Philadelphia International to Albany International PHL → ALB
185 nautical miles (212 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 020°, about 032° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 72-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:44 am EDT (07:44 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PHL is IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 10 knots; ALB is IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 5 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: 3,272 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
- SIGMET E22E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 40,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am EDT (07:55 UTC). Over the first 19 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120555 MKCE WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22E VALID UNTIL 0755Z NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND MA RI DE NJ NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E HTO-80SSW ACK-100ESE SIE-30SW CSN-40SSE JST-40E HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL400.
- 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 58 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 PHL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 800 ft, 47 nm east, 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC): a broken layer, remarks: bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500. 68 nm along the route, 47 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
JFK UA /OV JFK 2 MILES SOUTHEAST/TM 0551/FL008/TP B763/SK BKN/RM BASES AT 800 AND TOPS 1500
- Report
- a routine report filed through JFK
- Where
- jfk 2 miles southeast
- Time
- 05:51 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- a broken layer
- Remarks
- bases at at 80,000 ft and tops 1500
- GA6C descending, 10 nm east, 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC): overcast above 1,000 ft, remarks: bases OVC010. 107 nm along the route, 10 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
SWF UA /OV SWF 270005/TM 0432/FLDURD/TP GA6C/SK OVC010/RM BASES OVC010
- Report
- a routine report filed through SWF
- Where
- 5 nm west (270°) of SWF
- Time
- 04:32 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- GA6C
- Sky
- overcast from 1,000 ft
- Remarks
- bases OVC010
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 3 forecast points nearest it (ACY, JFK, ALB). 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 | 220° at 9 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 1 h 26 min | 4:12 am EDT (08:12 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 1 h 25 min | 4:11 am EDT (08:11 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | −13 kt | 10 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 23 min | 4:09 am EDT (08:09 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 6 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 22 min | 4:08 am EDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 1 h 20 min | 4:06 am EDT (08:06 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −20 kt | 0 °C | 140 kt | 1 h 19 min | 4:05 am EDT (08:05 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −22 kt | -4 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 18 min | 4:04 am EDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 33 kt | −24 kt | -8 °C | 144 kt | 1 h 17 min | 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 34 kt | −25 kt | -9 °C | 145 kt | 1 h 17 min | 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 44 kt | −32 kt | -21 °C | 152 kt | 1 h 13 min | 3:59 am EDT (07:59 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 73 kt | −63 kt | -33 °C | 183 kt | 1 h 01 min | 3:47 am EDT (07:47 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 87 kt | −72 kt | -41 °C | 192 kt | 58 min | 3:44 am EDT (07:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 74 kt | −62 kt | -50 °C | 182 kt | 1 h 01 min | 3:47 am EDT (07:47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACY | used from 0 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 220/19 | 220/18 14° | 210/36 9° | 210/35 5° | 220/36 -8° | 240/49 -21° | 220/90 -31° | 230/103 -40° | 230/81 -50° |
| JFK | used from 49 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 250/18 | 250/23 14° | 240/33 9° | 240/33 4° | 240/38 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 230/86 -32° | 230/102 -40° | 230/84 -51° |
| ALB | used from 97 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 120/9 | 270/8 10° | L/V 5° | 260/9 1° | 260/34 -10° | 250/42 -22° | 240/57 -35° | 240/70 -42° | 240/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHL Philadelphia, PA | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: rain, mist | from the north (010°) at 10 knots | 3 mi | 600 ft | 35 ft | 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC) |
| PNE Philadelphia, PA | 19 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 119 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| MMU Morristown, NJ | 68 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 186 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| SWF New York, NY | 107 nm out, 14 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 9 knots | 7 mi | 2,000 ft | 490 ft | 05:45 UTC |
| ALB Albany, NY | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the north (350°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 600 ft | 284 ft | 1:51 am EDT (05:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 490 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ALB when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:44 am EDT (07:44 UTC)
Wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, light drizzle, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet IFR
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light drizzle, mist, overcast at 500 feet IFR
The whole forecast for ALB
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, light drizzle, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light drizzle, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 3,000 feet
The forecast for PHL, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, thunderstorms nearby, overcast at 700 feet (thunderheads)
- From Mon 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, gusting to 15, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 15, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, 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 PHL 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC), at ALB 6:18 pm EDT (22:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ALB is before sunrise there (7:04 am EDT (11:04 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: Philadelphia International, Albany International.