Aberdeen Regional to City Of Colorado Springs Municipal ABR → COS
487 nautical miles (560 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 217°, about 210° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 9:28 am MDT (15:28 UTC). Right now ABR is low IFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots; COS is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 16 knots, gusting to 28. 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: 1 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 278 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 route from 288 to 288 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the last 99 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 last 79 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 20 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 ABR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B77W at 30,000 ft, 3 nm southeast, 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. At the departure end, 3 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ABR UA /OV ABR/TM 0800/FL300/TP B77W/TB LGT-MOD CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through ABR
- Where
- over ABR
- Time
- 08:00 UTC
- Height
- at 30,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B77W
- Turbulence
- light to moderate chop
- B737 descending, 31 nm northwest, 3:10 am CDT (08:10 UTC): light chop turbulence. 437 nm along the route, 31 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0810/FLDURD/TP B737/TB LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 08:10 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- light chop
- B38M at 22,000 ft, 43 nm northwest, 3:14 am CDT (08:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the destination end, 43 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN216059/TM 0814/FL220/TP B38M/TB NEG/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 59 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
- Time
- 08:14 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- zdvwc
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ABR, PIR, BFF, DEN, PUB). 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 | 260° at 17 kt | +12 kt | 15 °C | 108 kt | 4 h 31 min | 9:28 am MDT (15:28 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +15 kt | 15 °C | 105 kt | 4 h 38 min | 9:35 am MDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 27 kt | +21 kt | 13 °C | 99 kt | 4 h 55 min | 9:52 am MDT (15:52 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +24 kt | 9 °C | 96 kt | 5 h 04 min | 10:01 am MDT (16:01 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +26 kt | 4 °C | 94 kt | 5 h 11 min | 10:08 am MDT (16:08 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +30 kt | -1 °C | 90 kt | 5 h 25 min | 10:22 am MDT (16:22 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -6 °C | 86 kt | 5 h 40 min | 10:37 am MDT (16:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 37 kt | +37 kt | -10 °C | 83 kt | 5 h 52 min | 10:49 am MDT (16:49 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 48 kt | +48 kt | -21 °C | 72 kt | 6 h 46 min | 11:43 am MDT (17:43 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 55 kt | +51 kt | -32 °C | 69 kt | 7 h 03 min | 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 59 kt | +54 kt | -37 °C | 66 kt | 7 h 23 min | 12:20 pm MDT (18:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 62 kt | +53 kt | -46 °C | 67 kt | 7 h 16 min | 12:13 pm MDT (18:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABR | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| PIR | used from 50 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 199 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| DEN | used from 348 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| PUB | used from 447 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 260/45 11° | 240/38 6° | 230/47 -8° | 230/51 -19° | 240/74 -29° | 240/82 -35° | 250/72 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABR Aberdeen, SD | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 5 mi | 300 ft | 1,301 ft | 5:53 am CDT (10:53 UTC) |
| MKA Miller, SD | 60 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,569 ft | ||||
| SUO Rosebud, SD | 169 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 2,724 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| OKS Oshkosh, NE | 298 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,394 ft | ||||
| STK Sterling, CO | 358 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,037 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| LIC Limon, CO | 437 nm out, 25 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 5,374 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 20,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 16 knots, gusting to 28 | 10+ mi | none | 6,187 ft | 3:54 am MDT (09:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:28 am MDT (15:28 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for COS
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for ABR, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, mist
- From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 400 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 1,100 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,100 feet
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 ABR 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC), at COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 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: Aberdeen Regional, City Of Colorado Springs Municipal.