Indianapolis International to Wilmington International IND → ILM
518 nautical miles (596 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 127°, about 132° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC). Right now IND is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots; ILM is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) 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: 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, fog). Over the route from 30 to 309 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 189 to 329 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 279 to 339 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 289 to 409 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 80 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 IND.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 200 ft, 11 nm northeast, 4:05 am EDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. 80 nm along the route, 11 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVG
- Where
- 1 nm west (270°) of CVG
- Time
- 08:05 UTC
- Height
- at 200 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- sky obscured from 200 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- B752 climbing, 8 nm northeast, 3:37 am EDT (07:37 UTC): overcast. 80 nm along the route, 8 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 0737/FLDURC/TP B752/SK B001 OVC T015
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVG
- Where
- 5 west cvg
- Time
- 07:37 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B752
- Sky
- B001 overcast T015
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (IND, CVG, CRW, TRI, ROA, RDU, ILM). 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 | 310° at 22 kt | −22 kt | 142 kt | 3 h 39 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 11 °C | 142 kt | 3 h 39 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −22 kt | 11 °C | 142 kt | 3 h 39 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −23 kt | 7 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 37 min | 8:36 am EDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 5 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 36 min | 8:35 am EDT (12:35 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 27 kt | −26 kt | 1 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 33 min | 8:32 am EDT (12:32 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -2 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 29 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 32 kt | −32 kt | -6 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 24 min | 8:23 am EDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 33 kt | −32 kt | -7 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 24 min | 8:23 am EDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 35 kt | −35 kt | -19 °C | 155 kt | 3 h 21 min | 8:20 am EDT (12:20 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 37 kt | −37 kt | -33 °C | 157 kt | 3 h 18 min | 8:17 am EDT (12:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 46 kt | −45 kt | -41 °C | 165 kt | 3 h 08 min | 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 44 kt | −44 kt | -50 °C | 164 kt | 3 h 10 min | 8:09 am EDT (12:09 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IND | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| CVG | used from 50 nm out; 17 nm from the line | 300/19 | 310/23 15° | 320/20 9° | 310/18 3° | 300/26 -6° | 290/36 -19° | 310/32 -34° | 310/53 -43° | 310/61 -51° |
| CRW | used from 149 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 320/17 | 340/23 12° | 340/32 8° | 340/35 4° | 330/40 -7° | 340/45 -20° | 340/57 -34° | 340/64 -42° | 320/38 -50° |
| TRI | used from 199 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 340/25 11° | 350/37 9° | 350/34 6° | 340/39 -7° | 340/43 -19° | 340/55 -32° | 330/58 -42° | 320/37 -50° | |
| ROA | used from 299 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 310/32 | 340/32 14° | 350/25 9° | 340/24 3° | 340/42 -8° | 340/52 -20° | 350/62 -34° | 350/64 -39° | 310/44 -48° |
| RDU | used from 349 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 330/30 | 340/24 12° | 330/26 7° | 320/30 3° | 330/39 -8° | 310/30 -20° | 300/33 -33° | 310/34 -39° | 310/41 -47° |
| ILM | used from 448 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 300/18 | 300/22 13° | 300/21 8° | 290/28 4° | 280/38 -7° | 270/40 -18° | 250/49 -32° | 250/50 -40° | 270/33 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IND Indianapolis, IN | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 3 mi | none | 796 ft | 4:54 am EDT (08:54 UTC) |
| BAK Columbus, IN | 30 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 01:45 UTC |
| CVG Covington, KY | 80 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 896 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| IOB Mount Sterling, KY | 149 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,019 ft | 01:15 UTC |
| SYM Morehead, KY | 159 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain | variable at 5 knots | 1.5 mi | 300 ft | 1,028 ft | 23:22 UTC |
| PBX Pikeville, KY | 219 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 3 mi | 300 ft | 1,464 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| JFZ Richlands, VA | 269 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 2,653 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| INT Winston Salem, NC | 359 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 969 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 369 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 feet | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 925 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| FAY Fayetteville, NC | 448 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 189 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| EYF Elizabethtown, NC | 478 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 131 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| ILM Wilmington, NC | destination | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 31 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,653 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ILM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ILM
- 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
The forecast for IND, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, mist, shallow fog, overcast at 200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, shallow fog, a few clouds at 200 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 9 nm from the route, 80 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
- 6/8713 Maxton, NC, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 438 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8508 Johnsontown, NC 1 nm from the route, 478 nm along the route · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at IND 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC), at ILM 6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 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: Indianapolis International, Wilmington International.