Alexandria International to Marion County AEX → MAO
688 nautical miles (792 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 072°, about 069° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 12-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:50 pm EDT (16:50 UTC). Right now AEX is low IFR, wind calm; MAO 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 SIERRA 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist, fog). Over the first 329 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 80 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 AEX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE36 at 8,000 ft, 8 nm north, 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, remarks: ZME65. 100 nm along the route, 8 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
JAN UA /OV MHZ225040/TM 1118/FL080/TP BE36/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZME65
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAN
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (225°) of MHZ
- Time
- 11:18 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE36
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- ZME65
- CRJ9 at 2,200 ft, 20 nm south, 6:09 am CDT (11:09 UTC): no turbulence, clear from 2,200 ft to 60,000 ft. 549 nm along the route, 20 nm south 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 7 forecast points nearest it (LCH, JAN, MGM, CSG, ATL, CAE, FLO). 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 13 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 5 h 25 min | 1:02 pm EDT (17:02 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 5 h 25 min | 1:02 pm EDT (17:02 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 15 kt | −6 kt | 13 °C | 126 kt | 5 h 28 min | 1:05 pm EDT (17:05 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 16 kt | −6 kt | 9 °C | 126 kt | 5 h 28 min | 1:05 pm EDT (17:05 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | −7 kt | 7 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 25 min | 1:02 pm EDT (17:02 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −8 kt | 3 °C | 128 kt | 5 h 22 min | 12:59 pm EDT (16:59 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −9 kt | -1 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 20 min | 12:57 pm EDT (16:57 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −10 kt | -5 °C | 130 kt | 5 h 18 min | 12:55 pm EDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 24 kt | −10 kt | -6 °C | 130 kt | 5 h 18 min | 12:55 pm EDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 24 kt | −9 kt | -18 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 20 min | 12:57 pm EDT (16:57 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 38 kt | −12 kt | -31 °C | 132 kt | 5 h 13 min | 12:50 pm EDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 340° at 39 kt | −5 kt | -40 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 30 min | 1:07 pm EDT (17:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 33 kt | −7 kt | -51 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 25 min | 1:02 pm EDT (17:02 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCH | used from 0 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 170/21 | 160/23 18° | 170/13 13° | 170/6 8° | 300/12 -7° | 280/16 -14° | 320/27 -30° | 330/23 -41° | 340/38 -51° |
| JAN | used from 50 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 240/10 | 260/15 18° | 280/10 11° | 290/6 6° | 290/15 -5° | 300/15 -17° | 320/35 -30° | 330/38 -40° | 330/39 -51° |
| MGM | used from 249 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 320/19 | 330/16 17° | 340/21 11° | 330/11 5° | 330/27 -6° | 330/21 -17° | 330/37 -32° | 340/44 -40° | 360/30 -52° |
| CSG | used from 349 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 330/27 | 340/28 16° | 350/28 11° | 330/17 6° | 340/25 -6° | 350/33 -18° | 330/46 -32° | 340/45 -41° | 350/31 -52° |
| ATL | used from 399 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| CAE | used from 499 nm out; 75 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° |
| FLO | used from 648 nm out; 4 nm from the line | 330/17 | 330/17 12° | 320/21 9° | 310/29 4° | 310/36 -8° | 300/36 -19° | 290/34 -32° | 300/29 -40° | 310/34 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEX Alexandria, LA | departure | low IFR Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | none | 88 ft | 6:33 am CDT (11:33 UTC) |
| MKV Marksville, LA | 20 nm out, 21 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| HKS Jackson, MS | 130 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MEI Meridian, MS | 200 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 297 ft | 10:58 UTC |
| DYA Demopolis, AL | 239 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 100 feet Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 111 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| SEM Selma, AL | 289 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the east (080°) at 27 knots, gusting to 37 | 3,300 ft | 166 ft | 01:30 UTC | |
| ALX Alexander City, AL | 349 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 685 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| ATL Atlanta, GA | 429 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,026 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| AGS Augusta, GA | 549 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 145 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | 599 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| FLO Florence, SC | 668 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 146 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MAO Marion, SC | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 92 ft | 7:15 am EDT (11:15 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,026 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MAO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:50 pm EDT (16:50 UTC)
MAO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for AEX, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at AEX 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC), at MAO 6:47 pm EDT (22:47 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 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: Alexandria International, Marion County.