Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field) to Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport ROA → MEM
503 nautical miles (579 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 257°, about 265° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 5:13 am CDT (10:13 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: 356 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 E19E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 43,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC). Near the route, at the departure end.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120455 MKCE WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 19E VALID UNTIL 0655Z CT NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND DE NJ NY MD CT VA CSTL WTRS FROM 20NNW HTO-70SSE HTO-90SE SIE-20WNW LYH-40ESE AIR-20NNW HTO AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL430.
- 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 355 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 79 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 237 nm of the route.
- 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 99 to 99 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 ROA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 descending, 41 nm south, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft. 207 nm along the route, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0315/FLDURD/TP B738/RM MULTIPLE LAYERS FROM 052-047 OVC AT 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 03:15 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft
- A319 descending, 41 nm south, 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC): remarks: tops 6,800 ft bases 2,300 ft. 207 nm along the route, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0252/FLDURD/TP A319/RM TOPS 068 BASES 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 02:52 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A319
- Remarks
- tops 6,800 ft bases 2,300 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ROA, TRI, TYS, BNA, MEM). 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 | 310° at 18 kt | +9 kt | 11 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 32 min | 5:20 am CDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | +7 kt | 13 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 27 min | 5:15 am CDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | +8 kt | 10 °C | 112 kt | 4 h 29 min | 5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | +7 kt | 7 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 27 min | 5:15 am CDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | +6 kt | 3 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 25 min | 5:13 am CDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +7 kt | -1 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 27 min | 5:15 am CDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | +9 kt | -4 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 32 min | 5:20 am CDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 28 kt | +10 kt | -7 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 34 min | 5:22 am CDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 30 kt | +12 kt | -19 °C | 108 kt | 4 h 39 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 40 kt | +17 kt | -33 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 53 min | 5:41 am CDT (10:41 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | +23 kt | -40 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 11 min | 5:59 am CDT (10:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 42 kt | +16 kt | -49 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 50 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROA | used from 0 nm out; 25 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 49 nm out; 56 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 197 nm out; 43 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° |
| BNA | used from 247 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| MEM | used from 395 nm out; 84 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROA Roanoke, VA | departure | no report just now | 1,175 ft | ||||
| BCB Blacksburg, VA | 20 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,119 ft | ||||
| JFZ Richlands, VA | 89 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,653 ft | ||||
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 128 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,518 ft | ||||
| SCX Oneida, TN | 227 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,544 ft | ||||
| SRB Sparta, TN | 276 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,025 ft | ||||
| MQY Smyrna, TN | 326 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 543 ft | ||||
| GHM Centerville, TN | 375 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | no report just now | 765 ft | ||||
| MKL Jackson, TN | 444 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 434 ft | ||||
| FYE Somerville, TN | 474 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 435 ft | ||||
| MEM Memphis, TN | destination | no report just now | 340 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,653 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MEM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:13 am CDT (10:13 UTC)
MEM has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 ROA 6:47 pm EDT (22:47 UTC), at MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MEM is before sunrise there (7:03 am CDT (12:03 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: Roanoke/Blacksburg Regional (Woodrum Field), Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport.