General Downing - Peoria International to Charlotte/Douglas International PIA → CLT
527 nautical miles (607 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 126°, about 128° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 23 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 36-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:24 am EDT (04:24 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PIA is VFR, wind calm; CLT is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 9 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: 1,380 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 route from 288 to 388 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 328 to 468 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 418 to 507 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 PIA.
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (SPI, IND, LOU, TRI, GSP). 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 | 310° at 11 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 4 h 01 min | 1:02 am EDT (05:02 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 11 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 46 min | 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 12 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 41 min | 12:42 am EDT (04:42 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | −25 kt | 8 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 38 min | 12:39 am EDT (04:39 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 4 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 38 min | 12:39 am EDT (04:39 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 28 kt | −26 kt | 0 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 37 min | 12:38 am EDT (04:38 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | −26 kt | -4 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 37 min | 12:38 am EDT (04:38 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -8 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 35 min | 12:36 am EDT (04:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -9 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 35 min | 12:36 am EDT (04:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 31 kt | −31 kt | -20 °C | 151 kt | 3 h 29 min | 12:30 am EDT (04:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | −33 kt | -34 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 27 min | 12:28 am EDT (04:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 37 kt | −36 kt | -40 °C | 156 kt | 3 h 23 min | 12:24 am EDT (04:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 36 kt | −36 kt | -48 °C | 156 kt | 3 h 23 min | 12:24 am EDT (04:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPI | used from 0 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| IND | used from 99 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
| LOU | used from 199 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| TRI | used from 348 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 310/28 11° | 320/32 7° | 330/30 2° | 300/28 -9° | 280/34 -21° | 250/37 -31° | 240/39 -38° | 250/35 -48° | |
| GSP | used from 497 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 300/22 | 310/22 11° | 300/22 7° | 290/28 5° | 270/36 -5° | 250/42 -18° | 230/54 -31° | 230/59 -40° | 230/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIA Peoria, IL | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC) |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 40 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 70 nm out, 9 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 129 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 169 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 845 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| LOU Louisville, KY | 239 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 545 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| LEX Lexington, KY | 279 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,700 ft | 979 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| LOZ London, KY | 338 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,212 ft | 20:18 UTC |
| RVN Rogersville, TN | 408 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,254 ft | ||||
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 428 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 2,400 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the west-southwest (250°) at 11 knots | 5 mi | 1,800 ft | 1,518 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 487 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 feet, a few clouds at 6,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 8:52 pm EDT (00:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,518 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:24 am EDT (04:24 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 23,000 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
The forecast for PIA, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 18,000 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 PIA 6:23 pm CDT (23:23 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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: General Downing - Peoria International, Charlotte/Douglas International.