Richmond International to Indianapolis International RIC → IND
441 nautical miles (508 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 290°, about 300° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 74 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 402 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 78 to 226 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the route from 88 to 147 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Near the route, 127 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 RIC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BCS3 at 25,000 ft, 48 nm north, 8:58 pm EDT (00:58 UTC): light turbulence, no icing, remarks: during the climb. 216 nm along the route, 48 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PKB UA /OV JPU/TM 0058/FL250/TP BCS3/TB LGT/IC NEG/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through PKB
- Where
- over JPU
- Time
- 00:58 UTC
- Height
- at 25,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BCS3
- Turbulence
- light
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the climb
- CRJ9 descending, 36 nm north, 9:15 pm EDT (01:15 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 353 nm along the route, 36 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DAY UA /OV DAY/TM 0115/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK T031 B005
- Report
- a routine report filed through DAY
- Where
- over DAY
- Time
- 01:15 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Sky
- T031 B005
- A21N at 17,000 ft, 43 nm south, 9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC): no icing, clear from 17,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: clear since departing KIND southbound. At the destination end, 43 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
IND UA /OV IND183045/TM 0128/FL170/TP A21N/SK SKC/IC NEG/RM CLR SINCE DEPARTING KIND SOUTHBOUND
- Report
- a routine report filed through IND
- Where
- 45 nm south (183°) of IND
- Time
- 01:28 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Sky
- clear
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- clear since departing KIND southbound
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 (RIC, ROA, EKN, CRW, CVG, IND). 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 21 kt | +17 kt | 12 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 17 min | 3:41 am EDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | +17 kt | 12 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 17 min | 3:41 am EDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | +17 kt | 9 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 17 min | 3:41 am EDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | +15 kt | 5 °C | 105 kt | 4 h 12 min | 3:36 am EDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +14 kt | 2 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 10 min | 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | +17 kt | -2 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 17 min | 3:41 am EDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -5 °C | 100 kt | 4 h 25 min | 3:49 am EDT (07:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -8 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 30 min | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 31 kt | +25 kt | -20 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 39 min | 4:03 am EDT (08:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 36 kt | +31 kt | -34 °C | 89 kt | 4 h 57 min | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 44 kt | +41 kt | -40 °C | 79 kt | 5 h 35 min | 4:59 am EDT (08:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 37 kt | +35 kt | -48 °C | 85 kt | 5 h 11 min | 4:35 am EDT (08:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 270/23 | 280/19 11° | 270/18 8° | 240/22 4° | 230/39 -7° | 220/55 -18° | 220/75 -30° | 230/83 -39° | 230/64 -50° |
| ROA | used from 49 nm out; 67 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° |
| EKN | used from 98 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 330/21 12° | 330/25 7° | 350/22 2° | 330/24 -10° | 310/27 -21° | 320/33 -35° | 290/31 -39° | 290/34 -47° | |
| CRW | used from 147 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| CVG | used from 294 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| IND | used from 392 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC Richmond, VA | departure | no report just now | 167 ft | ||||
| LKU Louisa, VA | 39 nm out, 18 nm north of the line | no report just now | 493 ft | ||||
| CHO Charlottesville, VA | 59 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 640 ft | ||||
| HSP Hot Springs, VA | 118 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,792 ft | ||||
| CRW Charleston, WV | 206 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 947 ft | ||||
| GAS Gallipolis, OH | 245 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 565 ft | ||||
| JRO Jackson, OH | 265 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 726 ft | ||||
| LUK Cincinnati, OH | 343 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 481 ft | ||||
| OXD Oxford, OH | 373 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,040 ft | ||||
| BAK Columbus, IN | 412 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 656 ft | ||||
| IND Indianapolis, IN | destination | no report just now | 796 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,792 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IND when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:34 am EDT (07:34 UTC)
IND has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 15 nm from the route, 353 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at IND 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:37 pm EDT (23:37 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IND is before sunrise there (7:52 am EDT (11:52 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, Indianapolis International.