Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field) to Columbia Metro Airport MGM → CAE
283 nautical miles (325 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 068°, about 069° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 25-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:34 am EDT (04:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MGM is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 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 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 TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 78 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 MGM.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- CRJ9 at 32,000 ft, 30 nm north, 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-22. 88 nm along the route, 30 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
ATL UA /OV ATL240035/TM 0200/FL320/TP CRJ9/TB OCNL MOD CHOP /RM ZTLFD-22
- Report
- a routine report filed through ATL
- Where
- 35 nm southwest (240°) of ATL
- Time
- 02:00 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-22
- B737 at 38,000 ft, 16 nm northwest, 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-08. 49 nm along the route, 16 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
LGC UA /OV LGC240025/TM 2340/FL380/TP B737/TB NEG CHOP /RM ZTLFD-08
- Report
- a routine report filed through LGC
- Where
- 25 nm southwest (240°) of LGC
- Time
- 23:40 UTC
- Height
- at 38,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- no chop
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-08
- PA32 at 7,000 ft, 3 nm northwest, 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 UTC): 8 °C, remarks: smooth. 254 nm along the route, 3 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
AGS UA /OV KAIK360010/TM 0017/FL070/TP PA32/WX FV99SM/TA 8/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through AGS
- Where
- 10 nm north (360°) of KAIK
- Time
- 00:17 UTC
- Height
- at 7,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PA32
- Weather
- flight visibility 99 miles
- Temperature
- 8 °C
- Remarks
- smooth
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 4 forecast points nearest it (MGM, CSG, ATL, CAE). 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 | 320° at 23 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 2 h 14 min | 12:51 am EDT (04:51 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | −3 kt | 123 kt | 2 h 18 min | 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 30 kt | −2 kt | 13 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | −2 kt | 10 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 27 kt | −7 kt | 8 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 14 min | 12:51 am EDT (04:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 27 kt | −11 kt | 4 °C | 131 kt | 2 h 10 min | 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 28 kt | −15 kt | -1 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 06 min | 12:43 am EDT (04:43 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 29 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:40 am EDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 30 kt | −19 kt | -7 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 02 min | 12:39 am EDT (04:39 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 34 kt | −25 kt | -18 °C | 145 kt | 1 h 57 min | 12:34 am EDT (04:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 42 kt | −18 kt | -33 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:40 am EDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 38 kt | −18 kt | -41 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:40 am EDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 33 kt | −18 kt | -49 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:40 am EDT (04:40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGM | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 310/19 | 340/24 17° | 340/28 11° | 330/16 7° | 300/23 -7° | 320/32 -16° | 330/46 -33° | 330/55 -42° | 330/41 -50° |
| CSG | used from 49 nm out; 15 nm from the line | 310/24 | 340/35 17° | 340/37 12° | 330/22 8° | 310/30 -7° | 290/30 -18° | 340/57 -32° | 340/55 -41° | 320/33 -49° |
| ATL | used from 98 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| CAE | used from 195 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 330/15 | 330/13 12° | 330/22 9° | 300/26 6° | 280/33 -7° | 270/38 -18° | 250/45 -33° | 240/46 -40° | 270/38 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MGM Montgomery, AL | departure | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 221 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 49 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| OPN Thomaston, GA | 117 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | none | 797 ft | 02:15 UTC | |
| MAC Macon, GA | 146 nm out, 22 nm south of the line | no report just now | 436 ft | ||||
| MLJ Milledgeville, GA | 166 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 384 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| AGS Augusta, GA | 234 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 145 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| AIK Aiken, SC | 254 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 528 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 9:56 pm EDT (01:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 797 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:34 am EDT (04:34 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CAE
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MGM, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 MGM 6:16 pm CDT (23:16 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CAE is before sunrise there (7:26 am EDT (11:26 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: Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field), Columbia Metro Airport.