Plan a flight · Sun 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC)

Topeka Regional to Raleigh-Durham International FOE → RDU

824 nautical miles (949 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 098°, about 093° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 11 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 39-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:40 am EDT (05:40 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FOE is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 9 knots; RDU is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22. 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: 8 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). Over the route from 507 to 636 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 546 to 735 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 646 to 745 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 FOE.

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

A321 at 30,000 ft, 9 nm north, 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC): moderate turbulence. 606 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV AZQ170020/TM 2345/FL300/TP A321/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
20 nm south (170°) of AZQ
Time
23:45 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
moderate
PA46 at 23,000 ft, 12 nm south, 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 22,000 ft to 23,000 ft, remarks: ZTLFD-44. 665 nm along the route, 12 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TRI UA /OV HMV090010/TM 2328/FL230/TP PA46/TB LGT- MOD CHOP 230-220/RM ZTLFD-44
```
Report
a routine report filed through TRI
Where
10 nm east (090°) of HMV
Time
23:28 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
PA46
Turbulence
light moderate chop from 23,000 ft to 22,000 ft
Remarks
ZTLFD-44
B737 at 31,000 ft, 45 nm south, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME25. 338 nm along the route, 45 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PAH UA /OV CNG360015/TM 0013/FL310/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME25
```
Report
a routine report filed through PAH
Where
15 nm north (360°) of CNG
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
occasional light chop
Remarks
ZME25
C182 at 5,000 ft, 39 nm south, 4:46 pm CDT (21:46 UTC): remarks: zme. 447 nm along the route, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BWG UA /OV BWG270005/TM 2146/FL050/TP C182/SK TOP 040/RM ZME
```
Report
a routine report filed through BWG
Where
5 nm west (270°) of BWG
Time
21:46 UTC
Height
at 5,000 ft
Aircraft
C182
Sky
top 4,000 ft
Remarks
zme
A319 at 25,000 ft, 27 nm south, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): no turbulence. 467 nm along the route, 27 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV BWG070017/TM 2314/FL250/TP A319/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
17 nm east (070°) of BWG
Time
23:14 UTC
Height
at 25,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
none
E170 climbing, 41 nm north, 5:26 pm CDT (22:26 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 467 nm along the route, 41 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
SDF UA /OV SDF/TM 2226/FLDURC/TP E170/SK B022 T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through SDF
Where
over SDF
Time
22:26 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
E170
Sky
B022 T036
M600 at 1,800 ft, 45 nm north, 5:12 pm CDT (22:12 UTC): overcast above 1,800 ft. 467 nm along the route, 45 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LOU UA /OV DURD/TM 2212/FL018/TP M600/SK OVC018-TOPO37
```
Report
a routine report filed through LOU
Where
over DURD
Time
22:12 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
M600
Sky
OVC018-TOPO37
CRJ9 descending, 46 nm north, 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC): overcast up to 6,200 ft; overcast above 1,800 ft. 516 nm along the route, 46 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX/TM 2343/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK TOPS OVC062 BASES OVC018
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over LEX
Time
23:43 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
tops OVC062 bases OVC018
CRJ9 descending, 50 nm north, 4:33 pm CDT (21:33 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 526 nm along the route, 50 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX090010/TM 2133/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK TOPS 067
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
10 nm east (090°) of LEX
Time
21:33 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
tops 6,700 ft
S22T descending, 15 nm south, 7:24 pm CDT (00:24 UTC): a broken layer above 2,600 ft, remarks: during the descent RY23 tri. 646 nm along the route, 15 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TRI UA /OV KTRI050002/TM 0024/FLUNKN/TP S22T/SK BKN026-TOPUNKN/RM DURD RY23 TRI
```
Report
a routine report filed through TRI
Where
2 nm northeast (050°) of KTRI
Time
00:24 UTC
Height
height not given
Aircraft
S22T
Sky
a broken layer from 2,600 ft, tops unknown
Remarks
during the descent RY23 tri
PC24 at 4,000 ft, 16 nm northeast, 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: 18 final. 705 nm along the route, 16 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CLT UA /OV CLT005090/TM 2300/FL040/TP PC24/WX FIS/TB SMOOTH/RM 18 FINAL
```
Report
a routine report filed through CLT
Where
90 nm north (005°) of CLT
Time
23:00 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
PC24
Weather
fi s
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
18 final
SF50 at 7,000 ft, 36 nm southwest, 5:37 pm CDT (22:37 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, imc, remarks: ZTLFD-45. 715 nm along the route, 36 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
HKY UA /OV BZM/TM 2237/FL070/TP SF50/SK IMC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZTLFD-45
```
Report
a routine report filed through HKY
Where
over BZM
Time
22:37 UTC
Height
at 7,000 ft
Aircraft
SF50
Sky
instrument conditions
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
Remarks
ZTLFD-45
B39M at 36,000 ft, 42 nm north, 5:12 pm CDT (22:12 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-15. 715 nm along the route, 42 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PSK UA /OV PSK/TM 2212/FL360/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM ZTLFD-15
```
Report
a routine report filed through PSK
Where
over PSK
Time
22:12 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
ZTLFD-15
B763 at 3,000 ft, 5 nm east, 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft. 765 nm along the route, 5 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GSO UA /OV HEVED/TM 2326/FL030/TP B763/SK BKN030
```
Report
a routine report filed through GSO
Where
heved
Time
23:26 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
a broken layer from 3,000 ft

2 more routine reports are on the map.

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 10 forecast points nearest it (MKC, COU, STL, CGI, EVV, LOU, TYS, TRI, ROA, RDU). 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	250° at 12 kt	−11 kt		131 kt	6 h 17 min	2:46 am EDT (06:46 UTC)
5,500 ft	280° at 15 kt	−15 kt	11 °C	135 kt	6 h 06 min	2:35 am EDT (06:35 UTC)
7,500 ft	290° at 18 kt	−18 kt	12 °C	138 kt	5 h 58 min	2:27 am EDT (06:27 UTC)
9,500 ft	290° at 20 kt	−20 kt	9 °C	140 kt	5 h 53 min	2:22 am EDT (06:22 UTC)
11,500 ft	300° at 21 kt	−21 kt	6 °C	141 kt	5 h 51 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
13,500 ft	300° at 22 kt	−21 kt	2 °C	141 kt	5 h 51 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
15,500 ft	290° at 22 kt	−21 kt	-2 °C	141 kt	5 h 51 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
17,500 ft	290° at 22 kt	−22 kt	-6 °C	142 kt	5 h 48 min	2:17 am EDT (06:17 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 22 kt	−22 kt	-7 °C	142 kt	5 h 48 min	2:17 am EDT (06:17 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	290° at 25 kt	−24 kt	-19 °C	144 kt	5 h 43 min	2:12 am EDT (06:12 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 35 kt	−34 kt	-32 °C	154 kt	5 h 21 min	1:50 am EDT (05:50 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 37 kt	−36 kt	-40 °C	156 kt	5 h 17 min	1:46 am EDT (05:46 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 40 kt	−39 kt	-50 °C	159 kt	5 h 11 min	1:40 am EDT (05:40 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
MKC	used from 0 nm out; 29 nm from the line	200/28	220/30 16°	270/20 11°	280/22 7°	260/27 -6°	270/27 -18°	280/38 -32°	270/38 -40°	280/50 -52°
COU	used from 99 nm out; 40 nm from the line	210/16	220/19 15°	240/33 10°	250/29 7°	280/21 -6°	280/19 -18°	300/34 -31°	300/40 -42°	300/60 -52°
STL	used from 199 nm out; 36 nm from the line	210/13	260/16 17°	270/21 10°	280/24 5°	310/20 -7°	320/22 -18°	320/44 -33°	320/59 -43°	310/69 -51°
CGI	used from 298 nm out; 58 nm from the line	250/10	290/12 17°	290/18 11°	300/22 5°	320/25 -8°	330/30 -18°	320/53 -33°	320/66 -42°	320/56 -50°
EVV	used from 348 nm out; 19 nm from the line	310/13	340/26 16°	330/29 10°	330/32 4°	330/30 -9°	340/38 -20°	330/60 -35°	320/57 -41°	330/39 -48°
LOU	used from 447 nm out; 45 nm from the line	320/15	340/24 14°	330/28 9°	340/34 4°	340/37 -9°	340/42 -20°	320/39 -35°	320/45 -39°	330/40 -47°
TYS	used from 546 nm out; 76 nm from the line	290/19	310/22 11°	330/25 7°	330/34 3°	320/37 -7°	300/37 -18°	300/37 -34°	280/29 -39°	270/29 -48°
TRI	used from 596 nm out; 30 nm from the line		310/28 11°	320/32 7°	330/30 2°	300/28 -9°	280/34 -21°	250/37 -31°	240/39 -38°	250/35 -48°
ROA	used from 695 nm out; 70 nm from the line	280/9	290/15 12°	290/11 8°	210/6 3°	210/30 -6°	220/46 -19°	210/74 -30°	220/78 -39°	220/64 -48°
RDU	used from 745 nm out; 55 nm from the line	240/28	250/22 10°	230/30 11°	230/40 7°	230/45 -4°	220/69 -15°	220/83 -29°	210/84 -40°	220/75 -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

Airport	Where	Conditions	Wind	Visibility	Ceiling	Elevation	Reported
FOE Topeka, KS	departure	VFR	from the south (180°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,077 ft	6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC)
IXD Olathe, KS	40 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	1,087 ft	23:53 UTC
COU Columbia, MO	159 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	889 ft	23:54 UTC
JEF Jefferson City, MO	169 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	549 ft	23:53 UTC
MWA Marion, IL	318 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	471 ft	00:15 UTC
OWB Owensboro, KY	407 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	407 ft	23:56 UTC
EKX Elizabethtown, KY	467 nm out, 11 nm north of the line	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,800 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	775 ft	23:35 UTC
AAS Campbellsville, KY	497 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,700 feet	calm	10+ mi	1,700 ft	921 ft	00:15 UTC
TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN	646 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	3,000 ft	1,518 ft	23:53 UTC
ZEF Elkin, NC	725 nm out, 6 nm south of the line	no report just now				1,067 ft
GSO Greensboro, NC	765 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,700 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	5,000 ft	925 ft	00:23 UTC
RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC	destination	VFR Sky: overcast at 4,800 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22	10+ mi	4,800 ft	435 ft	7:51 pm EDT (23:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,518 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RDU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:40 am EDT (05:40 UTC)

Wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for RDU

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet

The forecast for FOE, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 29, visibility more than 6 miles, a few 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 FOE 6:50 pm CDT (23:50 UTC), at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RDU is before sunrise there (7:19 am EDT (11:19 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 Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Topeka Regional, Raleigh-Durham International.