Norfolk International to MC Ghee Tyson Airport ORF → TYS
382 nautical miles (440 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 263°, about 272° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 8:19 am EDT (12:19 UTC). Right now ORF is marginal VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19; TYS is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 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 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the first 78 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 157 to 353 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 216 to 333 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, fog). Over the last 147 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the last 137 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 ORF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E145 at 800 ft, 44 nm north, 2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 49 nm along the route, 44 nm north 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 08:00–15:00 UTC · at 120 knots true airspeed
The westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even 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 (ORF, RIC, RDU, ROA, TRI, TYS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | +8 kt | 11 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 25 min | 8:25 am EDT (12:25 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 28 kt | +5 kt | 12 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 19 min | 8:19 am EDT (12:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 30 kt | +5 kt | 9 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 19 min | 8:19 am EDT (12:19 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 30 kt | +6 kt | 6 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 21 min | 8:21 am EDT (12:21 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 30 kt | +8 kt | 3 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 25 min | 8:25 am EDT (12:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 32 kt | +10 kt | -1 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 28 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 34 kt | +12 kt | -5 °C | 108 kt | 3 h 32 min | 8:32 am EDT (12:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 36 kt | +13 kt | -8 °C | 107 kt | 3 h 34 min | 8:34 am EDT (12:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 38 kt | +15 kt | -20 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 38 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 42 kt | +17 kt | -33 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 43 min | 8:43 am EDT (12:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 45 kt | +20 kt | -40 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 49 min | 8:49 am EDT (12:49 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 38 kt | +27 kt | -48 °C | 93 kt | 4 h 06 min | 9:06 am EDT (13:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORF | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 310/30 | 320/27 11° | 310/30 8° | 320/30 3° | 290/36 -8° | 270/40 -21° | 250/52 -32° | 250/50 -39° | 260/42 -48° |
| RIC | used from 49 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 350/34 | 340/27 12° | 340/36 8° | 330/31 3° | 310/32 -9° | 320/34 -21° | 300/37 -34° | 290/37 -39° | 290/42 -46° |
| RDU | used from 98 nm out; 44 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° |
| ROA | used from 147 nm out; 53 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° |
| TRI | used from 245 nm out; 38 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° | |
| TYS | used from 343 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORF Norfolk, VA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet | from the west (260°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | 1,600 ft | 26 ft | 4:51 am EDT (08:51 UTC) |
| FKN Franklin, VA | 39 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,400 feet | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,400 ft | 40 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 78 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| AVC South Hill, VA | 88 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 5,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 4 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 441 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| DAN Danville, VA | 157 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 feet | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 571 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| INT Winston Salem, NC | 196 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 969 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| ZEF Elkin, NC | 226 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,067 ft | ||||
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 294 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 8 knots | 9 mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| GCY Greeneville, TN | 324 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots, gusting to 12 | 3 mi | 400 ft | 1,607 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| GKT Sevierville, TN | 363 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,900 feet, scattered clouds at 2,600 feet, overcast at 3,300 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,300 ft | 1,013 ft | 08:36 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 986 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,607 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TYS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:19 am EDT (12:19 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet VFR
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for TYS
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ORF, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 ORF 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at TYS 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:30 pm EDT (23:30 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: Norfolk International, MC Ghee Tyson Airport.