Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport to Cape Cod Gateway Airport DCA → HYA
353 nautical miles (406 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 059°, about 070° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 97-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:18 am EDT (05:18 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: 200 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 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). Over the first 186 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.
- SIGMET E10E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 39,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 35 knots, until 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 216 to 313 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120255 MKCE WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10E VALID UNTIL 0455Z MA RI CT NY AND MA RI NJ NY CT CSTL WTRS FROM 20NW PVD-70SSE ACK-190SSE HTO-70ESE CYN-30SW BDL-20NW PVD AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24035KT. TOPS TO FL390.
- 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 13,000 ft. Over the last 304 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 25,000 ft. 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 DCA.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (ACY, JFK, BDL, ACK). 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 | 230° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 2 h 36 min | 2:16 am EDT (06:16 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 2 h 31 min | 2:11 am EDT (06:11 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −26 kt | 12 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 25 min | 2:05 am EDT (06:05 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 30 kt | −31 kt | 8 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 20 min | 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | −32 kt | 5 °C | 152 kt | 2 h 19 min | 1:59 am EDT (05:59 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 34 kt | −34 kt | 1 °C | 154 kt | 2 h 18 min | 1:58 am EDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | −36 kt | -4 °C | 156 kt | 2 h 16 min | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 38 kt | −38 kt | -8 °C | 158 kt | 2 h 14 min | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 38 kt | −38 kt | -9 °C | 158 kt | 2 h 14 min | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 48 kt | −48 kt | -20 °C | 168 kt | 2 h 06 min | 1:46 am EDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 84 kt | −82 kt | -31 °C | 202 kt | 1 h 45 min | 1:25 am EDT (05:25 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 98 kt | −97 kt | -40 °C | 217 kt | 1 h 38 min | 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 84 kt | −83 kt | -51 °C | 203 kt | 1 h 44 min | 1:24 am EDT (05:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACY | used from 0 nm out; 96 nm from the line | 220/19 | 220/18 14° | 210/36 9° | 210/35 5° | 220/36 -8° | 240/49 -21° | 220/90 -31° | 230/103 -40° | 230/81 -50° |
| JFK | used from 147 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 250/18 | 250/23 14° | 240/33 9° | 240/33 4° | 240/38 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 230/86 -32° | 230/102 -40° | 230/84 -51° |
| BDL | used from 245 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 120/24 | 290/23 12° | 280/21 8° | 250/36 3° | 250/41 -11° | 230/48 -21° | 230/78 -32° | 230/96 -41° | 230/86 -52° |
| ACK | used from 294 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 230/29 | 270/37 16° | 270/38 10° | 270/40 4° | 240/46 -8° | 230/52 -17° | 240/74 -31° | 240/83 -41° | 240/91 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington, DC | departure | no report just now | 14 ft | ||||
| BWI Baltimore, MD | 29 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 143 ft | ||||
| ILG Wilmington, DE | 78 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 79 ft | ||||
| PHL Philadelphia, PA | 108 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 35 ft | ||||
| BLM Belmar/Farmingdale, NJ | 157 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 153 ft | ||||
| ISP New York, NY | 216 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 98 ft | ||||
| JPX East Hampton, NY | 255 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 54 ft | ||||
| GON Groton (New London), CT | 274 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 9 ft | ||||
| MVY Vineyard Haven, MA | 333 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 66 ft | ||||
| HYA Hyannis, MA | destination | no report just now | 54 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 153 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HYA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:18 am EDT (05:18 UTC)
HYA has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 11 nm from the route, 29 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC), at HYA 6:05 pm EDT (22:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HYA is before sunrise there (6:49 am EDT (10:49 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: Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport, Cape Cod Gateway Airport.