Plan a flight · Mon 9:06 am CDT (14:06 UTC)

Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field to St. Louis Lambert International LFT → STL

519 nautical miles (597 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 008°, about 005° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 4 h at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:06 pm CDT (18:06 UTC). Right now LFT is VFR, wind calm; STL is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) 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

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 LFT.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B737 at 23,000 ft, 40 nm east, 7:30 am CDT (12:30 UTC): no turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: zhu. 30 nm along the route, 40 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BTR UA /OV KLSU945005/TM 1230/FL230/TP B737/TB NEG 000-230/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through BTR
Where
5 nm southwest (945°) of KLSU
Time
12:30 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
no from 0 ft to 23,000 ft
Remarks
zhu
A21N at 34,000 ft, 40 nm east, 6:37 am CDT (11:37 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zhu. 30 nm along the route, 40 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BTR UA /OV KBTR/TM 1137/FL340/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through BTR
Where
over KBTR
Time
11:37 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
none
Remarks
zhu
PC12 at 20,000 ft, 45 nm west, 8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 50 nm along the route, 45 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AEX UA /OV AEX250010/TM 1349/FL200/TP PC12/TB LGT CHOP/RM ZHU
```
Report
a routine report filed through AEX
Where
10 nm west (250°) of AEX
Time
13:49 UTC
Height
at 20,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Turbulence
light chop
Remarks
zhu
BE9L at 5,000 ft, 19 nm west, 8:06 am CDT (13:06 UTC): clear from 5,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: ZME65. 210 nm along the route, 19 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LLQ UA /OV LLQ/TM 1306/FL050/TP BE9L/SK SKC/RM ZME65
```
Report
a routine report filed through LLQ
Where
over LLQ
Time
13:06 UTC
Height
at 5,000 ft
Aircraft
BE9L
Sky
clear
Remarks
ZME65
BE33 at 4,500 ft, 43 nm east, 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC): clear from 4,500 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: ZME65. 260 nm along the route, 43 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UTA UA /OV UTA180015/TM 1305/FL045/TP BE33/SK SKC/RM ZME65
```
Report
a routine report filed through UTA
Where
15 nm south (180°) of UTA
Time
13:05 UTC
Height
at 4,500 ft
Aircraft
BE33
Sky
clear
Remarks
ZME65
E170 at 14,000 ft, 29 nm west, 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, remarks: ZME65. 290 nm along the route, 29 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LIT UA /OV LIT045030/TM 1119/FL140/TP E170/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZME65
```
Report
a routine report filed through LIT
Where
30 nm northeast (045°) of LIT
Time
11:19 UTC
Height
at 14,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
Remarks
ZME65

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 (LCH, JAN, LIT, MEM, CGI, STL). 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	240° at 17 kt	−10 kt		130 kt	4 h	1:06 pm CDT (18:06 UTC)
5,500 ft	240° at 17 kt	−9 kt		129 kt	4 h 01 min	1:07 pm CDT (18:07 UTC)
7,500 ft	250° at 15 kt	−8 kt	14 °C	128 kt	4 h 03 min	1:09 pm CDT (18:09 UTC)
9,500 ft	250° at 14 kt	−7 kt	10 °C	127 kt	4 h 05 min	1:11 pm CDT (18:11 UTC)
11,500 ft	250° at 13 kt	−6 kt	7 °C	126 kt	4 h 07 min	1:13 pm CDT (18:13 UTC)
13,500 ft	260° at 14 kt	−5 kt	3 °C	125 kt	4 h 09 min	1:15 pm CDT (18:15 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 16 kt	−4 kt	-1 °C	124 kt	4 h 11 min	1:17 pm CDT (18:17 UTC)
17,500 ft	270° at 19 kt	−2 kt	-5 °C	122 kt	4 h 15 min	1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	270° at 20 kt	−2 kt	-6 °C	122 kt	4 h 15 min	1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 22 kt	−1 kt	-17 °C	121 kt	4 h 17 min	1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 38 kt	+14 kt	-30 °C	106 kt	4 h 54 min	2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 43 kt	+18 kt	-40 °C	102 kt	5 h 05 min	2:11 pm CDT (19:11 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 43 kt	+25 kt	-51 °C	95 kt	5 h 28 min	2:34 pm CDT (19:34 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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
LCH	used from 0 nm out; 74 nm from the line	170/21	160/23 18°	170/13 13°	170/6 8°	300/12 -7°	280/16 -14°	320/27 -30°	330/23 -41°	340/38 -51°
JAN	used from 50 nm out; 101 nm from the line	240/10	260/15 18°	280/10 11°	290/6 6°	290/15 -5°	300/15 -17°	320/35 -30°	330/38 -40°	330/39 -51°
LIT	used from 200 nm out; 67 nm from the line	250/22	250/25 18°	240/23 12°	240/20 7°	250/17 -6°	260/25 -17°	300/45 -29°	300/49 -40°	310/43 -51°
MEM	used from 300 nm out; 59 nm from the line	250/19	260/19 17°	270/20 12°	270/16 6°	270/21 -6°	290/27 -17°	300/37 -30°	300/49 -40°	310/40 -51°
CGI	used from 349 nm out; 80 nm from the line	260/22	250/15 15°	250/13 11°	250/16 6°	270/29 -7°	280/30 -18°	290/40 -31°	290/55 -40°	300/51 -51°
STL	used from 449 nm out; 45 nm from the line	250/26	240/21 15°	240/22 11°	250/23 6°	270/28 -7°	260/30 -19°	280/52 -31°	280/57 -40°	300/57 -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
LFT Lafayette, LA	departure	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	40 ft	8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC)
OPL Opelousas, LA	20 nm out, 9 nm west of the line	VFR	from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	74 ft	13:55 UTC
HEZ Natchez, MS	90 nm out, 23 nm east of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	272 ft	13:56 UTC
MLU Monroe, LA	140 nm out, 23 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	78 ft	13:53 UTC
GLH Greenville, MS	200 nm out, 21 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	130 ft	13:53 UTC
LLQ Monticello, AR	210 nm out, 19 nm west of the line	VFR	from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	267 ft	13:53 UTC
DRP Colt, AR	300 nm out, 13 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots	7 mi	none	238 ft	13:55 UTC
ARG Walnut Ridge, AR	359 nm out, 1 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	279 ft	13:56 UTC
POF Poplar Bluff, MO	399 nm out, 22 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	330 ft	13:53 UTC
PYN Piedmont, MO	419 nm out, 1 nm north of the line	no report just now				466 ft
STL St Louis, MO	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots	10+ mi	none	617 ft	8:51 am CDT (13:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 617 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At STL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:06 pm CDT (18:06 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for STL

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for LFT, the departure

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 LFT 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC), at STL 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 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

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field, St. Louis Lambert International.