probichaux Flight Time Estimator
Calculates estimated flight time between two airports using:
- Great circle distance
- Current winds aloft forecast (from NOAA Aviation Weather)
- True airspeed at cruise altitude
Usage
~/clawd/skills/flight-time/scripts/flight_time.py KDEP KARR --altitude FEET --tas KNOTS
Examples
# Huntsville to Atlanta at 6000ft, 140kt TAS
flight_time.py KHSV KFTY --altitude 6000 --tas 140
# Dallas to Denver at 10000ft, 165kt TAS
flight_time.py KDAL KDEN --altitude 10000 --tas 165
# JSON output for scripting
flight_time.py KHSV KFTY --altitude 6000 --tas 140 --json
Parameters
departure: ICAO code (e.g., KHSV)arrival: ICAO code (e.g., KFTY)--altitude: Cruise altitude in feet MSL--tas: True airspeed in knots--json: Output as JSON (optional)
Output
Returns:
- Distance (nm)
- True course
- Winds at altitude (from nearest FB station)
- Ground speed
- Estimated flight time
- Wind effect (headwind/tailwind impact in minutes)
Data Sources
- Airport coordinates: NOAA Aviation Weather API
- Winds aloft: NOAA FB winds forecast (6-hour)
Limitations
- Uses single wind observation at route midpoint (not full route interpolation)
- Does not account for climb/descent phases
- Wind data updates every 6 hours
- No terrain or airspace considerations