Waco Regional to Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport ACT → MSP
819 nautical miles (942 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 012°, about 005° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 28-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:01 am CDT (05:01 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ACT is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 13 knots; MSP is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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
- B739 at 30,000 ft, 22 nm west, 4:38 pm CDT (21:38 UTC): light turbulence. 659 nm along the route, 22 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
FOD UA /OV FOD220020/TM 2138/FL300/TP B739/TB CONS LGT/ OCNL MOD
- Report
- a routine report filed through FOD
- Where
- 20 nm southwest (220°) of FOD
- Time
- 21:38 UTC
- Height
- at 30,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate
- A21N at 31,000 ft, 34 nm east, 4:07 pm CDT (21:07 UTC): light turbulence. 679 nm along the route, 34 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
IFA UA /OV IFA/TM 2107/FL310/TP A21N/TB CONS LGT/ INTMT MOD
- Report
- a routine report filed through IFA
- Where
- over IFA
- Time
- 21:07 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- continuous light intermittent moderate
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 31 nm northwest, 3:51 pm CDT (20:51 UTC): light chop turbulence above 33,000 ft. At the destination end, 31 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
CFE UA /OV CFE/TM 2051/FL350/TP B39M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP 330/CONS LGT OCNL MOD 350
- Report
- a routine report filed through CFE
- Where
- over CFE
- Time
- 20:51 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop 330/CONS light occasional moderate at 35,000 ft
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (DAL, OKC, TUL, ICT, MKC, DSM, MCW, MSP). 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 | 200° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 148 kt | 5 h 32 min | 12:01 am CDT (05:01 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 5 h 39 min | 12:08 am CDT (05:08 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −19 kt | 14 °C | 139 kt | 5 h 54 min | 12:23 am CDT (05:23 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −12 kt | 11 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 12 min | 12:41 am CDT (05:41 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −10 kt | 8 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 18 min | 12:47 am CDT (05:47 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −10 kt | 3 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 18 min | 12:47 am CDT (05:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −11 kt | -1 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 15 min | 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 23 kt | −11 kt | -6 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 15 min | 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 23 kt | −11 kt | -7 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 15 min | 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 25 kt | −12 kt | -17 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 12 min | 12:41 am CDT (05:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 34 kt | −5 kt | -31 °C | 125 kt | 6 h 33 min | 1:02 am CDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 41 kt | −4 kt | -41 °C | 124 kt | 6 h 36 min | 1:05 am CDT (06:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 50 kt | 0 | -52 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 50 min | 1:19 am CDT (06:19 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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; 52 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
| OKC | used from 150 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/29 16° | 230/22 14° | 240/17 9° | 240/28 -6° | 250/35 -15° | 270/42 -29° | 270/43 -39° | 280/38 -51° |
| TUL | used from 200 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 200/27 | 210/28 15° | 240/24 13° | 250/19 8° | 250/28 -6° | 260/25 -16° | 270/34 -30° | 280/41 -39° | 280/41 -52° |
| ICT | used from 349 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 190/34 | 210/34 18° | 240/28 13° | 260/23 7° | 250/23 -6° | 240/29 -17° | 260/40 -30° | 260/47 -40° | 270/42 -51° |
| MKC | used from 399 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
| DSM | used from 549 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| MCW | used from 649 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 200/35 | 240/33 18° | 250/20 10° | 260/10 6° | 270/18 -8° | 260/28 -19° | 280/30 -34° | 290/49 -43° | 280/70 -54° |
| MSP | used from 749 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 200/28 | 240/30 19° | 240/24 12° | 240/17 5° | 270/24 -10° | 270/33 -20° | 280/48 -35° | 290/55 -45° | 280/84 -54° |
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 south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 5:51 pm CDT (22:51 UTC) |
| RBD Dallas, TX | 70 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| GYI Sherman/Denison, TX | 130 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 749 ft | 22:50 UTC |
| ADH Ada, OK | 190 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,015 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| RVS Tulsa, OK | 270 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 638 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| IDP Independence, KS | 339 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 824 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| IXD Olathe, KS | 449 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,087 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 499 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| GFZ Greenfield, IA | 599 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,363 ft | ||||
| EAG Eagle Grove, IA | 689 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,132 ft | ||||
| ACQ Waseca, MN | 769 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,126 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| MSP Minneapolis, MN | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 841 ft | 5:53 pm CDT (22:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,363 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:01 am CDT (05:01 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSP
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
The forecast for ACT, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,700 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,700 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 17,000 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
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 70 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 4 nm from the route, 80 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 19 October · ZMP
Daylight
Sunset at ACT 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC), at MSP 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSP is before sunrise there (7:24 am CDT (12:24 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, Minneapolis-St Paul Intl/Wold-Chamberlain Airport.