Wilmington International to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport ILM → DCA
278 nautical miles (320 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 008°, about 018° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 61-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:11 am EDT (08:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ILM is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 10 knots; DCA is IFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 10 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: 1,650 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 E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the last 30 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120555 MKCE WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E VALID UNTIL 0755Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 149 nm of the route.
- 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 last 109 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 ILM.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E145 at 800 ft, 2 nm southwest, 2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 199 nm along the route, 2 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
RIC UA /OV RIC340001/TM 0607/FL008/TP E145
- Report
- a routine report filed through RIC
- Where
- 1 nm north (340°) of RIC
- Time
- 06:07 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- E145
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 3 forecast points nearest it (ILM, RDU, RIC). 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 | 280° at 25 kt | −1 kt | 121 kt | 2 h 18 min | 4:57 am EDT (08:57 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 22 kt | +2 kt | 118 kt | 2 h 21 min | 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 280° at 22 kt | +2 kt | 10 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 21 min | 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 280° at 24 kt | −1 kt | 7 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 18 min | 4:57 am EDT (08:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 25 kt | −7 kt | 5 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 11 min | 4:50 am EDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −13 kt | 2 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 05 min | 4:44 am EDT (08:44 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 34 kt | −18 kt | -2 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 01 min | 4:40 am EDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 39 kt | −22 kt | -5 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 57 min | 4:36 am EDT (08:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 40 kt | −24 kt | -6 °C | 144 kt | 1 h 56 min | 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 54 kt | −40 kt | -18 °C | 160 kt | 1 h 44 min | 4:23 am EDT (08:23 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 71 kt | −57 kt | -30 °C | 177 kt | 1 h 34 min | 4:13 am EDT (08:13 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 80 kt | −61 kt | -39 °C | 181 kt | 1 h 32 min | 4:11 am EDT (08:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 61 kt | −43 kt | -50 °C | 163 kt | 1 h 42 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 270/22 | 270/23 11° | 260/35 10° | 240/41 6° | 240/49 -5° | 240/61 -16° | 230/74 -30° | 220/79 -40° | 230/71 -51° |
| RDU | used from 50 nm out; 59 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° |
| RIC | used from 149 nm out; 22 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILM Wilmington, NC | departure | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 31 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
| OAJ Jacksonville, NC | 40 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,100 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 4,100 ft | 92 ft | 01:56 UTC |
| ISO Kinston, NC | 70 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 92 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| ETC Tarboro, NC | 99 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,400 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 4,400 ft | 52 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| EMV Emporia, VA | 149 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 4,500 ft | 126 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| RIC Richmond, VA | 199 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the west (260°) at 9 knots | 5 mi | 900 ft | 167 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| EZF Fredericksburg, VA | 238 nm out, 14 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light drizzle | from the west-northwest (300°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 85 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| DCA Washington, DC | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the northwest (320°) at 10 knots | 4 mi | 900 ft | 14 ft | 2:35 am EDT (06:35 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 167 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:11 am EDT (08:11 UTC)
Wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet IFR
The whole forecast for DCA
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 900 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
The forecast for ILM, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at ILM 6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DCA is before sunrise there (7:14 am EDT (11:14 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: Wilmington International, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.