William P Hobby Airport to Indianapolis International HOU → IND
749 nautical miles (862 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 034°, about 031° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 15-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:57 am EDT (08:57 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now HOU is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots; IND is VFR, wind calm. 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: 989 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 last 80 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 HOU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 27,000 ft, 14 nm northwest, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the departure end, 14 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- IH340035
- Time
- 00:42 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- lt chop during the climb
- Remarks
- zhu
- A21N at 17,000 ft, 30 nm southeast, 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC): no icing, clear from 17,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: clear since departing KIND southbound. At the destination end, 30 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
IND UA /OV IND183045/TM 0128/FL170/TP A21N/SK SKC/IC NEG/RM CLR SINCE DEPARTING KIND SOUTHBOUND
- Report
- a routine report filed through IND
- Where
- 45 nm south (183°) of IND
- Time
- 01:28 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Sky
- clear
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- clear since departing KIND southbound
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 8 forecast points nearest it (HOU, LCH, SHV, LIT, MEM, CGI, EVV, IND). 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 | 230° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 135 kt | 5 h 33 min | 4:57 am EDT (08:57 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −13 kt | 133 kt | 5 h 38 min | 5:02 am EDT (09:02 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | −12 kt | 14 °C | 132 kt | 5 h 40 min | 5:04 am EDT (09:04 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | −10 kt | 11 °C | 130 kt | 5 h 46 min | 5:10 am EDT (09:10 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 11 kt | −6 kt | 8 °C | 126 kt | 5 h 57 min | 5:21 am EDT (09:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 12 kt | −5 kt | 4 °C | 125 kt | 6 h | 5:24 am EDT (09:24 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | −5 kt | 0 °C | 125 kt | 6 h | 5:24 am EDT (09:24 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 15 kt | −5 kt | -4 °C | 125 kt | 6 h | 5:24 am EDT (09:24 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 15 kt | −5 kt | -5 °C | 125 kt | 6 h | 5:24 am EDT (09:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 20 kt | −5 kt | -17 °C | 125 kt | 6 h | 5:24 am EDT (09:24 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 33 kt | 0 | -31 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 14 min | 5:38 am EDT (09:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 42 kt | −1 kt | -40 °C | 121 kt | 6 h 11 min | 5:35 am EDT (09:35 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 43 kt | +4 kt | -52 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 27 min | 5:51 am EDT (09:51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | used from 0 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° |
| LCH | used from 50 nm out; 73 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° |
| SHV | used from 100 nm out; 65 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° |
| LIT | used from 250 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| MEM | used from 350 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| CGI | used from 499 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| EVV | used from 599 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| IND | used from 699 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU Houston, TX | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
| IAH Houston, TX | 20 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 95 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| JAS Jasper, TX | 100 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| RSN Ruston, LA | 220 nm out, 17 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 316 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| ELD El Dorado, AR | 250 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 277 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| LLQ Monticello, AR | 300 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 267 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| DRP Colt, AR | 399 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 238 ft | 03:10 UTC |
| BYH Blytheville, AR | 469 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 254 ft | ||||
| PAH Paducah, KY | 549 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 410 ft | 00:00 UTC |
| EVV Evansville, IN | 639 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 421 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 709 nm out, 11 nm east of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | 200 ft | 845 ft | 03:17 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 796 ft | 10:54 pm EDT (02:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 845 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IND when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:57 am EDT (08:57 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist, a few clouds at 700 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for IND
- From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist, a few clouds at 700 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for HOU, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 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
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 HOU 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at IND 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:37 pm EDT (23:37 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IND is before sunrise there (7:52 am EDT (11:52 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: William P Hobby Airport, Indianapolis International.