Eglin Afb/Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport to William P Hobby Airport VPS → HOU
457 nautical miles (526 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 266°, about 269° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 48 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 12:09 am CDT (05:09 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now VPS is VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 5 knots; HOU is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 7 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: 503 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 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 10 to 99 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 VPS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 32,000 ft, 22 nm north, 5:23 pm CDT (22:23 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 89 nm along the route, 22 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
MOB UA /OV SJI/TM 2223/FL320/TP B739/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through MOB
- Where
- over SJI
- Time
- 22:23 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- B789 at 27,000 ft, 14 nm south, 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zhu. 338 nm along the route, 14 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
LFT UA /OV LLA270030/TM 0030/FL270/TP B789/TB MOD CAT/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through LFT
- Where
- 30 nm west (270°) of LLA
- Time
- 00:30 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zhu
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 38 nm north, 5:27 pm CDT (22:27 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. 70 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
MOB UA /OV SJI040025/TM 2227/FL340/TP B739/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through MOB
- Where
- 25 nm northeast (040°) of SJI
- Time
- 22:27 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- E75L at 27,000 ft, 14 nm north, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): remarks: zhu. 338 nm along the route, 14 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LCH UA /OV LCH08510/TM 0020/FL270/TP E75L/TB CONS CHOP/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through LCH
- Where
- LCH08510
- Time
- 00:20 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- continuous chop
- Remarks
- zhu
- B737 at 28,000 ft, 12 nm south, 5:52 pm CDT (22:52 UTC): light to moderate turbulence above 28,000 ft, remarks: below 26,000 ft zhu. 348 nm along the route, 12 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
BPT UA /OV BPT109042/TM 2252/FL280/TP B737/TB INTMT LGT-MOD FL280 /RM BLO FL260. ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through BPT
- Where
- 42 nm east (109°) of BPT
- Time
- 22:52 UTC
- Height
- at 28,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- intermittent light to moderate FL280
- Remarks
- below 26,000 ft zhu
- B39M at 27,000 ft, 19 nm north, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 19 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- IH340035
- Time
- 00:42 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- lt chop during the climb
- Remarks
- zhu
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, MSY, LCH, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | light and variable | +1 kt | 119 kt | 3 h 50 min | 12:11 am CDT (05:11 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 350° at 2 kt | 0 | 17 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 48 min | 12:09 am CDT (05:09 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 2 kt | +2 kt | 13 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 52 min | 12:13 am CDT (05:13 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 6 kt | +6 kt | 10 °C | 114 kt | 4 h 01 min | 12:22 am CDT (05:22 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 6 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 09 min | 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 2 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 09 min | 12:30 am CDT (05:30 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 11 kt | +9 kt | -2 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 07 min | 12:28 am CDT (05:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 13 kt | +9 kt | -5 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 07 min | 12:28 am CDT (05:28 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 18 kt | +13 kt | -15 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 16 min | 12:37 am CDT (05:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 38 kt | +15 kt | -32 °C | 105 kt | 4 h 21 min | 12:42 am CDT (05:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 340° at 40 kt | +11 kt | -41 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 12 min | 12:33 am CDT (05:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 40 kt | +17 kt | -52 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 26 min | 12:47 am CDT (05:47 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; 66 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° |
| MSY | used from 149 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 18° | L/V 12° | 300/11 7° | 330/15 -4° | 320/22 -16° | 330/38 -32° | 350/47 -42° | 340/56 -52° |
| LCH | used from 249 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 190/6 | 180/8 18° | 170/13 12° | 220/12 7° | 290/10 -4° | 280/15 -14° | 320/30 -31° | 320/32 -40° | 320/39 -53° |
| HOU | used from 398 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 160/18 | 160/14 17° | 180/19 12° | 190/11 8° | 260/12 -4° | 260/14 -13° | 310/26 -30° | 310/30 -40° | 320/21 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPS Valparaiso/Destin-Ft Walton Beach, FL | departure | VFR | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 84 ft | 7:55 pm CDT (00:55 UTC) |
| PNS Pensacola, FL | 30 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 120 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| JKA Gulf Shores, AL | 60 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 17 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| GPT Gulfport, MS | 129 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 28 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| HSA Bay St Louis, MS | 149 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 22 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| MSY New Orleans, LA | 199 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| BTR Baton Rouge, LA | 239 nm out, 25 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 69 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| ARA New Iberia, LA | 278 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 24 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| LCH Lake Charles, LA | 348 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 14 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| BPT Beaumont/Port Arthur, TX | 388 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 14 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| HPY Baytown, TX | 438 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 33 ft | ||||
| HOU Houston, TX | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 120 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HOU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:09 am CDT (05:09 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for HOU
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the 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 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 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 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
The forecast for VPS, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, 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 VPS 6:18 pm CDT (23:18 UTC), at HOU 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HOU is before sunrise there (7:20 am CDT (12:20 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: Eglin Afb/Destin-Ft Walton Beach Airport, William P Hobby Airport.