Raleigh-Durham International to Barkley Regional RDU → PAH
487 nautical miles (561 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 290° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 36 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 5:29 am CDT (10:29 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RDU is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20; PAH is VFR, wind calm. 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: 2 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 10,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 169 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 99 to 179 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 119 to 288 nm out.
- 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 129 to 418 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 RDU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 descending, 47 nm south, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft. 249 nm along the route, 47 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0315/FLDURD/TP B738/RM MULTIPLE LAYERS FROM 052-047 OVC AT 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 03:15 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (RDU, ROA, TRI, TYS, BNA, CGI). 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 | 320° at 20 kt | +16 kt | 11 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 41 min | 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | +14 kt | 12 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 36 min | 5:29 am CDT (10:29 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | +16 kt | 9 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 41 min | 5:34 am CDT (10:34 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +17 kt | 6 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 44 min | 5:37 am CDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +17 kt | 3 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 44 min | 5:37 am CDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 27 kt | +19 kt | -1 °C | 101 kt | 4 h 49 min | 5:42 am CDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | +21 kt | -4 °C | 99 kt | 4 h 55 min | 5:48 am CDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 29 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 58 min | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 28 kt | +23 kt | -19 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 01 min | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 38 kt | +31 kt | -33 °C | 89 kt | 5 h 28 min | 6:21 am CDT (11:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 45 kt | +39 kt | -40 °C | 81 kt | 6 h 01 min | 6:54 am CDT (11:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 39 kt | +30 kt | -49 °C | 90 kt | 5 h 25 min | 6:18 am CDT (11:18 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
| 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; 25 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -49° |
| ROA | used from 50 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| TRI | used from 99 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| TYS | used from 249 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| BNA | used from 298 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| CGI | used from 447 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,300 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | 4,300 ft | 435 ft | 12:51 am EDT (04:51 UTC) |
| BUY Burlington, NC | 30 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,500 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 616 ft | 04:54 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 60 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 4,000 ft | 925 ft | 04:54 UTC |
| UKF North Wilkesboro, NC | 109 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,303 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 179 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| RVN Rogersville, TN | 199 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,254 ft | ||||
| BYL Williamsburg, KY | 268 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet | calm | 8 mi | 600 ft | 1,177 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| TZV Tompkinsville, KY | 338 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,036 ft | ||||
| BWG Bowling Green, KY | 378 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 547 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| HVC Hopkinsville, KY | 427 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 563 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| GDA Marion, KY | 457 nm out, 20 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 652 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| PAH Paducah, KY | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 410 ft | 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 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 PAH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:29 am CDT (10:29 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
At times between Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC) and 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, mist VFR
The whole forecast for PAH
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC) and 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, mist
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, gusting to 14, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for RDU, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet
- At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 5:30 pm EDT (21:30 UTC): wind from the northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 PAH 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PAH is before sunrise there (6:59 am CDT (11:59 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, Barkley Regional.