Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal to Columbia Regional SPS → COU
419 nautical miles (483 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 044°, about 039° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SPS is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 11 knots; COU is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 6 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
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 80 to 389 nm out.
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 SPS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (SPS, OKC, TUL, SGF, COU). 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 | 220° at 35 kt | −34 kt | 154 kt | 2 h 43 min | 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | −30 kt | 150 kt | 2 h 48 min | 5:30 am CDT (10:30 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 15 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 56 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −15 kt | 12 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 06 min | 5:48 am CDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | −13 kt | 9 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 09 min | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −14 kt | 5 °C | 134 kt | 3 h 08 min | 5:50 am CDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 0 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 05 min | 5:47 am CDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −18 kt | -5 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 02 min | 5:44 am CDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 20 kt | −19 kt | -6 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 01 min | 5:43 am CDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 26 kt | −23 kt | -16 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 56 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 43 kt | −32 kt | -30 °C | 152 kt | 2 h 45 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 47 kt | −32 kt | -40 °C | 152 kt | 2 h 45 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 46 kt | −26 kt | -51 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 52 min | 5:34 am CDT (10:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| OKC | used from 50 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 200/44 | 230/32 18° | 240/13 15° | 240/10 9° | 240/20 -5° | 250/27 -16° | 260/47 -28° | 270/48 -39° | 270/45 -50° |
| TUL | used from 150 nm out; 10 nm from the line | 210/37 | 240/29 17° | 260/15 14° | 260/11 7° | 240/22 -6° | 250/29 -16° | 270/45 -29° | 270/47 -40° | 280/44 -50° |
| SGF | used from 250 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| COU | used from 349 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS Wichita Falls, TX | departure | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,019 ft | 1:52 am CDT (06:52 UTC) |
| LAW Lawton, OK | 30 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,110 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| PVJ Pauls Valley, OK | 80 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 970 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| OUN Norman, OK | 90 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,181 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| SUD Stroud, OK | 140 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 900 ft | ||||
| RVS Tulsa, OK | 170 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 638 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| MIO Miami, OK | 250 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 806 ft | 07:30 UTC |
| JLN Joplin, MO | 270 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 977 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| NVD Nevada, MO | 309 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 892 ft | ||||
| RAW Warsaw, MO | 359 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 936 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| AIZ Kaiser/Lake Ozark, MO | 379 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,181 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for COU
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for SPS, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at SPS 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC), at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at COU is before sunrise there (7:15 am CDT (12:15 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: Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal, Columbia Regional.