Waco Regional to Tucson International ACT → TUS
699 nautical miles (805 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 269° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 1:41 am MST (08:41 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ACT is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 11 knots; TUS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) 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: 3 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
- SIGMET 7W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 569 to 669 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7W VALID UNTIL 0355Z NM AZ FROM 30NW SJN-30W TCS-60SE SSO-50SE TUS-70S INW-30NW SJN DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 530 to 659 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 599 to 659 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 ACT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 descending, 2 nm southeast, 7:26 pm CDT (00:26 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the destination end, 2 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TUS UA /OV FINAL RWY 12/TM 0026/FLDURD/TP A321/TB LIGHT CHOP ON FINAL
- Report
- a routine report filed through TUS
- Where
- final runway 12
- Time
- 00:26 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- light chop on final
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 5 forecast points nearest it (DAL, ABI, INK, ELP, TUS). 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 17 kt | +9 kt | 17 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 18 min | 1:45 am MST (08:45 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 17 kt | +9 kt | 17 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 18 min | 1:45 am MST (08:45 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | +8 kt | 14 °C | 112 kt | 6 h 14 min | 1:41 am MST (08:41 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | +10 kt | 10 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 21 min | 1:48 am MST (08:48 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 32 min | 1:59 am MST (08:59 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | +16 kt | 2 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 43 min | 2:10 am MST (09:10 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +19 kt | -2 °C | 101 kt | 6 h 55 min | 2:22 am MST (09:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 31 kt | +22 kt | -5 °C | 98 kt | 7 h 08 min | 2:35 am MST (09:35 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 43 kt | +34 kt | -15 °C | 86 kt | 8 h 08 min | 3:35 am MST (10:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 52 kt | +43 kt | -27 °C | 77 kt | 9 h 05 min | 4:32 am MST (11:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 48 kt | +44 kt | -37 °C | 76 kt | 9 h 12 min | 4:39 am MST (11:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 42 kt | +41 kt | -49 °C | 79 kt | 8 h 51 min | 4:18 am MST (11:18 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
| 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; 84 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| ABI | used from 50 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° | |
| INK | used from 200 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 190/23 20° | 200/18 15° | 230/18 8° | 240/23 -4° | 240/37 -14° | 240/46 -27° | 250/42 -38° | 260/36 -50° | |
| ELP | used from 400 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 290/17 | 210/11 13° | 200/18 5° | 220/46 -6° | 230/64 -14° | 230/63 -27° | 240/55 -37° | 240/44 -48° | |
| TUS | used from 599 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -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 south-southeast (150°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 8:51 pm CDT (01:51 UTC) |
| MNZ Hamilton, TX | 50 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,304 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| BWD Brownwood, TX | 90 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,386 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| MAF Midland, TX | 250 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 16 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,872 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| INK Wink, TX | 310 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | reported, no category | from the southeast (140°) at 20 knots, gusting to 26 | none | 2,821 ft | 01:53 UTC | |
| CNM Carlsbad, NM | 360 nm out, 17 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 13 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 3,294 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| ELP El Paso, TX | 470 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet, a broken layer at 21,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 3,961 ft | 01:51 UTC |
| DMN Deming, NM | 539 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,314 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| LSB Lordsburg, NM | 589 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 4,287 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| TUS Tucson, AZ | destination | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,643 ft | 6:53 pm MST (01:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,314 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:41 am MST (08:41 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TUS
- From Sun 6:00 pm MST (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am MST (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MST (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 8,000 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 13 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at ACT 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC), at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:19 pm MST (01:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TUS is before sunrise there (6:25 am MST (13:25 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, Tucson International.