Plan a flight · Sun 8:37 pm EDT (00:37 UTC)

Piedmont Triad International to Columbia Metro Airport GSO → CAE

142 nautical miles (164 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 204°, about 212° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 9:53 pm EDT (01:53 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GSO is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 5 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: 491 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 TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure 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 GSO.

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

B763 at 3,000 ft, 7 nm northeast, 7:26 pm EDT (23:26 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft. At the departure end, 7 nm northeast 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
B763 descending, 6 nm northeast, 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft. At the departure end, 6 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GSO UA /OV 10 NE GSO/TM 2324/FLDURD/TP B763/SK BKN030
```
Report
a routine report filed through GSO
Where
10 northeast gso
Time
23:24 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B763
Sky
a broken layer from 3,000 ft
CRJ7 descending, 4 nm southwest, 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC): a broken layer above 4,500 ft. At the departure end, 4 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GSO UA /OV GSO/TM 2232/FLDURD/TP CRJ7/SK BKN045
```
Report
a routine report filed through GSO
Where
over GSO
Time
22:32 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ7
Sky
a broken layer from 4,500 ft
SR22 at 8,000 ft, 46 nm southeast, 8:18 pm EDT (00:18 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: thin layer below but can see lights from the ground. 76 nm along the route, 46 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FLO UA /OV BBP/TM 0018/FL080/TP SR22/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM THIN LAYER BELOW BUT CAN SEE LIGHTS FROM THE GROUND
```
Report
a routine report filed through FLO
Where
over BBP
Time
00:18 UTC
Height
at 8,000 ft
Aircraft
SR22
Sky
clear
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
thin layer below but can see lights from the ground
PA32 at 7,000 ft, 30 nm west, 8:17 pm EDT (00:17 UTC): 8 °C, remarks: smooth. At the destination end, 30 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AGS UA /OV KAIK360010/TM 0017/FL070/TP PA32/WX FV99SM/TA 8/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through AGS
Where
10 nm north (360°) of KAIK
Time
00:17 UTC
Height
at 7,000 ft
Aircraft
PA32
Weather
flight visibility 99 miles
Temperature
8 °C
Remarks
smooth
C525 at 2,300 ft, 50 nm southwest, 6:15 pm EDT (22:15 UTC): light turbulence, scattered clouds above 2,300 ft. At the destination end, 50 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AGS UA /OV AGS090006/TM 2215/FL023/TP C525/SK SCT 023/TB LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through AGS
Where
6 nm east (090°) of AGS
Time
22:15 UTC
Height
at 2,300 ft
Aircraft
C525
Sky
scattered clouds from 2,300 ft
Turbulence
light turbulence

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 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 (RDU, FLO, CAE). 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	260° at 23 kt	+13 kt		107 kt	1 h 20 min	9:57 pm EDT (01:57 UTC)
6,500 ft	270° at 23 kt	+8 kt	11 °C	112 kt	1 h 16 min	9:53 pm EDT (01:53 UTC)
8,500 ft	260° at 29 kt	+18 kt	10 °C	102 kt	1 h 24 min	10:01 pm EDT (02:01 UTC)
10,500 ft	250° at 33 kt	+24 kt	8 °C	96 kt	1 h 29 min	10:06 pm EDT (02:06 UTC)
12,500 ft	250° at 37 kt	+28 kt	6 °C	92 kt	1 h 33 min	10:10 pm EDT (02:10 UTC)
14,500 ft	240° at 40 kt	+31 kt	2 °C	89 kt	1 h 36 min	10:13 pm EDT (02:13 UTC)
16,500 ft	240° at 42 kt	+34 kt	-1 °C	86 kt	1 h 39 min	10:16 pm EDT (02:16 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	240° at 44 kt	+36 kt	-4 °C	84 kt	1 h 41 min	10:18 pm EDT (02:18 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 64 kt	+59 kt	-15 °C	61 kt	2 h 20 min	10:57 pm EDT (02:57 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	220° at 77 kt	+74 kt	-30 °C	46 kt	3 h 05 min	11:42 pm EDT (03:42 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	210° at 81 kt	+80 kt	-40 °C	40 kt	3 h 33 min	12:10 am EDT (04:10 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	220° at 74 kt	+71 kt	-52 °C	49 kt	2 h 54 min	11:31 pm EDT (03:31 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
RDU	used from 0 nm out; 66 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°
FLO	used from 47 nm out; 64 nm from the line	240/25	270/23 11°	250/36 10°	240/38 7°	240/50 -4°	230/66 -15°	220/75 -30°	210/77 -40°	220/73 -52°
CAE	used from 95 nm out; 24 nm from the line	260/27	310/26 11°	280/31 9°	270/36 7°	250/39 -4°	230/57 -16°	220/74 -30°	220/83 -40°	220/73 -51°

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
GSO Greensboro, NC	departure	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	8:23 pm EDT (00:23 UTC)
VUJ Albemarle, NC	38 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: overcast at 4,800 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	4,800 ft	609 ft	00:15 UTC
JQF Concord, NC	57 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	704 ft	23:50 UTC
LKR Lancaster, SC	95 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	485 ft	00:15 UTC
CAE Columbia, SC	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,600 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	235 ft	8:06 pm EDT (00:06 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 925 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:53 pm EDT (01:53 UTC)

Wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CAE

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for GSO, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 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 GSO 6:48 pm EDT (22:48 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CAE is after sunset there (6:55 pm EDT (22:55 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 Southeast · 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: Piedmont Triad International, Columbia Metro Airport.