Philadelphia International to Columbia Metro Airport PHL → CAE
454 nautical miles (523 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 220°, about 232° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 21-knot headwind), arriving about 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PHL is IFR, wind from the east-northeast (060°) at 9 knots; CAE is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 7 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: 1,539 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 237 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 49 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Near the route, 148 nm along 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
Not fetched just now.
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ACY, RIC, RDU, FLO, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +21 kt | 99 kt | 4 h 35 min | 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +21 kt | 12 °C | 99 kt | 4 h 35 min | 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +27 kt | 11 °C | 93 kt | 4 h 53 min | 12:50 am EDT (04:50 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +31 kt | 9 °C | 89 kt | 5 h 06 min | 1:03 am EDT (05:03 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | +34 kt | 5 °C | 86 kt | 5 h 17 min | 1:14 am EDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 37 kt | +36 kt | 1 °C | 84 kt | 5 h 24 min | 1:21 am EDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 40 kt | +39 kt | -3 °C | 81 kt | 5 h 36 min | 1:33 am EDT (05:33 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 42 kt | +41 kt | -6 °C | 79 kt | 5 h 45 min | 1:42 am EDT (05:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 63 kt | +62 kt | -16 °C | 58 kt | 7 h 50 min | 3:47 am EDT (07:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 78 kt | +78 kt | -30 °C | 42 kt | 10 h 49 min | 6:46 am EDT (10:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 82 kt | +83 kt | -40 °C | 37 kt | 12 h 16 min | 8:13 am EDT (12:13 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 79 kt | +79 kt | -52 °C | 41 kt | 11 h 04 min | 7:01 am EDT (11:01 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACY | used from 0 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 230/15 | 230/22 15° | 230/31 11° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 230/51 -17° | 230/71 -31° | 230/81 -41° | 230/86 -53° |
| RIC | used from 99 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 190/33 | 200/29 14° | 210/31 12° | 210/38 6° | 230/42 -7° | 230/68 -16° | 220/84 -29° | 220/86 -40° | 220/81 -52° |
| RDU | used from 247 nm out; 29 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° |
| FLO | used from 346 nm out; 55 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° |
| CAE | used from 395 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 260/27 | 310/26 11° | 280/31 9° | 270/36 7° | 250/39 -4° | 230/57 -16° | 220/74 -30° | 220/83 -40° | 220/73 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHL Philadelphia, PA | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 9 knots | 3 mi | 900 ft | 35 ft | 7:16 pm EDT (23:16 UTC) |
| ILG Wilmington, DE | 20 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 14 knots | 4 mi | 500 ft | 79 ft | 23:51 UTC |
| ESN Easton, MD | 69 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,100 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | 4,500 ft | 72 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| VKX Friendly, MD | 99 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 117 ft | ||||
| RIC Richmond, VA | 168 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,400 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 167 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 207 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| CXE Chase City, VA | 237 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 4,100 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 4,100 ft | 503 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | 296 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,800 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 4,800 ft | 435 ft | 23:51 UTC |
| VUJ Albemarle, NC | 356 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,900 feet, overcast at 4,500 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 3,900 ft | 609 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| PYG Pageland, SC | 395 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 574 ft | ||||
| CDN Camden, SC | 425 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,800 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 302 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,900 feet, a broken layer at 3,400 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 235 ft | 7:26 pm EDT (23:26 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 609 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, 12:32 am EDT (04:32 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 PHL, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast 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 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8719 Greenwood, DE, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, 59 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8886 Greenwood, DE, Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 21 nm from the route, 59 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Sunday 18 October · ZDC
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 12 nm from the route, 99 nm along the route · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at PHL 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 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: Philadelphia International, Columbia Metro Airport.