Raleigh-Durham International to Charlotte/Douglas International RDU → CLT
113 nautical miles (130 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 250°, about 259° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 21-knot headwind), arriving about 10:23 pm EDT (02:23 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RDU is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots; 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: 6,093 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Near the route, 104 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 RDU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E75L at 4,000 ft, 49 nm south, 6:45 pm EDT (22:45 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 19 nm along the route, 49 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAY UA /OV KFAY/TM 2245/FL040/TP E75L/SK BASES 045
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAY
- Where
- over KFAY
- Time
- 22:45 UTC
- Height
- at 4,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Sky
- bases 4,500 ft
- B763 at 3,000 ft, 35 nm northwest, 7:26 pm EDT (23:26 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft. 38 nm along the route, 35 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
GSO UA /OV HEVED/TM 2326/FL030/TP B763/SK BKN030
- Report
- a routine report filed through GSO
- Where
- heved
- Time
- 23:26 UTC
- Height
- at 3,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,000 ft
- B763 descending, 34 nm northwest, 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 UTC): a broken layer above 3,000 ft. 38 nm along the route, 34 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
GSO UA /OV 10 NE GSO/TM 2324/FLDURD/TP B763/SK BKN030
- Report
- a routine report filed through GSO
- Where
- 10 northeast gso
- Time
- 23:24 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,000 ft
- CRJ7 descending, 30 nm northwest, 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC): a broken layer above 4,500 ft. 47 nm along the route, 30 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
GSO UA /OV GSO/TM 2232/FLDURD/TP CRJ7/SK BKN045
- Report
- a routine report filed through GSO
- Where
- over GSO
- Time
- 22:32 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Sky
- a broken layer from 4,500 ft
- SF50 at 7,000 ft, 42 nm north, 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, imc, remarks: ZTLFD-45. At the destination end, 42 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
HKY UA /OV BZM/TM 2237/FL070/TP SF50/SK IMC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZTLFD-45
- Report
- a routine report filed through HKY
- Where
- over BZM
- Time
- 22:37 UTC
- Height
- at 7,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SF50
- Sky
- instrument conditions
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-45
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 2 forecast points nearest it (RDU, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 250° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 97 kt | 1 h 10 min | 10:25 pm EDT (02:25 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 10 °C | 99 kt | 1 h 08 min | 10:23 pm EDT (02:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 10 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 11 min | 10:26 pm EDT (02:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 31 kt | +30 kt | 8 °C | 90 kt | 1 h 15 min | 10:30 pm EDT (02:30 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 36 kt | +35 kt | 6 °C | 85 kt | 1 h 20 min | 10:35 pm EDT (02:35 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 39 kt | +37 kt | 2 °C | 83 kt | 1 h 22 min | 10:37 pm EDT (02:37 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 41 kt | +39 kt | -1 °C | 81 kt | 1 h 24 min | 10:39 pm EDT (02:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 42 kt | +41 kt | -4 °C | 79 kt | 1 h 26 min | 10:41 pm EDT (02:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 64 kt | +57 kt | -16 °C | 63 kt | 1 h 48 min | 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 78 kt | +69 kt | -29 °C | 51 kt | 2 h 13 min | 11:28 pm EDT (03:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 210° at 79 kt | +63 kt | -40 °C | 57 kt | 1 h 59 min | 11:14 pm EDT (03:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 73 kt | +65 kt | -52 °C | 55 kt | 2 h 03 min | 11:18 pm EDT (03:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU | used from 0 nm out; 24 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° |
| GSP | used from 94 nm out; 75 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 435 ft | 8:51 pm EDT (00:51 UTC) |
| SCR Siler City, NC | 38 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,300 feet, a broken layer at 4,600 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 4,600 ft | 615 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| VUJ Albemarle, NC | 75 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 609 ft | 00:55 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 747 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, 10:23 pm EDT (02:23 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 RDU, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 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 RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 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 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: Raleigh-Durham International, Charlotte/Douglas International.