Waco Regional to Albuquerque International Sunport ACT → ABQ
513 nautical miles (591 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 296°, about 289° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 9:54 am MDT (15:54 UTC). Right now ACT is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots; ABQ is VFR, wind calm. 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 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 168 to 207 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the last 49 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 ACT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 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 (DAL, ABI, LBB, ROW, ABQ). 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 | 210° at 24 kt | +2 kt | 20 °C | 118 kt | 4 h 21 min | 9:54 am MDT (15:54 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 22 kt | +3 kt | 19 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 23 min | 9:56 am MDT (15:56 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | +6 kt | 15 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 30 min | 10:03 am MDT (16:03 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +6 kt | 10 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 30 min | 10:03 am MDT (16:03 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | +7 kt | 6 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 32 min | 10:05 am MDT (16:05 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +10 kt | 2 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 40 min | 10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +13 kt | -3 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 48 min | 10:21 am MDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 32 kt | +15 kt | -6 °C | 105 kt | 4 h 53 min | 10:26 am MDT (16:26 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 42 kt | +27 kt | -16 °C | 93 kt | 5 h 31 min | 11:04 am MDT (17:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 55 kt | +32 kt | -28 °C | 88 kt | 5 h 50 min | 11:23 am MDT (17:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 50 kt | +38 kt | -38 °C | 82 kt | 6 h 15 min | 11:48 am MDT (17:48 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 44 kt | +35 kt | -50 °C | 85 kt | 6 h 02 min | 11:35 am MDT (17:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | used from 0 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 190/30 | 200/28 18° | 220/18 13° | 250/13 8° | 240/24 -6° | 270/20 -14° | 270/35 -29° | 290/34 -39° | 310/41 -51° |
| ABI | used from 49 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 200/30 19° | 220/12 16° | 220/11 9° | 230/15 -5° | 250/26 -15° | 250/39 -28° | 270/36 -38° | 280/30 -51° | |
| LBB | used from 197 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 220/25 21° | 230/20 15° | 220/20 7° | 230/36 -6° | 240/50 -15° | 240/59 -28° | 260/52 -37° | 260/45 -50° | |
| ROW | used from 345 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/12 | 230/17 13° | 220/30 7° | 230/41 -5° | 240/52 -17° | 230/66 -28° | 240/63 -38° | 240/60 -50° | |
| ABQ | used from 444 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Waco, TX | departure | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| MNZ Hamilton, TX | 39 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 1,304 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| GZN Cisco, TX | 99 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,200 feet, a few clouds at 4,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,711 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| ABI Abilene, TX | 138 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,790 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| SNK Snyder, TX | 197 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,430 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| LBB Lubbock, TX | 266 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,282 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| PRZ Portales, NM | 345 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,077 ft | ||||
| FSU Fort Sumner, NM | 395 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,164 ft | ||||
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 4:52 am MDT (10:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,354 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABQ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:54 am MDT (15:54 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ABQ
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet
The forecast for ACT, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet
- At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 16 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at ACT 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC), at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm MDT (00:59 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: Waco Regional, Albuquerque International Sunport.