °C | 143 kt | 9 h 01 min | 8:33 am EDT (12:33 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | −22 kt | 13 °C | 142 kt | 9 h 05 min | 8:37 am EDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | −19 kt | 10 °C | 139 kt | 9 h 16 min | 8:48 am EDT (12:48 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 270° at 13 kt | −14 kt | 6 °C | 134 kt | 9 h 37 min | 9:09 am EDT (13:09 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 13 kt | −15 kt | 2 °C | 135 kt | 9 h 33 min | 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 16 kt | −17 kt | -2 °C | 137 kt | 9 h 25 min | 8:57 am EDT (12:57 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | −20 kt | -6 °C | 140 kt | 9 h 12 min | 8:44 am EDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 20 kt | −20 kt | -7 °C | 140 kt | 9 h 12 min | 8:44 am EDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 25 kt | −26 kt | -20 °C | 146 kt | 8 h 50 min | 8:22 am EDT (12:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | −39 kt | -32 °C | 159 kt | 8 h 06 min | 7:38 am EDT (11:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 47 kt | −48 kt | -39 °C | 168 kt | 7 h 40 min | 7:12 am EDT (11:12 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 46 kt | −46 kt | -49 °C | 166 kt | 7 h 46 min | 7:18 am EDT (11:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUB | used from 0 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| GLD | used from 50 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| SLN | used from 250 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| MKC | used from 400 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| COU | used from 550 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| SPI | used from 649 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| IND | used from 799 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| CVG | used from 899 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| CMH | used from 999 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
| CRW | used from 1049 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| EKN | used from 1099 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| RIC | used from 1249 nm out; 84 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | departure | no report just now | 6,187 ft | ||||
| ITR Burlington, CO | 120 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,218 ft | ||||
| RCP Stockton, KS | 250 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,999 ft | ||||
| MHK Manhattan, KS | 370 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,066 ft | ||||
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 460 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 826 ft | ||||
| HAE Hannibal, MO | 619 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 768 ft | ||||
| DEC Decatur, IL | 739 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 681 ft | ||||
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 809 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| ILN Wilmington, OH | 969 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| PKB Parkersburg, WV | 1079 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| IAD Washington, DC | 1269 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 312 ft | ||||
| DCA Washington, DC | destination | no report just now | 14 ft |
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 DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:12 am EDT (11:12 UTC)
DCA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, at the departure end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 929 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at COS 6:25 pm MDT (00:25 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DCA 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: City Of Colorado Springs Municipal, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.
