Plan a flight · Mon 3:32 am EDT (07:32 UTC)

Richmond International to Los Angeles International RIC → LAX

1,998 nautical miles (2,300 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 277°, about 287° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 19 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RIC is IFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots; LAX is marginal VFR, 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: 209 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

SIGMET C12C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 25,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 4:55 am EDT (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 1339 to 1359 nm out.
as issued
```
WSUS32 KKCI 120655
MKCC WST 120655
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 12C
VALID UNTIL 0855Z
CO NM
FROM 40W PUB-30SSE PUB-30W CIM-50WSW ALS-40W PUB
DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL250.
```
AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 490 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 90 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 70 to 170 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 90 to 270 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 759 to 1239 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 1239 to 1749 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 1279 to 1878 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 1579 to 1779 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 1649 to 1689 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft, from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 1838 to 1978 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 RIC.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

E145 at 800 ft, 1 nm northwest, 2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 1 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RIC UA /OV RIC340001/TM 0607/FL008/TP E145
```
Report
a routine report filed through RIC
Where
1 nm north (340°) of RIC
Time
06:07 UTC
Height
at 800 ft
Aircraft
E145
B38M at 3,000 ft, 9 nm south, 1:47 am EDT (05:47 UTC): a broken layer from 2,900 ft to 8,000 ft, remarks: BASE030. At the destination end, 9 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ONT UA /OV KONT080005/TM 0547/FL030/TP B38M/SK BKN029-TOP080/RM BASE030
```
Report
a routine report filed through ONT
Where
5 nm east (080°) of KONT
Time
05:47 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Sky
a broken layer from 2,900 ft, tops 8,000 ft
Remarks
BASE030
A321 at 3,300 ft, 9 nm south, 12:59 am EDT (04:59 UTC): a broken layer above 3,300 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the destination end, 9 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ONT UA /OV ONT078008/TM 0459/FL033/TP A321/SK BKN033-TOPUNKN/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through ONT
Where
8 nm east (078°) of ONT
Time
04:59 UTC
Height
at 3,300 ft
Aircraft
A321
Sky
a broken layer from 3,300 ft, tops unknown
Remarks
during the descent
GLF5 at 3,500 ft, 17 nm north, 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC): overcast above 3,600 ft. At the destination end, 17 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
VNY UA /OV VNY36006/TM 0454/FL035/TP GLF5/SK OVC036
```
Report
a routine report filed through VNY
Where
VNY36006
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
at 3,500 ft
Aircraft
GLF5
Sky
overcast from 3,600 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 19 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ROA, CRW, CVG, LOU, EVV, CGI, STL, COU, SGF, ICT, GCK, PUB, ALS, FMN, PRC, LAS, BLH, ONT). 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	240° at 19 kt	+19 kt	18 °C	101 kt	19 h 47 min	8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC)
6,500 ft	250° at 18 kt	+19 kt	14 °C	101 kt	19 h 47 min	8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC)
8,500 ft	250° at 17 kt	+18 kt	10 °C	102 kt	19 h 35 min	8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC)
10,500 ft	250° at 17 kt	+19 kt	7 °C	101 kt	19 h 47 min	8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC)
12,500 ft	240° at 19 kt	+19 kt	3 °C	101 kt	19 h 47 min	8:19 pm PDT (03:19 UTC)
14,500 ft	240° at 22 kt	+23 kt	-1 °C	97 kt	20 h 36 min	9:08 pm PDT (04:08 UTC)
16,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	+26 kt	-5 °C	94 kt	21 h 15 min	9:47 pm PDT (04:47 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	240° at 28 kt	+28 kt	-8 °C	92 kt	21 h 43 min	10:15 pm PDT (05:15 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	240° at 32 kt	+33 kt	-20 °C	87 kt	22 h 58 min	11:30 pm PDT (06:30 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 47 kt	+49 kt	-30 °C	71 kt	28 h 08 min	4:40 am PDT (11:40 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 53 kt	+56 kt	-37 °C	64 kt	31 h 13 min	7:45 am PDT (14:45 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 45 kt	+47 kt	-47 °C	73 kt	27 h 22 min	3:54 am PDT (10:54 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 50 nm out; 55 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°
CRW	used from 150 nm out; 46 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 300 nm out; 72 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°
LOU	used from 350 nm out; 28 nm from the line	310/18	340/28 16°	340/29 10°	350/27 3°	330/27 -7°	340/39 -19°	330/58 -33°	330/67 -41°	330/40 -49°
EVV	used from 450 nm out; 11 nm from the line	280/15	290/12 17°	310/16 10°	320/13 5°	310/22 -6°	320/26 -18°	320/38 -33°	310/56 -41°	320/55 -51°
CGI	used from 550 nm out; 46 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°
STL	used from 599 nm out; 48 nm from the line	250/24	250/24 16°	260/23 9°	270/16 6°	260/25 -6°	270/29 -19°	290/34 -33°	290/48 -41°	290/54 -51°
COU	used from 649 nm out; 63 nm from the line	230/31	230/30 15°	260/16 11°	270/14 6°	260/24 -6°	270/27 -18°	270/37 -32°	280/49 -41°	290/56 -51°
SGF	used from 699 nm out; 55 nm from the line	230/33	230/28 15°	250/20 13°	240/18 7°	250/20 -6°	250/24 -17°	280/42 -31°	280/49 -40°	290/46 -51°
ICT	used from 849 nm out; 81 nm from the line	200/48	230/39 19°	240/24 14°	240/20 8°	240/22 -6°	250/31 -18°	250/61 -29°	260/58 -38°	270/54 -49°
GCK	used from 1049 nm out; 51 nm from the line		220/48 21°	230/37 14°	250/30 8°	230/37 -6°	240/37 -20°	240/69 -28°	250/67 -37°	260/58 -48°
PUB	used from 1199 nm out; 104 nm from the line			230/25 13°	230/32 6°	220/44 -8°	230/49 -21°	240/70 -28°	240/67 -34°	240/58 -46°
ALS	used from 1299 nm out; 57 nm from the line				230/37 4°	220/54 -9°	230/62 -22°	240/77 -26°	240/74 -33°	230/59 -45°
FMN	used from 1399 nm out; 58 nm from the line			220/28 9°	220/40 2°	220/53 -10°	220/62 -22°	230/79 -28°	240/91 -34°	230/71 -45°
PRC	used from 1599 nm out; 89 nm from the line			210/25 5°	200/30 1°	220/55 -10°	220/61 -21°	220/84 -28°	230/90 -34°	230/73 -45°
LAS	used from 1749 nm out; 82 nm from the line		210/21 10°	200/18 5°	200/23 -2°	210/49 -14°	210/63 -21°	220/58 -30°	220/61 -35°	210/56 -44°
BLH	used from 1798 nm out; 73 nm from the line	210/13	200/21 11°	200/22 5°	210/25 -1°	210/51 -10°	220/61 -20°	220/81 -29°	220/92 -34°	220/79 -45°
ONT	used from 1848 nm out; 85 nm from the line	190/8	190/19 6°	210/23 4°	210/29 -3°	210/47 -13°	210/49 -19°	220/47 -30°	220/50 -36°	220/55 -43°

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	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots	4 mi	800 ft	167 ft	3:20 am EDT (07:20 UTC)
LWB Lewisburg, WV	150 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet	from the west (280°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	1,900 ft	2,301 ft	05:55 UTC
LEX Lexington, KY	350 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog	from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots	0.25 mi	100 ft	979 ft	06:56 UTC
EVV Evansville, IN	490 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	3 mi	none	421 ft	07:00 UTC
TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO	699 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	1,159 ft	06:55 UTC
ICT Wichita, KS	959 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 11 knots	10+ mi	none	1,332 ft	06:53 UTC
MEJ Meade, KS	1099 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				2,527 ft
RTN Raton, NM	1299 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	6,352 ft	06:53 UTC
RQE Window Rock, AZ	1529 nm out, 24 nm south of the line	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,400 feet	from the south (190°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	6,742 ft	06:53 UTC
IFP Bullhead City, AZ	1798 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,100 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	12,000 ft	707 ft	07:10 UTC
EMT El Monte, CA	1978 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet	from the south (170°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	5,500 ft	295 ft	02:45 UTC
LAX Los Angeles, CA	destination	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,700 feet, scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, overcast at 2,800 feet Weather: light rain	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	8 mi	2,800 ft	127 ft	11:53 pm PDT (06:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,742 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LAX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:07 pm PDT (03:07 UTC)

Wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for LAX

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet

The forecast for RIC, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 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 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, 1798 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA

Daylight

Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at LAX 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm PDT (01:47 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LAX is after sunset there (6:23 pm PDT (01:23 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

Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Los Angeles International.