Tri-Cities Airport to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International TRI → MSY
554 nautical miles (637 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 228°, about 235° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 14-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:11 am CDT (10:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now TRI is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) 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: 2 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 99 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the first 109 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 138 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 TRI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 descending, 24 nm northwest, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft. 79 nm along the route, 24 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0315/FLDURD/TP B738/RM MULTIPLE LAYERS FROM 052-047 OVC AT 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 03:15 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft
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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (TRI, TYS, ATL, BHM, MGM, MOB, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 330° at 16 kt | −3 kt | 11 °C | 123 kt | 4 h 30 min | 5:33 am CDT (10:33 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 18 kt | −6 kt | 15 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 24 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −7 kt | 11 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 22 min | 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −7 kt | 8 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 22 min | 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −6 kt | 5 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 24 min | 5:27 am CDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −4 kt | 1 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 28 min | 5:31 am CDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −2 kt | -3 °C | 122 kt | 4 h 32 min | 5:35 am CDT (10:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 25 kt | −1 kt | -6 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 35 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 31 kt | −1 kt | -17 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 35 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 45 kt | −12 kt | -33 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 12 min | 5:15 am CDT (10:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 50 kt | −13 kt | -41 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 10 min | 5:13 am CDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 43 kt | −14 kt | -50 °C | 134 kt | 4 h 08 min | 5:11 am CDT (10:11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| TYS | used from 49 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| ATL | used from 148 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| BHM | used from 198 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| MGM | used from 297 nm out; 46 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° |
| MOB | used from 395 nm out; 56 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° |
| MSY | used from 494 nm out; 35 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
| GCY Greeneville, TN | 30 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots | 6 mi | 500 ft | 1,607 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 79 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 986 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| DNN Dalton, GA | 158 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 709 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| RMG Rome, GA | 188 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | calm | 100 ft | 644 ft | 05:53 UTC | |
| PLR Pell City, AL | 257 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet, a broken layer at 2,300 feet | calm | 8 mi | 2,300 ft | 484 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 277 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 650 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SEM Selma, AL | 336 nm out, 22 nm southeast 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 | |
| HBG Hattiesburg, MS | 465 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 150 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| HSA Bay St Louis, MS | 504 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 22 ft | 00:50 UTC |
| MSY New Orleans, LA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 3 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,607 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, 5:11 am CDT (10:11 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for MSY
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for TRI, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest 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 TRI 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC), at MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSY is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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: Tri-Cities Airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International.