Northwest Florida Beaches International to Waco Regional ECP → ACT
593 nautical miles (683 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 283° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 04 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot headwind), arriving about 1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ECP is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots; ACT is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 8 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 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 49 to 138 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 ECP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 20 nm north, 5:27 pm CDT (22:27 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 119 nm along the route, 20 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
MOB UA /OV SJI040025/TM 2227/FL340/TP B739/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through MOB
- Where
- 25 nm northeast (040°) of SJI
- Time
- 22:27 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- B39M at 32,000 ft, 5 nm northwest, 6:07 pm CDT (23:07 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 346 nm along the route, 5 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
AEX UA /OV AEX/TM 2307/FL320/TP B39M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through AEX
- Where
- over AEX
- Time
- 23:07 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- zhu
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 6 forecast points nearest it (TLH, MOB, MSY, LCH, SHV, CLL). 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 | 250° at 3 kt | +3 kt | 117 kt | 5 h 04 min | 1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 5 kt | +5 kt | 16 °C | 115 kt | 5 h 09 min | 1:32 am CDT (06:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 7 kt | +7 kt | 13 °C | 113 kt | 5 h 15 min | 1:38 am CDT (06:38 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 10 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 23 min | 1:46 am CDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 13 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 33 min | 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 13 kt | +13 kt | 2 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 33 min | 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 14 kt | +14 kt | -2 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 36 min | 1:59 am CDT (06:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 14 kt | +14 kt | -5 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 36 min | 1:59 am CDT (06:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 19 kt | +18 kt | -15 °C | 102 kt | 5 h 49 min | 2:12 am CDT (07:12 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 33 kt | +26 kt | -31 °C | 94 kt | 6 h 19 min | 2:42 am CDT (07:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 32 kt | +23 kt | -41 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 07 min | 2:30 am CDT (07:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 34 kt | +26 kt | -52 °C | 94 kt | 6 h 19 min | 2:42 am CDT (07:42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLH | used from 0 nm out; 99 nm from the line | 300/17 | 340/32 17° | 320/27 13° | 300/27 8° | 280/23 -7° | 250/37 -17° | 230/44 -33° | 220/53 -41° | 220/48 -51° |
| MOB | used from 49 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/18 18° | 330/16 12° | 300/18 7° | 320/17 -6° | 330/27 -17° | 340/52 -33° | 350/53 -43° | 330/38 -50° |
| MSY | used from 198 nm out; 58 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 18° | L/V 12° | 300/11 7° | 330/15 -4° | 320/22 -16° | 330/38 -32° | 350/47 -42° | 340/56 -52° |
| LCH | used from 297 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 190/6 | 180/8 18° | 170/13 12° | 220/12 7° | 290/10 -4° | 280/15 -14° | 320/30 -31° | 320/32 -40° | 320/39 -53° |
| SHV | used from 395 nm out; 66 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° |
| CLL | used from 494 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 160/18 | 190/18 16° | 200/19 12° | 220/14 7° | 260/18 -5° | 250/20 -13° | 290/29 -29° | 290/31 -40° | 300/22 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECP Panama City, FL | departure | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 68 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
| VPS Valparaiso/Destin-Ft Walton Beach, FL | 40 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 84 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| PNS Pensacola, FL | 69 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 120 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| MOB Mobile, AL | 129 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 218 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| BXA Bogalusa, LA | 208 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 119 ft | 01:15 UTC |
| MCB Mc Comb, MS | 247 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 413 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| MKV Marksville, LA | 326 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 22:15 UTC |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 356 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 88 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| OCH Nacogdoches, TX | 465 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | reported, no category | from the east-southeast (120°) at 5 knots | none | 343 ft | 00:56 UTC | |
| DKR Crockett, TX | 494 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 348 ft | ||||
| LXY Mexia, TX | 554 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 544 ft | 01:15 UTC |
| ACT Waco, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 7:51 pm CDT (00:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 544 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, 1:27 am CDT (06:27 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 ECP, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 ECP 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 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
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: Northwest Florida Beaches International, Waco Regional.