Richmond International to Tri-Cities Airport RIC → TRI
252 nautical miles (290 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 257°, about 267° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 2:13 pm EDT (18:13 UTC). Right now RIC is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 16 knots, gusting to 29; TRI is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 11 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: 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 TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 77 to 223 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the last 106 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist). Over the last 87 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
- C68A at 43,000 ft, 39 nm east, 11:16 am EDT (15:16 UTC): -57 °C, wind 320° at 55 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. At the departure end, 39 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
JGG UA /OV HCM119010 /TM 1516 /FL430 /TP C68A /TA M57 /WV 32055KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
- Report
- a routine report filed through JGG
- Where
- 10 nm southeast (119°) of HCM
- Time
- 15:16 UTC
- Height
- at 43,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C68A
- Temperature
- −57 °C
- Wind
- from 320° at 55 knots
- Remarks
- produced by skypath
- A320 at 34,000 ft, 39 nm north, 11:19 am EDT (15:19 UTC): light to moderate turbulence. 29 nm along the route, 39 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LYH UA /OV GVE/TM 1519/FL340/TP A320/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD
- Report
- a routine report filed through LYH
- Where
- over GVE
- Time
- 15:19 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate
- A321 at 36,000 ft, 8 nm north, 11:18 am EDT (15:18 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. 97 nm along the route, 8 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LYH UA /OV LYH/TM 1518/FL360/TP A321/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through LYH
- Where
- over LYH
- Time
- 15:18 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- E75L at 36,000 ft, 6 nm southeast, 11:36 am EDT (15:36 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-15. At the destination end, 6 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TRI UA /OV HMV/TM 1536/FL360/TP E75L/TB NEG/RM ZTLFD-15
- Report
- a routine report filed through TRI
- Where
- over HMV
- Time
- 15:36 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-15
- C210 at 7,000 ft, 49 nm south, 9:31 am EDT (13:31 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ztlfd 45. At the destination end, 49 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ATL UA /OV SUG040025/TM 1331/FL070/TP C210/TB NEG/RM ZTLFD 45
- Report
- a routine report filed through ATL
- Where
- 25 nm northeast (040°) of SUG
- Time
- 13:31 UTC
- Height
- at 7,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C210
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ztlfd 45
- C750 at 43,000 ft, 36 nm south, 9:14 am EDT (13:14 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: ztlfd 15. At the destination end, 36 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ATL UA /OV HMV170030/TM 1314/FL430/TP C750/TB LGT/RM ZTLFD 15
- Report
- a routine report filed through ATL
- Where
- 30 nm south (170°) of HMV
- Time
- 13:14 UTC
- Height
- at 43,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C750
- Turbulence
- light
- Remarks
- ztlfd 15
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (RIC, ROA, TRI). 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 | 340° at 22 kt | +3 kt | 15 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 09 min | 2:16 pm EDT (18:16 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 350° at 24 kt | 0 | 14 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 06 min | 2:13 pm EDT (18:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 22 kt | +1 kt | 10 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 07 min | 2:14 pm EDT (18:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 23 kt | +2 kt | 8 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 08 min | 2:15 pm EDT (18:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | +4 kt | 5 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 10 min | 2:17 pm EDT (18:17 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +8 kt | 1 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 15 min | 2:22 pm EDT (18:22 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | +11 kt | -3 °C | 109 kt | 2 h 19 min | 2:26 pm EDT (18:26 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 31 kt | +14 kt | -6 °C | 106 kt | 2 h 23 min | 2:30 pm EDT (18:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 34 kt | +19 kt | -19 °C | 101 kt | 2 h 30 min | 2:37 pm EDT (18:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 38 kt | +21 kt | -34 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 33 min | 2:40 pm EDT (18:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 46 kt | +24 kt | -42 °C | 96 kt | 2 h 38 min | 2:45 pm EDT (18:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 37 kt | +20 kt | -49 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 31 min | 2:38 pm EDT (18:38 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 | 350/24 | 350/28 14° | 340/25 8° | 340/26 5° | 340/40 -6° | 340/44 -19° | 340/48 -33° | 330/45 -42° | 310/38 -50° |
| ROA | used from 48 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 310/18 | 350/22 15° | 350/21 9° | 340/24 6° | 320/31 -6° | 310/34 -19° | 310/39 -35° | 310/46 -42° | 310/33 -49° |
| TRI | used from 194 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 340/26 15° | 330/23 10° | 330/23 6° | 290/28 -6° | 290/32 -19° | 290/36 -34° | 310/47 -41° | 320/47 -49° |
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 | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,500 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 16 knots, gusting to 29 | 10+ mi | none | 167 ft | 11:54 am EDT (15:54 UTC) |
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 39 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 437 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| FVX Farmville, VA | 58 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 415 ft | 15:55 UTC |
| LYH Lynchburg, VA | 87 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 938 ft | 15:54 UTC |
| ROA Roanoke, VA | 126 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,700 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 3,700 ft | 1,175 ft | 15:54 UTC |
| HLX Galax Hillsville, VA | 174 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,100 feet, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 13 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 2,693 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| VJI Abingdon, VA | 232 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,400 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 2,087 ft | 15:55 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,300 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 1,518 ft | 11:53 am EDT (15:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,693 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TRI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:13 pm EDT (18:13 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TRI
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a broken layer at 200 feet
The forecast for RIC, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet
- At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind calm, 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 TRI 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm EDT (23:23 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
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, Tri-Cities Airport.