Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International SPS → MSY
483 nautical miles (556 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 118°, about 113° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 07 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 35-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:06 am CDT (15:06 UTC). Right now SPS is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; MSY 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: 3 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 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist, fog). Over the last 148 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 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 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 (SPS, DAL, SHV, LCH, MSY). 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 | 200° at 21 kt | +5 kt | 115 kt | 4 h 12 min | 11:11 am CDT (16:11 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 200° at 20 kt | +4 kt | 116 kt | 4 h 10 min | 11:09 am CDT (16:09 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 17 kt | 0 | 15 °C | 120 kt | 4 h 02 min | 11:01 am CDT (16:01 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | −3 kt | 11 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 56 min | 10:55 am CDT (15:55 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 11 kt | −5 kt | 8 °C | 125 kt | 3 h 52 min | 10:51 am CDT (15:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 11 kt | −7 kt | 4 °C | 127 kt | 3 h 48 min | 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 0 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 43 min | 10:42 am CDT (15:42 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −13 kt | -5 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 38 min | 10:37 am CDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 16 kt | −13 kt | -6 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 38 min | 10:37 am CDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 16 kt | −14 kt | -15 °C | 134 kt | 3 h 36 min | 10:35 am CDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 32 kt | −32 kt | -30 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 11 min | 10:10 am CDT (15:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 32 kt | −32 kt | -40 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 11 min | 10:10 am CDT (15:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 37 kt | −35 kt | -51 °C | 155 kt | 3 h 07 min | 10:06 am CDT (15:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/35 | 220/31 18° | 230/16 14° | 230/10 8° | 250/18 -5° | 250/32 -16° | 260/51 -28° | 280/46 -38° | 300/50 -50° |
| DAL | used from 49 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 190/30 | 200/28 18° | 220/18 13° | 250/13 8° | 240/24 -6° | 270/20 -14° | 270/35 -29° | 290/34 -39° | 310/41 -51° |
| SHV | used from 197 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 210/20 | 210/20 18° | 230/20 11° | 240/16 7° | 270/17 -7° | 250/11 -15° | 300/34 -30° | 310/34 -40° | 320/36 -51° |
| LCH | used from 345 nm out; 76 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° |
| MSY | used from 394 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 150/9 | 140/8 18° | L/V 13° | L/V 6° | 320/15 -5° | 310/16 -16° | 320/32 -31° | 340/35 -40° | 350/34 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS Wichita Falls, TX | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 8 mi | none | 1,019 ft | 6:52 am CDT (11:52 UTC) |
| DTO Denton, TX | 79 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 642 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| TKI Dallas, TX | 108 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 588 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| TYR Tyler, TX | 187 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| GGG Longview, TX | 217 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 365 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| IER Natchitoches, LA | 305 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 121 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | 345 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | 200 ft | 88 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| BTR Baton Rouge, LA | 424 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 69 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| HDC Hammond, LA | 463 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 11:35 UTC |
| MSY New Orleans, LA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 3 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,019 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:06 am CDT (15:06 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for MSY
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for SPS, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 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 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
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 18 nm from the route, 108 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/8926 Tyler, TX, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 8 nm from the route, 187 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at SPS 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC), at MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 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, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International.