Tri-Cities Airport to Fayetteville Rgnl/Grannis Field TRI → FAY
194 nautical miles (223 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 116°, about 123° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 41-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now TRI is marginal VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 8 knots; FAY is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 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 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 39 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 first 77 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 58 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 19 to 136 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 TRI.
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 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 2 forecast points nearest it (TRI, RDU). 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 | 330° at 29 kt | −24 kt | 144 kt | 1 h 21 min | 6:01 am EDT (10:01 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −19 kt | 11 °C | 139 kt | 1 h 24 min | 6:04 am EDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 28 kt | −20 kt | 10 °C | 140 kt | 1 h 23 min | 6:03 am EDT (10:03 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 31 kt | −22 kt | 7 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 22 min | 6:02 am EDT (10:02 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 340° at 31 kt | −24 kt | 5 °C | 144 kt | 1 h 21 min | 6:01 am EDT (10:01 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 340° at 33 kt | −26 kt | 2 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 20 min | 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 340° at 36 kt | −28 kt | -2 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 19 min | 5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 340° at 38 kt | −30 kt | -6 °C | 150 kt | 1 h 18 min | 5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 39 kt | −31 kt | -8 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 17 min | 5:57 am EDT (09:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 35 kt | −30 kt | -20 °C | 150 kt | 1 h 18 min | 5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 42 kt | −36 kt | -32 °C | 156 kt | 1 h 15 min | 5:55 am EDT (09:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 45 kt | −41 kt | -40 °C | 161 kt | 1 h 12 min | 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 39 kt | −37 kt | -48 °C | 157 kt | 1 h 14 min | 5:54 am EDT (09:54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 340/25 11° | 350/37 9° | 350/34 6° | 340/39 -7° | 340/43 -19° | 340/55 -32° | 330/58 -42° | 320/37 -50° | |
| RDU | used from 97 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 330/30 | 340/24 12° | 330/26 7° | 320/30 3° | 330/39 -8° | 310/30 -20° | 300/33 -33° | 310/34 -39° | 310/41 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west (270°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC) |
| MRN Morganton, NC | 48 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,269 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 68 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| VUJ Albemarle, NC | 126 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 609 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| SOP Pinehurst/Southern Pines, NC | 165 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 459 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| FAY Fayetteville, NC | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 900 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 189 ft | 4:07 am EDT (08:07 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,518 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FAY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:52 am EDT (09:52 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 900 feet, a few clouds at 4,500 feet VFR
The whole forecast for FAY
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 900 feet, a few clouds at 4,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,500 feet
- From Mon 5:30 pm EDT (21:30 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for TRI, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8713 Maxton, NC, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 17 nm from the route, 174 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8508 Johnsontown, NC 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at TRI 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC), at FAY 6:44 pm EDT (22:44 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FAY is before sunrise there (7:18 am EDT (11:18 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: Tri-Cities Airport, Fayetteville Rgnl/Grannis Field.