Pensacola International to Northwest Alabama Regional PNS → MSL
257 nautical miles (296 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 355°, about 357° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 11:11 pm CDT (04:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PNS is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 7 knots; MSL 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: 50 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 PNS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 26,000 ft, 4 nm west, 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 28,000 ft, remarks: ZTLFD-11. 59 nm along the route, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GZH UA /OV MVC/TM 2319/FL260/TP B737/TB CONS MOD CHOP 260-280/RM ZTLFD-11
- Report
- a routine report filed through GZH
- Where
- over MVC
- Time
- 23:19 UTC
- Height
- at 26,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- continuous moderate chop from 26,000 ft to 28,000 ft
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-11
- A21N at 33,000 ft, 1 nm east, 5:51 pm CDT (22:51 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-11. 89 nm along the route, 1 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
GZH UA /OV MVC360030/TM 2251/FL330/TP A21N/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZTLFD-11
- Report
- a routine report filed through GZH
- Where
- 30 nm north (360°) of MVC
- Time
- 22:51 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-11
- BE40 at 29,000 ft, 29 nm west, 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zme. At the destination end, 29 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TUP UA /OV TUP045041/TM 2322/FL290/TP BE40/TB OCNL MOD CHOP 290-260/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through TUP
- Where
- 41 nm northeast (045°) of TUP
- Time
- 23:22 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE40
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop from 29,000 ft to 26,000 ft
- Remarks
- zme
- UAL1770 at 34,000 ft, 31 nm west, 5:55 pm CDT (22:55 UTC): light chop turbulence, wind 349° at 61 knots. 129 nm along the route, 31 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1770 3230N 08800W 2255 F340 349/061KT TB CONT LGT CHOP CONT LGT TURB IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- B712 at 30,000 ft, 23 nm west, 6:09 pm CDT (23:09 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. 148 nm along the route, 23 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CBM UA /OV IGB135050/TM 2309/FL300/TP B712/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZME46
- Report
- a routine report filed through CBM
- Where
- 50 nm southeast (135°) of IGB
- Time
- 23:09 UTC
- Height
- at 30,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B712
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- Remarks
- ZME46
- A21N at 34,000 ft, 23 nm west, 6:05 pm CDT (23:05 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZME46. 148 nm along the route, 23 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CBM UA /OV IGB135050/TM 2305/FL340/TP A21N/TB LGT-MOD CHOP/RM ZME46
- Report
- a routine report filed through CBM
- Where
- 50 nm southeast (135°) of IGB
- Time
- 23:05 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- light to moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZME46
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (MOB, MGM, BHM, HSV). 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 | 320° at 21 kt | +17 kt | 103 kt | 2 h 30 min | 11:11 pm CDT (04:11 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 29 kt | +27 kt | 15 °C | 93 kt | 2 h 46 min | 11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 31 kt | +28 kt | 12 °C | 92 kt | 2 h 48 min | 11:29 pm CDT (04:29 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 32 kt | +27 kt | 9 °C | 93 kt | 2 h 46 min | 11:27 pm CDT (04:27 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 31 kt | +26 kt | 5 °C | 94 kt | 2 h 44 min | 11:25 pm CDT (04:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 30 kt | +24 kt | 1 °C | 96 kt | 2 h 41 min | 11:22 pm CDT (04:22 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | +23 kt | -4 °C | 97 kt | 2 h 39 min | 11:20 pm CDT (04:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 29 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 2 h 37 min | 11:18 pm CDT (04:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 29 kt | +24 kt | -17 °C | 96 kt | 2 h 41 min | 11:22 pm CDT (04:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 36 kt | +28 kt | -34 °C | 92 kt | 2 h 48 min | 11:29 pm CDT (04:29 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 39 kt | +35 kt | -41 °C | 85 kt | 3 h 01 min | 11:42 pm CDT (04:42 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 32 kt | +28 kt | -49 °C | 92 kt | 2 h 48 min | 11:29 pm CDT (04:29 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOB | used from 0 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/18 18° | 330/16 12° | 300/18 7° | 320/17 -6° | 330/27 -17° | 340/52 -33° | 350/53 -43° | 330/38 -50° |
| MGM | used from 49 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 300/16 | 330/30 16° | 330/34 11° | 320/31 7° | 310/28 -7° | 320/29 -17° | 290/25 -34° | 300/28 -41° | 320/28 -50° |
| BHM | used from 148 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 300/16 | 330/32 16° | 320/37 11° | 330/37 6° | 310/33 -7° | 310/30 -18° | 320/40 -34° | 330/43 -41° | 330/30 -49° |
| HSV | used from 198 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 290/15 | 330/34 16° | 330/38 11° | 330/40 5° | 320/36 -7° | 320/31 -18° | 320/44 -34° | 330/53 -41° | 330/34 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNS Pensacola, FL | departure | VFR | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 120 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
| MVC Monroeville, AL | 59 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 419 ft | ||||
| SEM Selma, AL | 109 nm out, 19 nm east 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 | |
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | 168 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 169 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| JFX Jasper, AL | 208 nm out, 11 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 482 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| HAB Hamilton, AL | 218 nm out, 23 nm west of the line | no report just now | 436 ft | ||||
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 550 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 550 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:11 pm CDT (04:11 UTC)
Wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for MSL
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for PNS, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 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 PNS 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC), at MSL 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSL is before sunrise there (6:53 am CDT (11:53 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: Pensacola International, Northwest Alabama Regional.