Richmond International to Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport RIC → CHO
66 nautical miles (76 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 306°, about 316° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RIC is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 18 knots, gusting to 28; CHO is low IFR, wind from the south (190°) at 6 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: 9 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 28 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 0 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
- BCS3 at 600 ft, 0 nm south, 8:06 pm EDT (00:06 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
RIC UA /OV RIC/TM 0006/FL006/TP BCS3/SK BASES 006
- Report
- a routine report filed through RIC
- Where
- over RIC
- Time
- 00:06 UTC
- Height
- at 600 ft
- Aircraft
- BCS3
- Sky
- bases 600 ft
- E170 at 500 ft, 0 nm southeast, 8:01 pm EDT (00:01 UTC): overcast above 500 ft. At the destination end, 0 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAD UA /OV CHO/TM 0001/FL005/TP E170/SK OVC005
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAD
- Where
- over CHO
- Time
- 00:01 UTC
- Height
- at 500 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Sky
- overcast from 500 ft
- E175 at 600 ft, 0 nm southeast, 6:20 pm EDT (22:20 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 0 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CHO UA /OV CHO/TM 2220/FL006/TP E175/SK BASES 006
- Report
- a routine report filed through CHO
- Where
- over CHO
- Time
- 22:20 UTC
- Height
- at 600 ft
- Aircraft
- E175
- Sky
- bases 600 ft
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 1 forecast point nearest it (RIC). 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 | 190° at 31 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 30 min | 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 29 kt | −7 kt | 14 °C | 127 kt | 31 min | 9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 31 kt | −4 kt | 12 °C | 124 kt | 32 min | 9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 35 kt | −3 kt | 9 °C | 123 kt | 32 min | 9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 38 kt | −2 kt | 5 °C | 122 kt | 32 min | 9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 39 kt | +2 kt | 1 °C | 118 kt | 34 min | 9:31 pm EDT (01:31 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 41 kt | +7 kt | -4 °C | 113 kt | 35 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 42 kt | +10 kt | -7 °C | 110 kt | 36 min | 9:33 pm EDT (01:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 68 kt | +17 kt | -16 °C | 103 kt | 38 min | 9:35 pm EDT (01:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 84 kt | +7 kt | -29 °C | 113 kt | 35 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 86 kt | +7 kt | -40 °C | 113 kt | 35 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 81 kt | +6 kt | -52 °C | 114 kt | 35 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 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; 24 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° |
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) |
| LKU Louisa, VA | 47 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the north (010°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | 400 ft | 493 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: heavy rain, mist | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 1.75 mi | 300 ft | 640 ft | 8:51 pm EDT (00:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 640 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CHO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 UTC)
Wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 600 feet IFR
The whole forecast for CHO
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, rain showers, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at CHO 6:40 pm EDT (22:40 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:07 pm EDT (23:07 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CHO is after sunset there (6:42 pm EDT (22:42 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, Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.