Purdue University Airport to Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport LAF → TCL
433 nautical miles (498 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 184°, about 185° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 39 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 43-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LAF is low IFR, wind calm; TCL is IFR, 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: 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
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 246 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 LAF.
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 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 (IND, EVV, BNA, HSV, BHM). 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 | 310° at 17 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 3 h 20 min | 6:02 am CDT (11:02 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −13 kt | 16 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 15 min | 5:57 am CDT (10:57 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | −16 kt | 11 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 11 min | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | −16 kt | 8 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 11 min | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 4 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 11 min | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | −15 kt | 0 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 12 min | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | −15 kt | -4 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 12 min | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 23 kt | −15 kt | -7 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 12 min | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 29 kt | −24 kt | -18 °C | 144 kt | 3 h | 5:42 am CDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 47 kt | −36 kt | -33 °C | 156 kt | 2 h 47 min | 5:29 am CDT (10:29 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 59 kt | −43 kt | -41 °C | 163 kt | 2 h 39 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 49 kt | −40 kt | -50 °C | 160 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:24 am CDT (10:24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IND | used from 0 nm out; 36 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° |
| EVV | used from 98 nm out; 27 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° |
| BNA | used from 197 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| HSV | used from 295 nm out; 43 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° |
| BHM | used from 394 nm out; 42 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAF Lafayette, IN | departure | low IFR Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 605 ft | 3:36 am EDT (07:36 UTC) |
| CFJ Crawfordsville, IN | 30 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 800 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 59 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the east (090°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 07:29 UTC |
| DCY Washington, IN | 98 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 7 mi | none | 472 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 157 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 407 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| JQD Hartford, KY | 177 nm out, 18 nm east of the line | no report just now | 537 ft | ||||
| JWN Nashville, TN | 256 nm out, 23 nm east of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 501 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| GHM Centerville, TN | 276 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 765 ft | ||||
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | 344 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 550 ft | 07:18 UTC |
| HAB Hamilton, AL | 384 nm out, 23 nm west of the line | no report just now | 436 ft | ||||
| JFX Jasper, AL | 394 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 482 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | destination | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 169 ft | 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 800 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TCL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet IFR
At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist IFR
The whole forecast for TCL
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for LAF, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 3 miles, mist, shallow fog, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 1 mile, mist, shallow fog, overcast at 200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, shallow fog, a few clouds at 200 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 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 LAF 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 UTC), at TCL 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at TCL is before sunrise there (6:52 am CDT (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: Purdue University Airport, Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport.