Laredo International to Alexandria International LRD → AEX
427 nautical miles (491 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 056°, about 051° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:40 am CDT (14:40 UTC). Right now LRD is marginal VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots; AEX 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: 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 LRD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A320 at 21,000 ft, 36 nm northwest, 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 159 nm along the route, 36 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SAT UA /OV SAT090060/TM 1045/FL210/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAT
- Where
- 60 nm east (090°) of SAT
- Time
- 10:45 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- SF30 at 21,000 ft, 5 nm north, 4:35 am CDT (09:35 UTC): light rime icing, -10 °C, remarks: zhu. 258 nm along the route, 5 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV DAS02002/TM 0935/FL210/TP SF30/TA M10/IC LGT RIME/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- DAS02002
- Time
- 09:35 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SF30
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- zhu
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 5 forecast points nearest it (LRD, CRP, PSX, HOU, LCH). 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 | 160° at 21 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 3 h 23 min | 9:47 am CDT (14:47 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 170° at 21 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 3 h 22 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 170° at 16 kt | −7 kt | 16 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 22 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 180° at 11 kt | −6 kt | 13 °C | 126 kt | 3 h 23 min | 9:47 am CDT (14:47 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 190° at 6 kt | −4 kt | 9 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 27 min | 9:51 am CDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 5 kt | −5 kt | 5 °C | 125 kt | 3 h 25 min | 9:49 am CDT (14:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 6 kt | −6 kt | 0 °C | 126 kt | 3 h 23 min | 9:47 am CDT (14:47 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 9 kt | −8 kt | -5 °C | 128 kt | 3 h 20 min | 9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 9 kt | −9 kt | -6 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 19 min | 9:43 am CDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 11 kt | −11 kt | -13 °C | 131 kt | 3 h 16 min | 9:40 am CDT (14:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 13 kt | −3 kt | -30 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 28 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 13 kt | 0 | -40 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 34 min | 9:58 am CDT (14:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 360° at 30 kt | +16 kt | -51 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 06 min | 10:30 am CDT (15:30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRD | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 160/22 | 170/23 18° | 190/18 15° | 210/12 10° | 220/17 -4° | 200/11 -15° | 150/13 -29° | 060/8 -40° | 030/28 -51° |
| CRP | used from 50 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 140/21 | 160/22 17° | 180/14 13° | 210/6 9° | 270/10 -5° | 200/8 -13° | L/V -29° | L/V -40° | 030/28 -51° |
| PSX | used from 149 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 160/24 | 190/17 17° | 200/10 15° | L/V 8° | 260/7 -5° | 220/10 -12° | 310/11 -30° | 320/13 -40° | 010/29 -51° |
| HOU | used from 198 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 180/22 | 180/20 16° | 170/7 15° | L/V 8° | 220/11 -6° | 260/15 -13° | 310/20 -30° | 320/20 -40° | 350/32 -51° |
| LCH | used from 298 nm out; 58 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRD Laredo, TX | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 4,300 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 508 ft | 6:06 am CDT (11:06 UTC) |
| BEA Beeville, TX | 99 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,700 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | from the east-northeast (070°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 272 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| VCT Victoria, TX | 159 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 feet, scattered clouds at 3,400 feet, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet | from the east (080°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 115 ft | 10:51 UTC |
| ARM Wharton, TX | 198 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 100 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| SGR Houston, TX | 238 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 81 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| IAH Houston, TX | 258 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 23,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 95 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| BMT Beaumont, TX | 318 nm out, 21 nm south of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 31 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| DRI De Ridder, LA | 377 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 201 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 88 ft | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 508 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AEX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:40 am CDT (14:40 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for AEX
- 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-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for LRD, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
- At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds 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 LRD 7:11 pm CDT (00:11 UTC), at AEX 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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: Laredo International, Alexandria International.