Richmond International to Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International RIC → ROC
337 nautical miles (388 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 357°, about 007° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 19-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RIC is IFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots; ROC is marginal 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: 1 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 first 318 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 318 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 139 to 308 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
Not fetched just now.
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 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, PSB, BUF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 12 kt | +10 kt | 13 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 04 min | 6:31 am EDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 12 kt | +10 kt | 10 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 04 min | 6:31 am EDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 12 kt | +8 kt | 6 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 01 min | 6:28 am EDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 12 kt | +3 kt | 4 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 53 min | 6:20 am EDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 13 kt | +1 kt | 0 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 50 min | 6:17 am EDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | 0 | -4 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 48 min | 6:15 am EDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −2 kt | -9 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 46 min | 6:13 am EDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 17 kt | −2 kt | -10 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 46 min | 6:13 am EDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 30 kt | −17 kt | -22 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 28 min | 5:55 am EDT (09:55 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 34 kt | −13 kt | -34 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 32 min | 5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 45 kt | −19 kt | -40 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 25 min | 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 48 kt | −18 kt | -49 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 27 min | 5:54 am EDT (09:54 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° |
| PSB | used from 99 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 360/13 13° | 330/14 7° | 300/11 3° | 290/12 -11° | 240/23 -23° | 270/25 -36° | 250/34 -40° | 250/45 -48° | |
| BUF | used from 298 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -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 | 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) |
| XSA Tappahannock, VA | 20 nm out, 21 nm east of the line | reported, no category | calm | 500 ft | 135 ft | 07:15 UTC | |
| HEF Washington, DC | 69 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 7 knots | 3 mi | 900 ft | 192 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| IAD Washington, DC | 89 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north-northwest (340°) at 11 knots | 4 mi | 900 ft | 312 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| HGR Hagerstown, MD | 129 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet, overcast at 2,300 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 703 ft | 07:18 UTC |
| UNV State College, PA | 198 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | calm | 2.5 mi | 900 ft | 1,231 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| LHV Lock Haven, PA | 218 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | no report just now | 555 ft | ||||
| ELZ Wellsville, NY | 278 nm out, 17 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the northwest (320°) at 3 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 2,124 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| HTF Hornell, NY | 298 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,219 ft | ||||
| ROC Rochester, NY | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,300 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | 4,300 ft | 558 ft | 2:54 am EDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,124 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ROC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 1,200 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for ROC
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 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
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 4 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, 89 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at ROC 6:33 pm EDT (22:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ROC is before sunrise there (7:20 am EDT (11:20 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, Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International.