Palm Springs International to Columbia Metro Airport PSP → CAE
1,755 nautical miles (2,020 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 080°, about 067° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:21 pm EDT (00:21 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PSP is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 3 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 11 knots, gusting to 17. 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 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the first 70 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 160 to 359 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 170 to 259 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 199 to 419 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 229 to 518 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, 558 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 1585 to 1605 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 PSP.
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 08:00–15:00 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 15 forecast points nearest it (BLH, PRC, ABQ, TCC, AMA, GAG, OKC, TUL, FSM, LIT, MEM, HSV, ATL, GSP, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 12 h 32 min | 10:41 pm EDT (02:41 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −19 kt | 22 °C | 139 kt | 12 h 38 min | 10:47 pm EDT (02:47 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 12 °C | 137 kt | 12 h 49 min | 10:58 pm EDT (02:58 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 9 °C | 136 kt | 12 h 54 min | 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 5 °C | 137 kt | 12 h 49 min | 10:58 pm EDT (02:58 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 2 °C | 140 kt | 12 h 32 min | 10:41 pm EDT (02:41 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −23 kt | -2 °C | 143 kt | 12 h 16 min | 10:25 pm EDT (02:25 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -6 °C | 147 kt | 11 h 56 min | 10:05 pm EDT (02:05 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -7 °C | 148 kt | 11 h 51 min | 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 37 kt | −36 kt | -18 °C | 156 kt | 11 h 15 min | 9:24 pm EDT (01:24 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 50 kt | −52 kt | -29 °C | 172 kt | 10 h 12 min | 8:21 pm EDT (00:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 49 kt | −52 kt | -38 °C | 172 kt | 10 h 12 min | 8:21 pm EDT (00:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 46 kt | −48 kt | -49 °C | 168 kt | 10 h 27 min | 8:36 pm EDT (00:36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLH | used from 0 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 240/19 | 210/20 10° | 200/27 4° | 210/34 -2° | 220/59 -10° | 220/67 -20° | 220/75 -29° | 230/78 -38° | 220/90 -47° |
| PRC | used from 150 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 200/37 6° | 200/35 0° | 220/60 -11° | 220/71 -20° | 220/88 -29° | 220/98 -35° | 220/94 -45° | ||
| ABQ | used from 349 nm out; 122 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| TCC | used from 548 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| AMA | used from 698 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 230/32 | 230/28 14° | 230/27 7° | 230/38 -6° | 230/50 -17° | 250/69 -28° | 260/62 -37° | 270/65 -49° | |
| GAG | used from 798 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 240/35 22° | 240/27 14° | 230/25 6° | 240/38 -7° | 230/44 -19° | 250/73 -28° | 270/66 -37° | 270/58 -49° | |
| OKC | used from 848 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 220/43 | 230/31 17° | 260/13 16° | 270/11 7° | 240/20 -6° | 250/32 -17° | 260/60 -28° | 280/50 -37° | 290/45 -50° |
| TUL | used from 997 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 230/42 | 250/23 17° | 220/16 14° | 240/10 8° | 240/20 -6° | 260/28 -17° | 270/61 -29° | 280/52 -38° | 290/46 -50° |
| FSM | used from 1047 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 230/33 | 260/23 15° | 240/23 11° | 230/18 8° | 230/20 -8° | 250/31 -17° | 280/51 -30° | 280/52 -39° | 300/47 -51° |
| LIT | used from 1147 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/25 18° | 240/23 12° | 240/20 7° | 250/17 -6° | 260/25 -17° | 300/45 -29° | 300/49 -40° | 310/43 -51° |
| MEM | used from 1246 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| HSV | used from 1396 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| ATL | used from 1546 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| GSP | used from 1645 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
| CAE | used from 1695 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 476 ft | 6:53 am PDT (13:53 UTC) |
| TNP Twentynine Palms, CA | 30 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,888 ft | ||||
| PRC Prescott, AZ | 209 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 5,045 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | 499 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 13:52 UTC |
| SXU Santa Rosa, NM | 588 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 4,791 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| AMA Amarillo, TX | 738 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 3,606 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| OUN Norman, OK | 947 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,181 ft | 13:45 UTC |
| FSM Fort Smith, AR | 1097 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-northeast (070°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 469 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| OLV Olive Branch, MS | 1326 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 401 ft | 13:50 UTC |
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 1476 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 17,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| AHN Athens, GA | 1645 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 812 ft | 13:51 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 11 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 9:56 am EDT (13:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,354 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, 8:21 pm EDT (00:21 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CAE
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for PSP, the departure
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm PDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8928 Atlanta, GA, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 25 nm from the route, 1595 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at PSP 6:14 pm PDT (01:14 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 after sunset there (6:54 pm EDT (22:54 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: Palm Springs International, Columbia Metro Airport.