The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 3:26 am EDT (07:26 UTC)

Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International to Richmond International ROC → RIC

337 nautical miles (388 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 177°, about 189° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 34 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ROC is marginal VFR, wind calm; RIC is IFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 10 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 return flight

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 last 318 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 318 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 30 to 198 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 ROC.

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 destination 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

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 3 forecast points nearest it (BUF, PSB, RIC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft330° at 11 kt−10 kt13 °C130 kt2 h 36 min6:02 am EDT (10:02 UTC)
6,500 ft330° at 12 kt−11 kt11 °C131 kt2 h 34 min6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC)
8,500 ft320° at 12 kt−9 kt8 °C129 kt2 h 37 min6:03 am EDT (10:03 UTC)
10,500 ft300° at 11 kt−6 kt5 °C126 kt2 h 40 min6:06 am EDT (10:06 UTC)
12,500 ft280° at 12 kt−2 kt2 °C122 kt2 h 46 min6:12 am EDT (10:12 UTC)
14,500 ft270° at 13 kt−1 kt-2 °C121 kt2 h 47 min6:13 am EDT (10:13 UTC)
16,500 ft270° at 15 kt0-7 °C120 kt2 h 48 min6:14 am EDT (10:14 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 16 kt+1 kt-10 °C119 kt2 h 50 min6:16 am EDT (10:16 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 29 kt+15 kt-22 °C105 kt3 h 13 min6:39 am EDT (10:39 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 33 kt+10 kt-35 °C110 kt3 h 04 min6:30 am EDT (10:30 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 44 kt+17 kt-40 °C103 kt3 h 16 min6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 47 kt+17 kt-49 °C103 kt3 h 16 min6:42 am EDT (10:42 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
BUFused from 0 nm out; 50 nm from the line320/10010/16 10°360/10 6°340/13 2°330/22 -11°300/25 -23°320/31 -38°300/29 -44°280/36 -50°
PSBused from 50 nm out; 64 nm from the line360/13 13°330/14 7°300/11 3°290/12 -11°240/23 -23°270/25 -36°250/34 -40°250/45 -48°
RICused from 248 nm out; 65 nm from the line270/23280/19 11°270/18 8°240/22 4°230/39 -7°220/55 -18°220/75 -30°230/83 -39°230/64 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ROC Rochester, NY departure 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)
HTF Hornell, NY 40 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line no report just now 1,219 ft
ELZ Wellsville, NY 60 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
LHV Lock Haven, PA 119 nm out, 5 nm east of the line no report just now 555 ft
UNV State College, PA 139 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
HGR Hagerstown, MD 208 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
IAD Washington, DC 248 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
HEF Washington, DC 268 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
XSA Tappahannock, VA 318 nm out, 21 nm east of the line reported, no category calm 500 ft 135 ft 07:15 UTC
RIC Richmond, VA destination 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)

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 RIC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 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 marginal VFR

The whole forecast for RIC
  • 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
The forecast for ROC, the departure
  • 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

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

  • 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, 248 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
  • 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 4 nm from the route, 258 nm along the route · security · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at ROC 6:33 pm EDT (22:33 UTC), at RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RIC is before sunrise there (7:14 am EDT (11:14 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 Northeast
Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the Southeast
Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Frederick Douglass/Greater Rochester International, Richmond International.