Denver International to Waco Regional DEN → ACT
613 nautical miles (706 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 142°, about 134° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 22-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:30 am CDT (09:30 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 7 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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 99 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 129 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 119 to 317 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 DEN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- urgent B407 at 10,000 ft, 47 nm southwest, 8:13 pm MDT (02:13 UTC): moderate to severe turbulence. 40 nm along the route, 47 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
COS UUA /OV 10 W COS/TM 0213/FL100/TP B407/TB MDT-SEV
- Report
- an urgent report filed through COS
- Where
- 10 west cos
- Time
- 02:13 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B407
- Turbulence
- mdt-sev
- B738 at 23,000 ft, 28 nm west, 8:34 pm MDT (02:34 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: during the climb ZDVWC-05. At the departure end, 28 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DVV270030/TM 0234/FL230/TP B738/TB MOD /RM DURC ZDVWC-05
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of DVV
- Time
- 02:34 UTC
- Height
- at 23,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- during the climb ZDVWC-05
- A320 descending, 3 nm south, 9:19 pm MDT (03:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the departure end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0319/FLDURD/TP A320/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 03:19 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
- B737 descending, 3 nm south, 8:29 pm MDT (02:29 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the departure end, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0229/FLDURD/TP B737/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 02:29 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
- CL60 at 33,000 ft, 21 nm southwest, 8:35 pm MDT (02:35 UTC): remarks: mtw +/-100FT zdvwc. 49 nm along the route, 21 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
COS UA /OV BRK080015/TM 0235/FL330/TP CL60/RM MTW +/-100FT ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through COS
- Where
- 15 nm east (080°) of BRK
- Time
- 02:35 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CL60
- Remarks
- mtw +/-100FT zdvwc
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 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 (DEN, PUB, GCK, AMA, GAG, SPS, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | +10 kt | 20 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 34 min | 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +4 kt | 15 °C | 116 kt | 5 h 17 min | 5:28 am CDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +1 kt | 12 °C | 119 kt | 5 h 09 min | 5:20 am CDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −3 kt | 9 °C | 123 kt | 4 h 59 min | 5:10 am CDT (10:10 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | −2 kt | 4 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 01 min | 5:12 am CDT (10:12 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | 0 | 0 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 06 min | 5:17 am CDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +2 kt | -5 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 12 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 28 kt | +3 kt | -6 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 14 min | 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 33 kt | −2 kt | -18 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 01 min | 5:12 am CDT (10:12 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 56 kt | −13 kt | -28 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 37 min | 4:48 am CDT (09:48 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 53 kt | −19 kt | -37 °C | 139 kt | 4 h 25 min | 4:36 am CDT (09:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 47 kt | −22 kt | -49 °C | 142 kt | 4 h 19 min | 4:30 am CDT (09:30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| PUB | used from 49 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| GCK | used from 148 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| AMA | used from 247 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 210/38 | 230/29 14° | 240/29 7° | 220/27 -5° | 240/37 -18° | 240/66 -28° | 250/59 -37° | 260/47 -49° | |
| GAG | used from 297 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 220/40 19° | 230/28 14° | 240/23 8° | 230/21 -6° | 240/31 -19° | 250/66 -29° | 260/58 -38° | 260/47 -49° | |
| SPS | used from 396 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| DAL | used from 544 nm out; 58 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN Denver, CO | departure | no report just now | 5,433 ft | ||||
| LIC Limon, CO | 59 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 5,374 ft | ||||
| LHX La Junta, CO | 119 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 4,228 ft | ||||
| LAA Lamar, CO | 139 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,705 ft | ||||
| EHA Elkhart, KS | 218 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 3,621 ft | ||||
| PYX Perryton, TX | 277 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,918 ft | ||||
| PPA Pampa, TX | 307 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,245 ft | ||||
| AXS Altus, OK | 406 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,433 ft | ||||
| ONY Olney, TX | 485 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,275 ft | ||||
| MWL Mineral Wells, TX | 534 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 973 ft | ||||
| GDJ Granbury, TX | 554 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 835 ft | ||||
| ACT Waco, TX | destination | no report just now | 516 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 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, 4:30 am CDT (09:30 UTC)
ACT has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at DEN 6:24 pm MDT (00:24 UTC), at ACT 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm CDT (00:23 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
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: Denver International, Waco Regional.