Richmond International to Essex County RIC → CDW
247 nautical miles (284 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 034°, about 044° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 82-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:10 pm EDT (02:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RIC is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 18 knots, gusting to 28; CDW is IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 5 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: 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 227 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 118 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the last 20 nm of 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 RIC.
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 3 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ACY, JFK). 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 | 190° at 24 kt | −21 kt | 141 kt | 1 h 45 min | 10:42 pm EDT (02:42 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 144 kt | 1 h 43 min | 10:40 pm EDT (02:40 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 13 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 42 min | 10:39 pm EDT (02:39 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 10 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 40 min | 10:37 pm EDT (02:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −29 kt | 7 °C | 149 kt | 1 h 39 min | 10:36 pm EDT (02:36 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | −32 kt | 3 °C | 152 kt | 1 h 38 min | 10:35 pm EDT (02:35 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | −35 kt | -2 °C | 155 kt | 1 h 36 min | 10:33 pm EDT (02:33 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 40 kt | −38 kt | -6 °C | 158 kt | 1 h 34 min | 10:31 pm EDT (02:31 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 41 kt | −39 kt | -7 °C | 159 kt | 1 h 33 min | 10:30 pm EDT (02:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 58 kt | −56 kt | -17 °C | 176 kt | 1 h 24 min | 10:21 pm EDT (02:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 77 kt | −75 kt | -30 °C | 195 kt | 1 h 16 min | 10:13 pm EDT (02:13 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 82 kt | −81 kt | -41 °C | 201 kt | 1 h 14 min | 10:11 pm EDT (02:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 84 kt | −82 kt | -53 °C | 202 kt | 1 h 13 min | 10:10 pm EDT (02:10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 190/33 | 200/29 14° | 210/31 12° | 210/38 6° | 230/42 -7° | 230/68 -16° | 220/84 -29° | 220/86 -40° | 220/81 -52° |
| ACY | used from 99 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/15 | 230/22 15° | 230/31 11° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 230/51 -17° | 230/71 -31° | 230/81 -41° | 230/86 -53° |
| JFK | used from 197 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 140/43 | 170/35 13° | 230/18 9° | 250/25 5° | 240/40 -7° | 230/50 -17° | 230/75 -31° | 230/78 -41° | 230/88 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC Richmond, VA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 2,700 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 18 knots, gusting to 28 | 10+ mi | 2,700 ft | 167 ft | 8:49 pm EDT (00:49 UTC) |
| XSA Tappahannock, VA | 30 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | reported, no category | calm | 500 ft | 135 ft | 23:35 UTC | |
| ESN Easton, MD | 99 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 5 mi | 1,900 ft | 72 ft | 00:45 UTC |
| ILG Wilmington, DE | 158 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: rain | from the northeast (040°) at 11 knots | 5 mi | 500 ft | 79 ft | 00:51 UTC |
| PNE Philadelphia, PA | 188 nm out, 1 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 11 knots, gusting to 18 | 5 mi | 800 ft | 119 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| TTN Trenton, NJ | 207 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 12 knots | 9 mi | 800 ft | 212 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| CDW Caldwell, NJ | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: rain, mist | from the northeast (040°) at 5 knots | 4 mi | 900 ft | 172 ft | 8:53 pm EDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 212 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:10 pm EDT (02:10 UTC)
CDW has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for RIC, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC) and 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, thunderstorms with rain, overcast at 600 feet (thunderheads)
- From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 22 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8719 Greenwood, DE, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, 109 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8886 Greenwood, DE, Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, 109 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Sunday 18 October · ZDC
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 20 October · ZNY
Daylight
Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at CDW 6:21 pm EDT (22:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm EDT (22:49 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CDW is after sunset there (6:23 pm EDT (22:23 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: Richmond International, Essex County.