The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 12:28 am MDT (06:28 UTC)

Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field to Waco Regional ASE → ACT

656 nautical miles (755 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 131°, about 122° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 26-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ASE is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 4 knots; ACT is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 15 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 return flight

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

  • SIGMET C10C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am MDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 89 to 169 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120555
    MKCC WST 120555
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10C
    VALID UNTIL 0755Z
    CO NM
    FROM 20NNE PUB-40WSW LAA-30WSW CIM-50WSW ALS-50ESE HBU-20NNE PUB
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • 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 139 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 109 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 229 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 119 to 189 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 219 to 278 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 ASE.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • urgent E75L at 9,000 ft, 0 nm northeast, 10:30 pm MDT (04:30 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach. At the departure end, 0 nm northeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ASE UUA /OV ASE/TM 0430/FL090/TP E75L/RM LLWS +/- 20K 1000-1500 AGL ON APCH
    Report
    an urgent report filed through ASE
    Where
    over ASE
    Time
    04:30 UTC
    Height
    at 9,000 ft
    Aircraft
    E75L
    Remarks
    low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach
  • E170 at 22,500 ft, 38 nm northeast, 11:06 pm MDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. 50 nm along the route, 38 nm northeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
    Time
    05:06 UTC
    Height
    at 22,500 ft
    Aircraft
    E170
    Turbulence
    continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
    Remarks
    during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (ALS, PUB, TCC, AMA, SPS, ABI, DAL). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft210° at 34 kt+8 kt17 °C112 kt5 h 51 min7:19 am CDT (12:19 UTC)
7,500 ft220° at 28 kt+2 kt14 °C118 kt5 h 34 min7:02 am CDT (12:02 UTC)
9,500 ft230° at 26 kt−2 kt13 °C122 kt5 h 23 min6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC)
11,500 ft230° at 26 kt−5 kt8 °C125 kt5 h 15 min6:43 am CDT (11:43 UTC)
13,500 ft230° at 27 kt−4 kt4 °C124 kt5 h 17 min6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC)
15,500 ft230° at 28 kt−2 kt-1 °C122 kt5 h 23 min6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC)
17,500 ft220° at 29 kt−1 kt-5 °C121 kt5 h 25 min6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180220° at 29 kt0-6 °C120 kt5 h 28 min6:56 am CDT (11:56 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 38 kt−8 kt-18 °C128 kt5 h 08 min6:36 am CDT (11:36 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 59 kt−21 kt-28 °C141 kt4 h 39 min6:07 am CDT (11:07 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 54 kt−25 kt-36 °C145 kt4 h 31 min5:59 am CDT (10:59 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 46 kt−26 kt-48 °C146 kt4 h 30 min5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
ALSused from 0 nm out; 95 nm from the line230/37 4°220/54 -9°230/62 -22°240/77 -26°240/74 -33°230/59 -45°
PUBused from 50 nm out; 56 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -46°
TCCused from 199 nm out; 93 nm from the line210/42230/33 14°230/32 6°220/35 -6°230/49 -19°240/72 -27°250/62 -36°250/52 -48°
AMAused from 248 nm out; 72 nm from the line210/38230/29 14°240/29 7°220/27 -5°240/37 -18°240/66 -28°250/59 -37°260/47 -49°
SPSused from 447 nm out; 64 nm from the line200/39220/28 17°230/27 12°240/15 9°250/15 -4°250/24 -15°260/45 -28°270/43 -39°280/45 -51°
ABIused from 547 nm out; 67 nm from the line200/31 17°210/21 15°240/15 9°250/14 -4°250/24 -14°250/36 -28°270/35 -38°290/41 -50°
DALused from 596 nm out; 65 nm from the line190/29220/23 17°220/17 13°250/18 8°230/18 -5°240/18 -15°270/34 -29°280/33 -39°300/36 -51°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ASE Aspen, CO departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain from the west (260°) at 4 knots 10+ mi 9,000 ft 7,837 ft 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC)
AEJ Buena Vista, CO 40 nm out, 5 nm east of the line VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 knots 10+ mi 7,500 ft 7,950 ft 06:15 UTC
TAD Trinidad, CO 169 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line VFR from the west-southwest (240°) at 18 knots, gusting to 26 10+ mi none 5,761 ft 05:54 UTC
CAO Clayton, NM 238 nm out, 6 nm south of the line VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 19 knots, gusting to 28 10+ mi none 4,969 ft 05:55 UTC
DHT Dalhart, TX 278 nm out, 4 nm south of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 feet from the southwest (230°) at 16 knots 10+ mi none 3,991 ft 05:53 UTC
AMA Amarillo, TX 348 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 22 knots, gusting to 29 10+ mi none 3,606 ft 05:53 UTC
CDS Childress, TX 427 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 10+ mi none 1,953 ft 05:53 UTC
RPH Graham, TX 547 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line reported, no category from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots none 1,122 ft 05:55 UTC
SEP Stephenville, TX 596 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 1,321 ft 06:15 UTC
ACT Waco, TX destination VFR from the south (170°) at 15 knots 10+ mi none 516 ft 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,950 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ACT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC)

Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for ACT
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,700 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
  • At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,000 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 17,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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

  • 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZFW

Daylight

Sunset at ASE 6:31 pm MDT (00:31 UTC), at ACT 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm CDT (00:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ACT is before sunrise there (7:29 am CDT (12:29 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

Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Waco Regional.