Southwest Florida International to Columbia Metro Airport RSW → CAE
446 nautical miles (513 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 004°, about 008° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 11:17 am EDT (15:17 UTC). Right now RSW is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 5 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: 2 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 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 139 to 436 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 RSW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 21,000 ft, 20 nm south, 6:51 am EDT (10:51 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 20 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
RSW UA /OV RSW180020/TM 1051/FL210/TP B38M/TB NEG/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through RSW
- Where
- 20 nm south (180°) of RSW
- Time
- 10:51 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B738 at 38,000 ft, 36 nm west, 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC): no turbulence. 158 nm along the route, 36 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
OCF UA /OV OCF/TM 1109/FL380/TP B738/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through OCF
- Where
- over OCF
- Time
- 11:09 UTC
- Height
- at 38,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- none
- C182 at 8,000 ft, 46 nm west, 6:45 am EDT (10:45 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 8,000 ft to 60,000 ft. 277 nm along the route, 46 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
AYS UA /OV AYS090015/TM 1045/FL080/TP C182/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through AYS
- Where
- 15 nm east (090°) of AYS
- Time
- 10:45 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C182
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- CRJ9 at 2,200 ft, 40 nm west, 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC): no turbulence, clear from 2,200 ft to 60,000 ft. 406 nm along the route, 40 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
AGS UA /OV AGS350002/TM 1109/FL022/TP CRJ9/SK SKC/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through AGS
- Where
- 2 nm north (350°) of AGS
- Time
- 11:09 UTC
- Height
- at 2,200 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (PIE, MLB, JAX, SAV, CAE). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 320° at 15 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 4 h 06 min | 11:40 am EDT (15:40 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +10 kt | 14 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 03 min | 11:37 am EDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 18 kt | +10 kt | 11 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 03 min | 11:37 am EDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | +10 kt | 8 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 03 min | 11:37 am EDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 22 kt | +9 kt | 4 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | +9 kt | -1 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | +9 kt | -6 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 23 kt | +9 kt | -7 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 23 kt | +9 kt | -18 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:35 am EDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 20 kt | 0 | -33 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 43 min | 11:17 am EDT (15:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 22 kt | +2 kt | -40 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 47 min | 11:21 am EDT (15:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 19 kt | +6 kt | -51 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 55 min | 11:29 am EDT (15:29 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 360/10 | 340/12 18° | 330/9 13° | 290/12 8° | 260/21 -7° | 280/18 -18° | 250/20 -33° | 250/26 -41° | 250/20 -51° |
| MLB | used from 99 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 290/10 | 260/15 18° | 290/12 13° | 280/13 8° | 250/20 -7° | 260/18 -18° | 240/17 -32° | 250/20 -41° | 250/22 -52° |
| JAX | used from 149 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 310/22 | 310/19 16° | 300/22 14° | 290/25 8° | 300/25 -7° | 300/24 -18° | 270/20 -33° | 260/25 -41° | 290/17 -51° |
| SAV | used from 297 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 330/16 | 310/15 14° | 320/23 10° | 310/30 7° | 310/30 -6° | 300/28 -19° | 270/25 -32° | 300/25 -39° | 320/26 -50° |
| CAE | used from 396 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSW Fort Myers, FL | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,500 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 29 ft | 7:16 am EDT (11:16 UTC) |
| PGD Punta Gorda, FL | 20 nm out, 14 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 25 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| BOW Bartow, FL | 79 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 124 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| ISM Orlando, FL | 109 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 82 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| LEE Leesburg, FL | 139 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 76 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| SGJ St Augustine, FL | 208 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the west (260°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 9 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| CRG Jacksonville, FL | 228 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 40 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| SSI St Simons Island, GA | 277 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 18 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| SAV Savannah, GA | 337 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 50 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| AQX Allendale, SC | 386 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 161 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| BNL Barnwell, SC | 406 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | VFR Weather: mist | calm | 6 mi | none | 246 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | VFR | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 246 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:17 am EDT (15:17 UTC)
Wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CAE
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for RSW, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3634 DISNEY WORLD THEME PARK, ORLANDO, FL 1 nm from the route, 109 nm along the route · security · ZJX
- 6/8389 Jacksonville, FL, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 218 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Thursday 15 October · ZJX
- 6/8902 MAYPORT, FL, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 Local 0 nm from the route, 228 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZJX
Daylight
Sunset at RSW 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 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: Southwest Florida International, Columbia Metro Airport.