Central Nebraska Regional to Waco Regional GRI → ACT
564 nautical miles (649 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 174°, about 167° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GRI is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; ACT is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 12 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 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 first 238 nm of 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 GRI.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (GRI, SLN, ICT, OKC, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 200° at 40 kt | +35 kt | 85 kt | 6 h 38 min | 4:43 am CDT (09:43 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +22 kt | 21 °C | 98 kt | 5 h 45 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +15 kt | 16 °C | 105 kt | 5 h 22 min | 3:27 am CDT (08:27 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | +10 kt | 13 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 08 min | 3:13 am CDT (08:13 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +7 kt | 9 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 59 min | 3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | +7 kt | 5 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 59 min | 3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | +8 kt | 0 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 02 min | 3:07 am CDT (08:07 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +9 kt | -5 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 05 min | 3:10 am CDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 21 kt | +9 kt | -6 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 05 min | 3:10 am CDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 28 kt | +9 kt | -17 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 05 min | 3:10 am CDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 49 kt | +7 kt | -29 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 59 min | 3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 50 kt | −1 kt | -39 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 40 min | 2:45 am CDT (07:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 46 kt | −6 kt | -50 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 29 min | 2:34 am CDT (07:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRI | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| SLN | used from 49 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| ICT | used from 148 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 200/48 | 230/39 19° | 240/24 14° | 240/20 8° | 240/22 -6° | 250/31 -18° | 250/61 -29° | 260/58 -38° | 270/54 -49° |
| OKC | used from 247 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 200/44 | 230/32 18° | 240/13 15° | 240/10 9° | 240/20 -5° | 250/27 -16° | 260/47 -28° | 270/48 -39° | 270/45 -50° |
| SPS | used from 396 nm out; 50 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 445 nm out; 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRI Grand Island, NE | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
| HSI Hastings, NE | 20 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,961 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| TKO Mankato, KS | 69 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,859 ft | ||||
| SLN Salina, KS | 129 nm out, 18 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| HUT Hutchinson, KS | 178 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 1,542 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| WDG Enid, OK | 277 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 1,167 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| PWA Oklahoma City, OK | 327 nm out, 1 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 16 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,299 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| OUN Norman, OK | 346 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,181 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| ADM Ardmore, OK | 406 nm out, 25 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 776 ft | 19:50 UTC |
| FWS Fort Worth, TX | 505 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 700 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| CPT Cleburne, TX | 515 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 854 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| ACT Waco, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 516 ft | 9:51 pm CDT (02:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,961 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, 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ACT
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 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 GRI, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 12 nm from the route, 495 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at GRI 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 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: Central Nebraska Regional, Waco Regional.