Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field to Charlotte/Douglas International ASE → CLT
1,258 nautical miles (1,447 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 093°, about 084° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 44-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:44 am EDT (08:44 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 69 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 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the first 150 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 130 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 30 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 948 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1018 to 1088 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1048 to 1188 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 1148 to 1238 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
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 12 forecast points nearest it (DEN, PUB, GLD, GCK, SLN, MKC, SGF, COU, CGI, BNA, TYS, GSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 9 h 36 min | 6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | −13 kt | 21 °C | 133 kt | 9 h 28 min | 6:32 am EDT (10:32 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 14 °C | 136 kt | 9 h 15 min | 6:19 am EDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 11 °C | 139 kt | 9 h 03 min | 6:07 am EDT (10:07 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 270° at 21 kt | −22 kt | 7 °C | 142 kt | 8 h 52 min | 5:56 am EDT (09:56 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 23 kt | −24 kt | 3 °C | 144 kt | 8 h 44 min | 5:48 am EDT (09:48 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 24 kt | −25 kt | -2 °C | 145 kt | 8 h 41 min | 5:45 am EDT (09:45 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 280° at 26 kt | −27 kt | -6 °C | 147 kt | 8 h 33 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 26 kt | −27 kt | -7 °C | 147 kt | 8 h 33 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 27 kt | −27 kt | -18 °C | 147 kt | 8 h 33 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 39 kt | −40 kt | -32 °C | 160 kt | 7 h 52 min | 4:56 am EDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 43 kt | −44 kt | -40 °C | 164 kt | 7 h 40 min | 4:44 am EDT (08:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 44 kt | −44 kt | -49 °C | 164 kt | 7 h 40 min | 4:44 am EDT (08:44 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | used from 0 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 190/31 16° | 210/32 7° | 240/41 -8° | 230/47 -21° | 240/56 -32° | 250/65 -37° | 250/61 -47° | ||
| PUB | used from 100 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 210/24 16° | 210/28 8° | 230/43 -8° | 240/42 -21° | 240/77 -30° | 240/72 -36° | 250/51 -47° | ||
| GLD | used from 150 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| GCK | used from 299 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 200/35 21° | 220/34 14° | 240/30 8° | 240/27 -6° | 240/31 -17° | 240/53 -30° | 250/55 -39° | 250/60 -50° | |
| SLN | used from 349 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 190/37 | 220/39 20° | 240/31 14° | 250/24 7° | 260/25 -7° | 250/26 -17° | 250/44 -31° | 260/47 -40° | 260/47 -50° |
| MKC | used from 499 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
| SGF | used from 599 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 210/21 | 210/21 16° | 240/28 12° | 260/24 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/26 -18° | 290/38 -31° | 290/37 -41° | 300/49 -52° |
| COU | used from 699 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 210/16 | 220/19 15° | 240/33 10° | 250/29 7° | 280/21 -6° | 280/19 -18° | 300/34 -31° | 300/40 -42° | 300/60 -52° |
| CGI | used from 749 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 250/10 | 290/12 17° | 290/18 11° | 300/22 5° | 320/25 -8° | 330/30 -18° | 320/53 -33° | 320/66 -42° | 320/56 -50° |
| BNA | used from 898 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| TYS | used from 1048 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 290/19 | 310/22 11° | 330/25 7° | 330/34 3° | 320/37 -7° | 300/37 -18° | 300/37 -34° | 280/29 -39° | 270/29 -48° |
| GSP | used from 1148 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 300/22 | 310/22 11° | 300/22 7° | 290/28 5° | 270/36 -5° | 250/42 -18° | 230/54 -31° | 230/59 -40° | 230/65 -50° |
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 | no report just now | 7,837 ft | ||||
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | 100 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,187 ft | ||||
| LIC Limon, CO | 150 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 5,374 ft | ||||
| HYS Hays, KS | 359 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,999 ft | ||||
| SLN Salina, KS | 429 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,288 ft | ||||
| UKL Burlington, KS | 529 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,174 ft | ||||
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 699 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,159 ft | ||||
| PAH Paducah, KY | 858 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 410 ft | ||||
| HVC Hopkinsville, KY | 928 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 563 ft | ||||
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 1108 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 986 ft | ||||
| AVL Asheville, NC | 1178 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,163 ft | ||||
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | no report just now | 747 ft |
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 CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:44 am EDT (08:44 UTC)
CLT has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 9 nm from the route, 70 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 90 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 16 nm from the route, 968 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at ASE 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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, Charlotte/Douglas International.