Robert Gray Army Airfield to Charlotte/Douglas International GRK → CLT
883 nautical miles (1,016 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 069°, about 065° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 19-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:01 am EDT (13:01 UTC). Right now GRK is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 12 knots; CLT is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 7 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: 5 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 625 to 655 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 159 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 754 to 764 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 774 to 814 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 GRK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 (CLL, SHV, JAN, BHM, HSV, ATL, GSP). 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 | 270° at 9 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 6 h 48 min | 9:28 am EDT (13:28 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 10 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 6 h 48 min | 9:28 am EDT (13:28 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 290° at 12 kt | −11 kt | 14 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:24 am EDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 290° at 14 kt | −11 kt | 11 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:24 am EDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | −10 kt | 8 °C | 130 kt | 6 h 48 min | 9:28 am EDT (13:28 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | −11 kt | 4 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:24 am EDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | −13 kt | -1 °C | 133 kt | 6 h 38 min | 9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | −14 kt | -4 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 35 min | 9:15 am EDT (13:15 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 19 kt | −15 kt | -5 °C | 135 kt | 6 h 32 min | 9:12 am EDT (13:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 23 kt | −16 kt | -16 °C | 136 kt | 6 h 30 min | 9:10 am EDT (13:10 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 35 kt | −19 kt | -31 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 21 min | 9:01 am EDT (13:01 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 36 kt | −17 kt | -40 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 27 min | 9:07 am EDT (13:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 37 kt | −14 kt | -51 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 35 min | 9:15 am EDT (13:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLL | used from 0 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| SHV | used from 149 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| JAN | used from 298 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 230/10 | 270/13 18° | 270/11 12° | 310/11 6° | 300/15 -4° | 300/22 -16° | 310/33 -31° | 320/37 -41° | 330/41 -52° |
| BHM | used from 496 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| HSV | used from 595 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| ATL | used from 645 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| GSP | used from 744 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 320/22 | 340/19 13° | 320/18 8° | 310/24 5° | 300/34 -7° | 300/36 -18° | 290/30 -33° | 300/32 -39° | 320/42 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRK Fort Hood (Killeen), TX | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 18,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 18,000 ft | 1,015 ft | 12:55 am CDT (05:55 UTC) |
| CNW Waco, TX | 50 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 470 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| PSN Palestine, TX | 119 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 422 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| SHV Shreveport, LA | 218 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 257 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 308 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GWO Greenwood, MS | 417 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 162 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS | 486 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 264 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| BFZ Albertville, AL | 615 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 8 mi | none | 1,032 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| CZL Calhoun, GA | 685 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 2.5 mi | none | 655 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LQK Pickens, SC | 794 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,013 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| GSP Greer, SC | 814 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 963 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 1:52 am EDT (05:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,032 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:01 am EDT (13:01 UTC)
Wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for GRK, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- Changing between Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC) and 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) to: wind from the southeast at 6 knots, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- Changing between Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC) to: wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- Changing between Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC) to: wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 11 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at GRK 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 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: Robert Gray Army Airfield, Charlotte/Douglas International.