Louis Armstrong New Orleans International to Charleston Afb/Intl Airport MSY → CHS
551 nautical miles (635 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 069°, about 070° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 24-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:36 am EDT (09:36 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSY is VFR, wind calm; CHS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) 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: 564 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 MSY.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 at 37,000 ft, 41 nm south, 11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC): light chop turbulence. 305 nm along the route, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TLH UA /OV TLH353039/TM 0427/FL370/TP B738/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through TLH
- Where
- 39 nm north (353°) of TLH
- Time
- 04:27 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- B38M at 36,000 ft, 43 nm southeast, 11:28 pm CDT (04:28 UTC): light chop turbulence. 404 nm along the route, 43 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AMG UA /OV AMG/TM 0428/FL360/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through AMG
- Where
- over AMG
- Time
- 04:28 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
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 6 forecast points nearest it (MSY, MOB, MGM, CSG, SAV, CHS). 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 | 300° at 15 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 4 h 16 min | 6:02 am EDT (10:02 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 17 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 4 h 22 min | 6:08 am EDT (10:08 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −6 kt | 14 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 22 min | 6:08 am EDT (10:08 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | −8 kt | 10 °C | 128 kt | 4 h 18 min | 6:04 am EDT (10:04 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | −10 kt | 8 °C | 130 kt | 4 h 14 min | 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | −13 kt | 4 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 09 min | 5:55 am EDT (09:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 290° at 21 kt | −15 kt | 0 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 05 min | 5:51 am EDT (09:51 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 23 kt | −18 kt | -5 °C | 138 kt | 4 h | 5:46 am EDT (09:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 23 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 4 h | 5:46 am EDT (09:46 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 29 kt | −24 kt | -17 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 50 min | 5:36 am EDT (09:36 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 33 kt | −16 kt | -32 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 03 min | 5:49 am EDT (09:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 34 kt | −20 kt | -41 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 56 min | 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 29 kt | −17 kt | -51 °C | 137 kt | 4 h 01 min | 5:47 am EDT (09:47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 110/5 | 150/6 19° | L/V 12° | 310/5 7° | 310/13 -4° | 290/20 -16° | 330/36 -31° | 330/37 -41° | 350/43 -52° |
| MOB | used from 49 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 330/5 | 330/6 19° | 340/6 11° | 330/10 7° | 320/16 -5° | 310/26 -16° | 340/40 -32° | 340/47 -42° | 350/51 -52° |
| MGM | used from 197 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 246 nm out; 63 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° |
| SAV | used from 394 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 280/23 | 300/22 14° | 290/27 11° | 270/31 6° | 260/36 -5° | 260/38 -17° | 240/49 -32° | 230/68 -40° | 230/59 -51° |
| CHS | used from 492 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 280/21 | 270/23 12° | 280/28 11° | 260/35 6° | 250/41 -5° | 250/45 -16° | 230/59 -32° | 220/74 -40° | 230/67 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY New Orleans, LA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 3 ft | 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC) |
| HSA Bay St Louis, MS | 49 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 22 ft | 00:50 UTC |
| GPT Gulfport, MS | 69 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 28 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| BFM Mobile, AL | 118 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| CEW Crestview, FL | 197 nm out, 22 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 213 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| DHN Dothan, AL | 256 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 400 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| ABY Albany, GA | 325 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 196 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| CKF Cordele, GA | 354 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet Weather: nearby thunderstorms | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 309 ft | 22:30 UTC |
| EZM Eastman, GA | 394 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 303 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| MHP Metter, GA | 443 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 197 ft | 05:30 UTC |
| RBW Walterboro, SC | 522 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 100 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| CHS Charleston, SC | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 400 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CHS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:36 am EDT (09:36 UTC)
Wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CHS
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MSY, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at CHS 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CHS is before sunrise there (7:21 am EDT (11:21 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: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Charleston Afb/Intl Airport.