Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field to Albuquerque International Sunport ASE → ABQ
251 nautical miles (289 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 177°, about 168° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (11,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 5:10 am MDT (11:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ASE is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots; ABQ is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 3 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: 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 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 first 87 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 19 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 ASE.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- PC12 at 26,000 ft, 28 nm east, 12:27 am MDT (06:27 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-12. 58 nm along the route, 28 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
GUC UA /OV HBU090040/TM 0627/FL260/TP PC12/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC-12
- Report
- a routine report filed through GUC
- Where
- 40 nm east (090°) of HBU
- Time
- 06:27 UTC
- Height
- at 26,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- ZDVWC-12
- GLF6 at 47,000 ft, 29 nm east, 1:47 am MDT (07:47 UTC): remarks: moderate mtw +/-1500FPM zdvwc. 68 nm along the route, 29 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
GUC UA /OV HBU105046/TM 0747/FL470/TP GLF6/RM MOD MTW +/-1500FPM. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GUC
- Where
- 46 nm east (105°) of HBU
- Time
- 07:47 UTC
- Height
- at 47,000 ft
- Aircraft
- GLF6
- Remarks
- moderate mtw +/-1500FPM zdvwc
- BE20 at 9,000 ft, 49 nm west, 1:52 am MDT (07:52 UTC): light to moderate rime icing, -5 °C, remarks: during the descent zdvwc. 126 nm along the route, 49 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DRO UA /OV DRO/TM 0752/FL090/TP BE20/SK BASE110 TOP165/TA M05/IC LGT-MOD RIME/RM DURD. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DRO
- Where
- over DRO
- Time
- 07:52 UTC
- Height
- at 9,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Sky
- BASE110 TOP165
- Temperature
- −5 °C
- Icing
- light to moderate rime
- Remarks
- during the descent zdvwc
- PC12 at 11,000 ft, 49 nm west, 12:58 am MDT (06:58 UTC): light turbulence, no icing, remarks: during the descent arrival KFMN ZDVWC-36. 126 nm along the route, 49 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DRO UA /OV DRO/TM 0658/FL110/TP PC12/SK BASE117/TB CONS LGT/IC NEG/RM DURD ARR KFMN. ZDVWC-36
- Report
- a routine report filed through DRO
- Where
- over DRO
- Time
- 06:58 UTC
- Height
- at 11,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- BASE117
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent arrival KFMN ZDVWC-36
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 3 forecast points nearest it (GJT, ALS, ABQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 34 kt | +19 kt | 3 °C | 101 kt | 2 h 29 min | 5:10 am MDT (11:10 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 40 kt | +23 kt | -1 °C | 97 kt | 2 h 35 min | 5:16 am MDT (11:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 46 kt | +28 kt | -5 °C | 92 kt | 2 h 44 min | 5:25 am MDT (11:25 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 52 kt | +32 kt | -9 °C | 88 kt | 2 h 51 min | 5:32 am MDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 53 kt | +34 kt | -10 °C | 86 kt | 2 h 55 min | 5:36 am MDT (11:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 64 kt | +31 kt | -20 °C | 89 kt | 2 h 49 min | 5:30 am MDT (11:30 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 83 kt | +50 kt | -27 °C | 70 kt | 3 h 35 min | 6:16 am MDT (12:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 85 kt | +44 kt | -35 °C | 76 kt | 3 h 18 min | 5:59 am MDT (11:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 73 kt | +38 kt | -47 °C | 82 kt | 3 h 04 min | 5:45 am MDT (11:45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GJT | used from 0 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| ALS | used from 48 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 240/35 3° | 230/54 -9° | 240/66 -19° | 230/85 -26° | 240/87 -34° | 240/70 -47° | |||
| ABQ | used from 193 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASE Aspen, CO | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 8,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 7,837 ft | 1:53 am MDT (07:53 UTC) |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 39 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,679 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| PSO Pagosa Springs, CO | 116 nm out, 15 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | 7,000 ft | 7,663 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| LAM Los Alamos, NM | 203 nm out, 19 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,500 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 7,170 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 1:52 am MDT (07:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,837 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABQ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:10 am MDT (11:10 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ABQ
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for ASE, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,500 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 6,000 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 ASE 6:31 pm MDT (00:31 UTC), at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm MDT (00:59 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ABQ is before sunrise there (7:09 am MDT (13:09 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: Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field, Albuquerque International Sunport.