Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport to Raleigh-Durham International MEM → RDU
549 nautical miles (632 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 082°, about 083° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 34 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:10 am EDT (06:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MEM is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 4 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: 1,015 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 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 240 to 389 nm out.
- 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 route from 250 to 250 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Over the route from 330 to 489 nm out.
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 MEM.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MEM, HSV, BNA, TYS, TRI, 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 | 290° at 19 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 4 h | 2:36 am EDT (06:36 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | −12 kt | 11 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 10 min | 2:46 am EDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | −12 kt | 12 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 10 min | 2:46 am EDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −14 kt | 8 °C | 134 kt | 4 h 06 min | 2:42 am EDT (06:42 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −12 kt | 5 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 10 min | 2:46 am EDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | −14 kt | 2 °C | 134 kt | 4 h 06 min | 2:42 am EDT (06:42 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | −16 kt | -2 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 02 min | 2:38 am EDT (06:38 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 26 kt | −18 kt | -5 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 59 min | 2:35 am EDT (06:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 59 min | 2:35 am EDT (06:35 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 27 kt | −20 kt | -18 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 55 min | 2:31 am EDT (06:31 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 37 kt | −28 kt | -33 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 43 min | 2:19 am EDT (06:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 43 kt | −34 kt | -40 °C | 154 kt | 3 h 34 min | 2:10 am EDT (06:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 38 kt | −25 kt | -49 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 47 min | 2:23 am EDT (06:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEM | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| HSV | used from 100 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BNA | used from 150 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| TYS | used from 250 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| TRI | used from 349 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| RDU | used from 449 nm out; 75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEM Memphis, TN | departure | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 8:54 pm CDT (01:54 UTC) |
| FYE Somerville, TN | 30 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 435 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| SZY Selmer, TN | 70 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 610 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| LUG Lewisburg, TN | 160 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 718 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| THA Tullahoma, TN | 180 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 1,084 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| MMI Athens, TN | 270 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,700 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,700 ft | 874 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 300 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 2,700 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 986 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 369 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,163 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 419 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 489 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,100 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 925 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| SCR Siler City, NC | 509 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,500 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 615 ft | 02:15 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 2,163 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, 2:10 am EDT (06:10 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 MEM, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 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 MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 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: Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport, Raleigh-Durham International.