Frederick Municipal to Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field) FDK → ROA
175 nautical miles (202 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 225°, about 233° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:03 am EDT (09:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FDK is marginal VFR, wind from the north (010°) at 7 knots; ROA is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 15 knots, gusting to 25. 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
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 117 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 117 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 78 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 FDK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 800 ft, 36 nm southeast, 3:30 am EDT (07:30 UTC): remarks: bases 800 ft. At the departure end, 36 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BWI UA /OV BWI/TM 0730/FL008/TP B737/RM BASES 008
- Report
- a routine report filed through BWI
- Where
- over BWI
- Time
- 07:30 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Remarks
- bases 800 ft
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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even 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 (RIC, EKN, ROA). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 310° at 23 kt | +1 kt | 12 °C | 119 kt | 1 h 28 min | 5:06 am EDT (09:06 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −3 kt | 11 °C | 123 kt | 1 h 25 min | 5:03 am EDT (09:03 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | −4 kt | 8 °C | 124 kt | 1 h 25 min | 5:03 am EDT (09:03 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −2 kt | 5 °C | 122 kt | 1 h 26 min | 5:04 am EDT (09:04 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | 0 | 2 °C | 120 kt | 1 h 28 min | 5:06 am EDT (09:06 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 20 kt | +4 kt | -2 °C | 116 kt | 1 h 31 min | 5:09 am EDT (09:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | +7 kt | -5 °C | 113 kt | 1 h 33 min | 5:11 am EDT (09:11 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 24 kt | +10 kt | -8 °C | 110 kt | 1 h 35 min | 5:13 am EDT (09:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 28 kt | +19 kt | -21 °C | 101 kt | 1 h 44 min | 5:22 am EDT (09:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 33 kt | +26 kt | -32 °C | 94 kt | 1 h 52 min | 5:30 am EDT (09:30 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 43 kt | +37 kt | -39 °C | 83 kt | 2 h 07 min | 5:45 am EDT (09:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 38 kt | +32 kt | -48 °C | 88 kt | 1 h 59 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 100 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° |
| EKN | used from 49 nm out; 68 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° | |
| ROA | used from 97 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDK Frederick, MD | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (010°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 308 ft | 3:15 am EDT (07:15 UTC) |
| JYO Leesburg, VA | 19 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northwest (340°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 389 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| LUA Luray, VA | 68 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet, a broken layer at 1,800 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,800 ft | 902 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | 88 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,400 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 640 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| HSP Hot Springs, VA | 146 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | from the west (280°) at 18 knots, gusting to 22 | 0.25 mi | none | 3,792 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| ROA Roanoke, VA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,200 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 15 knots, gusting to 25 | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 1,175 ft | 2:54 am EDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,792 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ROA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:03 am EDT (09:03 UTC)
Wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ROA
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,200 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,200 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 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
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 20 nm from the route, 10 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 12 nm from the route, 10 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at FDK 6:35 pm EDT (22:35 UTC), at ROA 6:47 pm EDT (22:47 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:13 pm EDT (23:13 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ROA is before sunrise there (7:24 am EDT (11:24 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: Frederick Municipal, Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field).