Plan a flight · Sun 10:07 pm EDT (02:07 UTC)

Columbia Metro Airport to Waco Regional CAE → ACT

824 nautical miles (949 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 265°, about 272° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CAE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots; ACT is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 11 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: 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Near the route, 89 nm along the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 169 nm along the route.
AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 218 nm along 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 CAE.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

CRJ9 at 32,000 ft, 17 nm south, 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-22. 199 nm along the route, 17 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ATL UA /OV ATL240035/TM 0200/FL320/TP CRJ9/TB OCNL MOD CHOP /RM ZTLFD-22
```
Report
a routine report filed through ATL
Where
35 nm southwest (240°) of ATL
Time
02:00 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Turbulence
occasional moderate chop
Remarks
ZTLFD-22
PA32 at 7,000 ft, 5 nm south, 8:17 pm EDT (00:17 UTC): 8 °C, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 5 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AGS UA /OV KAIK360010/TM 0017/FL070/TP PA32/WX FV99SM/TA 8/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through AGS
Where
10 nm north (360°) of KAIK
Time
00:17 UTC
Height
at 7,000 ft
Aircraft
PA32
Weather
flight visibility 99 miles
Temperature
8 °C
Remarks
smooth
E170 at 33,000 ft, 9 nm north, 9:53 pm EDT (01:53 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-22. 209 nm along the route, 9 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ATL UA /OV ATL280045/TM 0153/FL330/TP E170/TB CONS LGT CHOP /RM ZTLFD-22
```
Report
a routine report filed through ATL
Where
45 nm west (280°) of ATL
Time
01:53 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
ZTLFD-22
B737 at 38,000 ft, 39 nm south, 7:40 pm EDT (23:40 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-08. 228 nm along the route, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LGC UA /OV LGC240025/TM 2340/FL380/TP B737/TB NEG CHOP /RM ZTLFD-08
```
Report
a routine report filed through LGC
Where
25 nm southwest (240°) of LGC
Time
23:40 UTC
Height
at 38,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
no chop
Remarks
ZTLFD-08
B712 at 30,000 ft, 23 nm south, 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. 348 nm along the route, 23 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CBM UA /OV IGB135050/TM 2309/FL300/TP B712/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZME46
```
Report
a routine report filed through CBM
Where
50 nm southeast (135°) of IGB
Time
23:09 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
B712
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
ZME46

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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (CAE, GSP, ATL, BHM, JAN, SHV, DAL). 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	280° at 13 kt	+12 kt		108 kt	7 h 38 min	4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)
6,500 ft	290° at 16 kt	+14 kt	14 °C	106 kt	7 h 46 min	4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC)
8,500 ft	290° at 20 kt	+18 kt	12 °C	102 kt	8 h 05 min	5:12 am CDT (10:12 UTC)
10,500 ft	290° at 22 kt	+19 kt	9 °C	101 kt	8 h 10 min	5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC)
12,500 ft	300° at 23 kt	+19 kt	5 °C	101 kt	8 h 10 min	5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC)
14,500 ft	290° at 23 kt	+20 kt	1 °C	100 kt	8 h 14 min	5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC)
16,500 ft	290° at 24 kt	+21 kt	-2 °C	99 kt	8 h 19 min	5:26 am CDT (10:26 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 24 kt	+22 kt	-5 °C	98 kt	8 h 24 min	5:31 am CDT (10:31 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	290° at 24 kt	+22 kt	-17 °C	98 kt	8 h 24 min	5:31 am CDT (10:31 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	290° at 32 kt	+27 kt	-32 °C	93 kt	8 h 52 min	5:59 am CDT (10:59 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 32 kt	+27 kt	-41 °C	93 kt	8 h 52 min	5:59 am CDT (10:59 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 32 kt	+26 kt	-51 °C	94 kt	8 h 46 min	5:53 am CDT (10:53 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
CAE	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	260/27	310/26 11°	280/31 9°	270/36 7°	250/39 -4°	230/57 -16°	220/74 -30°	220/83 -40°	220/73 -51°
GSP	used from 50 nm out; 68 nm from the line	300/22	310/22 11°	300/22 7°	290/28 5°	270/36 -5°	250/42 -18°	230/54 -31°	230/59 -40°	230/65 -50°
ATL	used from 99 nm out; 42 nm from the line	300/23	320/26 14°	320/34 10°	320/41 5°	290/32 -6°	290/31 -18°	280/28 -33°	260/32 -41°	250/28 -50°
BHM	used from 248 nm out; 14 nm from the line	300/16	330/32 16°	320/37 11°	330/37 6°	310/33 -7°	310/30 -18°	320/40 -34°	330/43 -41°	330/30 -49°
JAN	used from 397 nm out; 52 nm from the line	260/6	310/14 17°	280/13 12°	290/19 6°	310/22 -5°	310/28 -17°	320/44 -32°	330/48 -41°	320/52 -51°
SHV	used from 546 nm out; 74 nm from the line	190/11	230/19 17°	230/26 12°	260/15 7°	280/16 -4°	300/17 -15°	300/34 -30°	300/31 -41°	310/42 -52°
DAL	used from 745 nm out; 70 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°

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
CAE Columbia, SC	departure	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	235 ft	9:56 pm EDT (01:56 UTC)
AIK Aiken, SC	30 nm out, 15 nm south of the line	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	528 ft	01:55 UTC
AHN Athens, GA	109 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	812 ft	01:51 UTC
ATL Atlanta, GA	169 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the northwest (310°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,026 ft	01:52 UTC
TCL Tuscaloosa, AL	328 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	169 ft	01:53 UTC
GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS	377 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	264 ft	01:56 UTC
OSX Kosciusko, MS	427 nm out, 6 nm north of the line	no report just now				494 ft
MLU Monroe, LA	556 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	78 ft	01:53 UTC
SHV Shreveport, LA	646 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 30,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	257 ft	01:56 UTC
GGG Longview, TX	685 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	365 ft	01:53 UTC
LXY Mexia, TX	785 nm out, 8 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	544 ft	01:55 UTC
ACT Waco, TX	destination	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 11 knots	10+ mi	none	516 ft	8:51 pm CDT (01:51 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 ACT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)

Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for ACT

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

The forecast for CAE, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 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

6/8693 Atlanta, GA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 169 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZTL
6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZFW

Daylight

Sunset at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC), at ACT 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm CDT (00:24 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ACT is before sunrise there (7:29 am CDT (12:29 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

Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Columbia Metro Airport, Waco Regional.