Santa FE Regional to George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport SAF → IAH
639 nautical miles (735 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 119°, about 111° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 35-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:13 am CDT (12:13 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SAF is VFR, wind variable at 3 knots; IAH 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: 6 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the first 70 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 40 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 SAF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- PC12 at 14,000 ft, 9 nm southwest, 12:06 am MDT (06:06 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs. 120 nm along the route, 9 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVN UA /OV TXO260060/TM 0606/FL140/TP PC12/TB MOD/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVN
- Where
- 60 nm west (260°) of TXO
- Time
- 06:06 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
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 7 forecast points nearest it (ABQ, TCC, LBB, ABI, DAL, CLL, HOU). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 31 kt | +8 kt | 17 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 42 min | 8:48 am CDT (13:48 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 25 kt | +3 kt | 15 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 28 min | 8:34 am CDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | −3 kt | 13 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 12 min | 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | −7 kt | 9 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 02 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | −8 kt | 5 °C | 128 kt | 5 h | 8:06 am CDT (13:06 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −8 kt | 0 °C | 128 kt | 5 h | 8:06 am CDT (13:06 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | −7 kt | -4 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 02 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 22 kt | −7 kt | -5 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 02 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 31 kt | −15 kt | -16 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 44 min | 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 45 kt | −30 kt | -28 °C | 150 kt | 4 h 16 min | 7:22 am CDT (12:22 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 42 kt | −31 kt | -38 °C | 151 kt | 4 h 14 min | 7:20 am CDT (12:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 38 kt | −35 kt | -50 °C | 155 kt | 4 h 07 min | 7:13 am CDT (12:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABQ | used from 0 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| TCC | used from 50 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| LBB | used from 150 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| ABI | used from 299 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° | |
| DAL | used from 449 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| CLL | used from 499 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| HOU | used from 599 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 6,348 ft | 1:53 am MDT (07:53 UTC) |
| LVS Las Vegas, NM | 40 nm out, 25 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the southeast (140°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,877 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| SXU Santa Rosa, NM | 80 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 4,791 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| PRZ Portales, NM | 160 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 4,077 ft | ||||
| LBB Lubbock, TX | 239 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 3,282 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| SNK Snyder, TX | 309 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 2,430 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| ABI Abilene, TX | 369 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,790 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| MKN Comanche, TX | 439 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,386 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| GRK Fort Hood (Killeen), TX | 499 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,015 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| CFD Bryan, TX | 569 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 366 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| CLL College Station, TX | 579 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 320 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| IAH Houston, TX | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 feet, overcast at 23,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 95 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IAH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:13 am CDT (12:13 UTC)
Wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for IAH
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
The forecast for SAF, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 7 nm from the route, 499 nm along the route · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at SAF 6:31 pm MDT (00:31 UTC), at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IAH is before sunrise there (7:21 am CDT (12:21 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: Santa FE Regional, George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport.