New Castle Airport to Raleigh-Durham International ILG → RDU
274 nautical miles (315 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 214°, about 224° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ILG is IFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots; RDU is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 12 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: 75 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 6E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the first 39 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6E VALID UNTIL 0355Z NY NJ PA DE MD AND DE NJ NY MD CSTL WTRS FROM 20WNW SAX-70S HTO-50ESE SBY-30WSW HAR-20WNW SAX AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 22020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- SIGMET 7E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 33,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 68 to 137 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120155 MKCE WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7E VALID UNTIL 0355Z PA MD VA DC WV OH FROM 10NNE JST-30WNW SBY-40ENE RIC-50SW BKW-20SE APE-10NNE JST AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL330.
- 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 first 107 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. 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 ILG.
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 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 (ACY, RIC, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 270° at 21 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 2 h 31 min | 1:14 am EDT (05:14 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | +8 kt | 11 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 27 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +11 kt | 8 °C | 109 kt | 2 h 31 min | 1:14 am EDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +15 kt | 6 °C | 105 kt | 2 h 37 min | 1:20 am EDT (05:20 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | +20 kt | 3 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 44 min | 1:27 am EDT (05:27 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | +25 kt | -1 °C | 95 kt | 2 h 53 min | 1:36 am EDT (05:36 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 34 kt | +30 kt | -4 °C | 90 kt | 3 h 03 min | 1:46 am EDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 38 kt | +34 kt | -7 °C | 86 kt | 3 h 11 min | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 52 kt | +50 kt | -19 °C | 70 kt | 3 h 55 min | 2:38 am EDT (06:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 75 kt | +74 kt | -30 °C | 46 kt | 5 h 57 min | 4:40 am EDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 85 kt | +81 kt | -39 °C | 39 kt | 7 h 02 min | 5:45 am EDT (09:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 63 kt | +60 kt | -50 °C | 60 kt | 4 h 34 min | 3:17 am EDT (07:17 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; 62 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° |
| RIC | used from 49 nm out; 80 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° |
| RDU | used from 195 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILG Wilmington, DE | departure | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 79 ft | 9:51 pm EDT (01:51 UTC) |
| MTN Baltimore, MD | 39 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 22 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| ESN Easton, MD | 59 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the east-southeast (110°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 72 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| XSA Tappahannock, VA | 127 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | reported, no category | calm | none | 135 ft | 02:35 UTC | |
| RIC Richmond, VA | 156 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 30,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | 30,000 ft | 167 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 195 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| HNZ Oxford, NC | 244 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 526 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | destination | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,500 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 3,500 ft | 435 ft | 9:51 pm EDT (01:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 526 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, 1:10 am EDT (05:10 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 ILG, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8719 Greenwood, DE, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 39 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8886 Greenwood, DE, Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 39 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Sunday 18 October · ZDC
- 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 25 nm from the route, 49 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 15 nm from the route, 78 nm along the route · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at ILG 6:28 pm EDT (22:28 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
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: New Castle Airport, Raleigh-Durham International.