Charleston Executive to Raleigh-Durham International JZI → RDU
200 nautical miles (230 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 017°, about 022° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 75-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now JZI is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 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: 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 JZI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- C525 at 2,000 ft, 0 nm southwest, 7:56 pm EDT (23:56 UTC): a broken layer above 3,600 ft. At the departure end, 0 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
KCHS UA /OV JZI/TM 2356/FL020/TP C525/SK BKN036
- Report
- a routine report filed through KCHS
- Where
- over JZI
- Time
- 23:56 UTC
- Height
- at 2,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C525
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,600 ft
- B739 at 15,000 ft, 11 nm northwest, 7:20 pm EDT (23:20 UTC): no turbulence, clear from 15,000 ft to 60,000 ft. 57 nm along the route, 11 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FLO UA /OV FLO200032/TM 2320/FL150/TP B739/SK SKC /TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through FLO
- Where
- 32 nm south (200°) of FLO
- Time
- 23:20 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- SR22 at 8,000 ft, 21 nm west, 8:18 pm EDT (00:18 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: thin layer below but can see lights from the ground. 114 nm along the route, 21 nm west 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
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 3 forecast points nearest it (CHS, FLO, 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 24 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 1 h 28 min | 11:41 pm EDT (03:41 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 260° at 23 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 1 h 33 min | 11:46 pm EDT (03:46 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 260° at 28 kt | −15 kt | 10 °C | 135 kt | 1 h 29 min | 11:42 pm EDT (03:42 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 35 kt | −23 kt | 10 °C | 143 kt | 1 h 24 min | 11:37 pm EDT (03:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 38 kt | −28 kt | 8 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 21 min | 11:34 pm EDT (03:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 41 kt | −31 kt | 4 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 19 min | 11:32 pm EDT (03:32 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 45 kt | −34 kt | 1 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 18 min | 11:31 pm EDT (03:31 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 48 kt | −37 kt | -3 °C | 157 kt | 1 h 16 min | 11:29 pm EDT (03:29 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 49 kt | −38 kt | -4 °C | 158 kt | 1 h 16 min | 11:29 pm EDT (03:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 64 kt | −56 kt | -15 °C | 176 kt | 1 h 08 min | 11:21 pm EDT (03:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 74 kt | −68 kt | -30 °C | 188 kt | 1 h 04 min | 11:17 pm EDT (03:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 210° at 76 kt | −75 kt | -40 °C | 195 kt | 1 h 02 min | 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 71 kt | −66 kt | -52 °C | 186 kt | 1 h 05 min | 11:18 pm EDT (03:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHS | used from 0 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 260/22 | 280/26 12° | 260/37 12° | 250/40 8° | 240/54 -4° | 230/55 -15° | 220/61 -31° | 200/66 -41° | 210/62 -52° |
| FLO | used from 48 nm out; 22 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° |
| RDU | used from 143 nm out; 33 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JZI Charleston, SC | departure | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 18 ft | 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC) |
| LRO Mount Pleasant, SC | 19 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 11 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| PHH Andrews, SC | 48 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | no report just now | 26 ft | ||||
| FLO Florence, SC | 86 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 146 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| FAY Fayetteville, NC | 152 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 189 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| TTA Sanford, NC | 181 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 246 ft | 01:55 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 435 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, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 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 JZI, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- At times between Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC) and 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8713 Maxton, NC, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 3 nm from the route, 133 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at JZI 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 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 after sunset there (6:45 pm EDT (22:45 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: Charleston Executive, Raleigh-Durham International.