M wrote:

Before you start planning your route for such a long flight, get a
software that can draw a great circle route between New York and
Houston. You might be surprised that the route isn't exactly what you
had in mind.

There're many times I read stories about people flying their plane
from NY to bay area, California. Their first leg almost always heads
somewhere southwest, because they think San Francisco southwest of NY
so they head southwest to start the trip. Well, the great circle
route from NY to SF starts heading somewhat *northwest* for the first
hundreds of miles, and that route takes almost directly over Cheyenne,
a great route through the Rockies.

When I flew from Seattle to upstate NY last summer, I was surprised
how north my route had to be in order to be close to the great circle
route. I was within 60 miles of Canadian border for the first 800
miles.

If you're an AOPA member, you can download their free flight planner
that can draw great circle routes.

Or use the CSC DUATs automatic router.

Matt