Scott Afb/Midamerica St. Louis Airport to Eglin Afb/Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport BLV → VPS
511 nautical miles (588 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 160°, about 162° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 40-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC). Right now BLV is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots; VPS is VFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 6 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: 782 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 BLV.
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 7 forecast points nearest it (STL, CGI, MEM, HSV, BHM, MGM, MOB). 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 | 290° at 16 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 3 h 56 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 4 h | 7:43 am CDT (12:43 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 300° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 14 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 56 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | −11 kt | 10 °C | 131 kt | 3 h 54 min | 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | −8 kt | 6 °C | 128 kt | 4 h | 7:43 am CDT (12:43 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | −10 kt | 2 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 56 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | −13 kt | -1 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 51 min | 7:34 am CDT (12:34 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | −16 kt | -5 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 45 min | 7:28 am CDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 21 kt | −17 kt | -6 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 44 min | 7:27 am CDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 21 kt | −15 kt | -18 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 47 min | 7:30 am CDT (12:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | −31 kt | -32 °C | 151 kt | 3 h 23 min | 7:06 am CDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 44 kt | −40 kt | -40 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 12 min | 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 38 kt | −36 kt | -51 °C | 156 kt | 3 h 17 min | 7:00 am CDT (12:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL | used from 0 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
| CGI | used from 49 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| MEM | used from 147 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| HSV | used from 196 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| BHM | used from 295 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
| MGM | used from 344 nm out; 57 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° |
| MOB | used from 491 nm out; 86 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 18° | 020/8 11° | L/V 6° | 330/12 -5° | 330/23 -17° | 330/30 -32° | 350/39 -41° | 340/40 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLV Belleville, IL | departure | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 459 ft | 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC) |
| MDH Carbondale/Murphysboro, IL | 49 nm out, 11 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 411 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 79 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 20:53 UTC |
| UCY Union City, TN | 138 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 345 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 177 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| SNH Savannah, TN | 216 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 472 ft | 08:10 UTC |
| HAB Hamilton, AL | 285 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 436 ft | ||||
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | 334 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 169 ft | 08:39 UTC |
| SEM Selma, AL | 393 nm out, 13 nm east 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 | |
| GZH Evergreen, AL | 452 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,400 feet, a broken layer at 4,800 feet, overcast at 7,500 feet Weather: heavy rain, mist | from the northeast (040°) at 20 knots, gusting to 38 | 4 mi | 4,800 ft | 259 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| CEW Crestview, FL | 491 nm out, 6 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 213 ft | 08:24 UTC |
| VPS Valparaiso/Destin-Ft Walton Beach, FL | destination | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 84 ft | 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 472 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At VPS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC)
Wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, clear skies
The whole forecast for VPS
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, clear skies
The forecast for BLV, the departure
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- Changing between Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC) and 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC) to: wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, clear skies
- Changing between Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC) to: wind from the south at 6 knots, low-level wind shear, clear skies
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 BLV 6:25 pm CDT (23:25 UTC), at VPS 6:18 pm CDT (23:18 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Scott Afb/Midamerica St. Louis Airport, Eglin Afb/Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport.