Richmond International to San Antonio International RIC → SAT
1,158 nautical miles (1,333 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 252°, about 262° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 10 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC). Right now RIC is IFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 9 knots; SAT is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 7 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: 6 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, fog). Over the first 489 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the first 280 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 130 to 399 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 180 to 300 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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ROA, TRI, TYS, HSV, BHM, MEM, JAN, SHV, CLL, SAT). 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 | 280° at 10 kt | +9 kt | 11 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | +9 kt | 15 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +9 kt | 12 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +8 kt | 8 °C | 112 kt | 10 h 20 min | 1:26 pm CDT (18:26 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +7 kt | 5 °C | 113 kt | 10 h 15 min | 1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +9 kt | 1 °C | 111 kt | 10 h 26 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | +10 kt | -3 °C | 110 kt | 10 h 32 min | 1:38 pm CDT (18:38 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 19 kt | +12 kt | -6 °C | 108 kt | 10 h 43 min | 1:49 pm CDT (18:49 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 21 kt | +12 kt | -17 °C | 108 kt | 10 h 43 min | 1:49 pm CDT (18:49 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 33 kt | +17 kt | -31 °C | 103 kt | 11 h 15 min | 2:21 pm CDT (19:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 35 kt | +17 kt | -40 °C | 103 kt | 11 h 15 min | 2:21 pm CDT (19:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 34 kt | +13 kt | -50 °C | 107 kt | 10 h 49 min | 1:55 pm CDT (18:55 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; 57 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° |
| TRI | used from 200 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| TYS | used from 300 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| HSV | used from 399 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BHM | used from 549 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| MEM | used from 599 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| JAN | used from 649 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 230/10 | 270/13 18° | 270/11 12° | 310/11 6° | 300/15 -4° | 300/22 -16° | 310/33 -31° | 320/37 -41° | 330/41 -52° |
| SHV | used from 799 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| CLL | used from 949 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| SAT | used from 1098 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 150/26 | 180/18 19° | 180/18 14° | 200/14 9° | 230/16 -6° | 210/9 -13° | 270/8 -29° | 280/6 -39° | 340/19 -51° |
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: overcast at 700 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 9 knots | 4 mi | 700 ft | 167 ft | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 40 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| GEV Jefferson, NC | 210 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 3,177 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 340 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,100 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 986 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 409 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Weather: light rain | calm | 10+ mi | none | 682 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 489 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| GWO Greenwood, MS | 669 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 162 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 779 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| IER Natchitoches, LA | 849 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 121 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| CLL College Station, TX | 1028 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 320 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| HYI Austin, TX | 1118 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 594 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| SAT San Antonio, TX | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,700 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 809 ft | 2:51 am CDT (07:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,177 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 3,500 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SAT
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- At times between Tue 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 800 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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at SAT 7:05 pm CDT (00:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 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, San Antonio International.