Northwest Florida Beaches International to William P Hobby Airport ECP → HOU
495 nautical miles (569 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 267°, about 270° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 05 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ECP is VFR, wind calm; HOU is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) 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: 727 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 ECP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 30,000 ft, 37 nm south, 11:25 pm CDT (04:25 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 356 nm along the route, 37 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
LFT UA /OV LLA205025/TM 0425/FL300/TP A321/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through LFT
- Where
- 25 nm southwest (205°) of LLA
- Time
- 04:25 UTC
- Height
- at 30,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- zhu
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (TLH, MOB, MSY, LCH, HOU). 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 | 160° at 5 kt | −1 kt | 121 kt | 4 h 05 min | 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 150° at 4 kt | −1 kt | 18 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 05 min | 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 2 kt | +1 kt | 13 °C | 119 kt | 4 h 10 min | 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 280° at 4 kt | +4 kt | 10 °C | 116 kt | 4 h 16 min | 6:01 am CDT (11:01 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 7 kt | +6 kt | 7 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 21 min | 6:06 am CDT (11:06 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 9 kt | +8 kt | 2 °C | 112 kt | 4 h 25 min | 6:10 am CDT (11:10 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 11 kt | +9 kt | -2 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 28 min | 6:13 am CDT (11:13 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 13 kt | +11 kt | -5 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 32 min | 6:17 am CDT (11:17 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 19 kt | +17 kt | -15 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 48 min | 6:33 am CDT (11:33 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 32 kt | +16 kt | -31 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 46 min | 6:31 am CDT (11:31 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 36 kt | +16 kt | -41 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 46 min | 6:31 am CDT (11:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 340° at 38 kt | +9 kt | -52 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 28 min | 6:13 am CDT (11:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TLH | used from 0 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/31 18° | 340/24 13° | 310/17 8° | 280/22 -7° | 300/25 -17° | 320/28 -33° | 320/24 -41° | 320/25 -50° |
| MOB | used from 49 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 330/5 | 330/6 19° | 340/6 11° | 330/10 7° | 320/16 -5° | 310/26 -16° | 340/40 -32° | 340/47 -42° | 350/51 -52° |
| MSY | used from 198 nm out; 12 nm from the line | 110/5 | 150/6 19° | L/V 12° | 310/5 7° | 310/13 -4° | 290/20 -16° | 330/36 -31° | 330/37 -41° | 350/43 -52° |
| LCH | used from 297 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| HOU | used from 445 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECP Panama City, FL | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 68 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| DTS Destin, FL | 40 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 22 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| PNS Pensacola, FL | 69 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 120 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| JKA Gulf Shores, AL | 99 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 17 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| HSA Bay St Louis, MS | 188 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 22 ft | 00:50 UTC |
| NEW New Orleans, LA | 218 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| REG Gonzales, LA | 267 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1 mi | 200 ft | 14 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| ARA New Iberia, LA | 317 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 24 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LCH Lake Charles, LA | 386 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 14 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BPT Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX | 425 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 14 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| HPY Baytown, TX | 475 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 33 ft | ||||
| HOU Houston, TX | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 22,000 ft | 46 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 120 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HOU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC)
Wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for HOU
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
The forecast for ECP, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 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
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 ECP 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at HOU 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HOU is before sunrise there (7:20 am CDT (12:20 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, William P Hobby Airport.