George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport to Columbia Metro Airport IAH → CAE
762 nautical miles (876 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 068°, about 065° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 18-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now IAH is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots; CAE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 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: 2 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 IAH.
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 7 forecast points nearest it (HOU, LCH, JAN, MGM, CSG, ATL, CAE). 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 | 280° at 7 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 6 h | 5:04 am EDT (09:04 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 9 kt | −5 kt | 125 kt | 6 h 06 min | 5:10 am EDT (09:10 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 12 kt | −5 kt | 14 °C | 125 kt | 6 h 06 min | 5:10 am EDT (09:10 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | −6 kt | 11 °C | 126 kt | 6 h 03 min | 5:07 am EDT (09:07 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | −7 kt | 8 °C | 127 kt | 6 h | 5:04 am EDT (09:04 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −9 kt | 4 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 54 min | 4:58 am EDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | −11 kt | 0 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 49 min | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | −13 kt | -4 °C | 133 kt | 5 h 44 min | 4:48 am EDT (08:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 20 kt | −14 kt | -5 °C | 134 kt | 5 h 41 min | 4:45 am EDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -16 °C | 138 kt | 5 h 31 min | 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 37 kt | −16 kt | -32 °C | 136 kt | 5 h 36 min | 4:40 am EDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 38 kt | −14 kt | -41 °C | 134 kt | 5 h 41 min | 4:45 am EDT (08:45 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 35 kt | −11 kt | -51 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 49 min | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 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; 35 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 49 nm out; 45 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° |
| JAN | used from 198 nm out; 88 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° |
| MGM | used from 396 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 310/19 | 340/24 17° | 340/28 11° | 330/16 7° | 300/23 -7° | 320/32 -16° | 330/46 -33° | 330/55 -42° | 330/41 -50° |
| CSG | used from 544 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 310/24 | 340/35 17° | 340/37 12° | 330/22 8° | 310/30 -7° | 290/30 -18° | 340/57 -32° | 340/55 -41° | 320/33 -49° |
| ATL | used from 593 nm out; 33 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° |
| CAE | used from 692 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/15 | 330/13 12° | 330/22 9° | 300/26 6° | 280/33 -7° | 270/38 -18° | 250/45 -33° | 240/46 -40° | 270/38 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IAH Houston, TX | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 95 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
| BMT Beaumont, TX | 59 nm out, 17 nm south of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 31 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| ACP Oakdale, LA | 148 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 107 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 168 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 88 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| MCB Mc Comb, MS | 257 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 413 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| MEI Meridian, MS | 366 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 297 ft | 01:58 UTC |
| SEM Selma, AL | 455 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the east (080°) at 27 knots, gusting to 37 | 3,300 ft | 166 ft | 01:30 UTC | |
| MGM Montgomery, AL | 475 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 221 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| AUO Auburn, AL | 534 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 05:21 UTC | |
| CPP Greensboro, GA | 663 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 688 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| AGS Augusta, GA | 712 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 145 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 235 ft | 9:56 pm EDT (01:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 776 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:35 am EDT (08:35 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CAE
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for IAH, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-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 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 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 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
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 IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CAE is before sunrise there (7:26 am EDT (11:26 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: George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport, Columbia Metro Airport.