The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 7:36 pm MST (02:36 UTC)

Phoenix Sky Harbor International to Columbia Metro Airport PHX → CAE

1,538 nautical miles (1,770 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 080°, about 068° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 49-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:42 am EDT (11:42 UTC). 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 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 9W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 10 to 10 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 9W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    AZ
    FROM 20S TBC-30S INW-10E PHX-60SW DRK-30WNW DRK-20S TBC
    DMSHG AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
  • SIGMET 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 70 to 170 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    NM AZ
    FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN
    DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
  • SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 240 to 379 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    CO NM
    FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 10 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 70 to 379 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 120 to 369 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 120 to 240 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1358 to 1428 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Over the route from 1448 to 1448 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 PHX.

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 16 forecast points nearest it (PHX, TUS, ABQ, ROW, TCC, LBB, AMA, SPS, OKC, FSM, LIT, MEM, HSV, ATL, GSP, CAE). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft250° at 15 kt−14 kt134 kt11 h 29 min10:05 am EDT (14:05 UTC)
5,500 ft240° at 17 kt−16 kt16 °C136 kt11 h 19 min9:55 am EDT (13:55 UTC)
7,500 ft250° at 17 kt−18 kt13 °C138 kt11 h 09 min9:45 am EDT (13:45 UTC)
9,500 ft250° at 17 kt−18 kt11 °C138 kt11 h 09 min9:45 am EDT (13:45 UTC)
11,500 ft250° at 16 kt−17 kt7 °C137 kt11 h 14 min9:50 am EDT (13:50 UTC)
13,500 ft250° at 18 kt−19 kt3 °C139 kt11 h 04 min9:40 am EDT (13:40 UTC)
15,500 ft250° at 21 kt−21 kt-1 °C141 kt10 h 54 min9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC)
17,500 ft250° at 23 kt−23 kt-5 °C143 kt10 h 45 min9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180250° at 23 kt−24 kt-6 °C144 kt10 h 41 min9:17 am EDT (13:17 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240250° at 33 kt−34 kt-17 °C154 kt9 h 59 min8:35 am EDT (12:35 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300260° at 46 kt−48 kt-29 °C168 kt9 h 09 min7:45 am EDT (11:45 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340270° at 47 kt−49 kt-38 °C169 kt9 h 06 min7:42 am EDT (11:42 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390270° at 39 kt−41 kt-49 °C161 kt9 h 33 min8:09 am EDT (12:09 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
PHXused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line150/5200/21 12°200/27 6°200/35 3°220/58 -8°220/69 -19°220/87 -26°230/93 -35°230/79 -47°
TUSused from 100 nm out; 121 nm from the line210/13 13°200/35 9°210/40 5°220/50 -7°220/59 -18°230/79 -26°230/84 -35°230/84 -48°
ABQused from 150 nm out; 119 nm from the line220/27 11°210/35 5°220/46 -9°230/62 -20°240/78 -25°240/80 -35°240/56 -47°
ROWused from 349 nm out; 59 nm from the line190/33210/27 14°220/28 6°230/36 -6°230/56 -15°230/63 -27°250/59 -37°260/57 -49°
TCCused from 399 nm out; 50 nm from the line210/42230/33 14°230/32 6°220/35 -6°230/49 -19°240/72 -27°250/62 -36°250/52 -48°
LBBused from 449 nm out; 59 nm from the line200/36 18°220/19 15°240/20 8°230/24 -4°240/37 -16°250/57 -28°250/51 -38°270/47 -50°
AMAused from 499 nm out; 45 nm from the line210/38230/29 14°240/29 7°220/27 -5°240/37 -18°240/66 -28°250/59 -37°260/47 -49°
SPSused from 599 nm out; 63 nm from the line200/39220/28 17°230/27 12°240/15 9°250/15 -4°250/24 -15°260/45 -28°270/43 -39°280/45 -51°
OKCused from 699 nm out; 45 nm from the line200/44230/32 18°240/13 15°240/10 9°240/20 -5°250/27 -16°260/47 -28°270/48 -39°270/45 -50°
FSMused from 799 nm out; 68 nm from the line210/27250/23 16°250/20 13°240/17 8°250/18 -6°260/31 -16°280/42 -30°280/44 -40°290/38 -51°
LITused from 949 nm out; 13 nm from the line220/21230/17 16°250/24 12°260/15 7°260/13 -5°280/25 -16°290/35 -30°300/42 -40°300/40 -52°
MEMused from 1048 nm out; 35 nm from the line230/19260/16 15°270/17 12°300/13 6°300/15 -5°300/26 -18°300/34 -32°300/41 -40°310/46 -52°
HSVused from 1148 nm out; 82 nm from the line310/20330/20 16°320/27 11°340/23 5°320/23 -7°340/30 -17°320/50 -33°330/61 -41°340/41 -50°
ATLused from 1298 nm out; 65 nm from the line320/30330/37 16°340/44 11°330/35 7°310/33 -6°300/38 -18°330/58 -33°330/48 -40°320/34 -49°
GSPused from 1448 nm out; 50 nm from the line320/22340/19 13°320/18 8°310/24 5°300/34 -7°300/36 -18°290/30 -33°300/32 -39°320/42 -49°
CAEused from 1498 nm out; 20 nm from the line330/15330/13 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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
PHX Phoenix, AZ departure no report just now 1,134 ft
IWA Phoenix, AZ 20 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 1,384 ft
ONM Socorro, NM 260 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line no report just now 4,875 ft
CVN Clovis, NM 449 nm out, 2 nm north of the line no report just now 4,215 ft
CDS Childress, TX 589 nm out, 7 nm south of the line no report just now 1,953 ft
LAW Lawton, OK 679 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 1,110 ft
MEZ Mena, AR 889 nm out, 8 nm south of the line no report just now 1,079 ft
LIT Little Rock, AR 989 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 266 ft
TUP Tupelo, MS 1158 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 346 ft
HSV Huntsville, AL 1258 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 628 ft
AHN Athens, GA 1428 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 812 ft
CAE Columbia, SC destination no report just now 235 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 4,875 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, 7:42 am EDT (11:42 UTC)

CAE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 310 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB

Daylight

Sunset at PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 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

Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Columbia Metro Airport.