Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field to Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower Ntl Airport ASE → ICT
453 nautical miles (522 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 099°, about 090° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 66-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:10 am CDT (12:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ASE is VFR, wind calm; ICT is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 12 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 99 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 (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 158 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the first 128 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 227 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
Not fetched just now.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (DEN, PUB, GLD, GCK, ICT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 38 kt | −29 kt | 22 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 02 min | 7:46 am CDT (12:46 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 37 kt | −31 kt | 15 °C | 151 kt | 3 h | 7:44 am CDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 35 kt | −29 kt | 12 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 02 min | 7:46 am CDT (12:46 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 32 kt | −25 kt | 8 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 07 min | 7:51 am CDT (12:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 34 kt | −24 kt | 3 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 09 min | 7:53 am CDT (12:53 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 37 kt | −25 kt | -2 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 07 min | 7:51 am CDT (12:51 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 40 kt | −26 kt | -7 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 06 min | 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 41 kt | −26 kt | -8 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 06 min | 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 46 kt | −29 kt | -20 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 02 min | 7:46 am CDT (12:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 72 kt | −59 kt | -29 °C | 179 kt | 2 h 32 min | 7:16 am CDT (12:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 76 kt | −66 kt | -36 °C | 186 kt | 2 h 26 min | 7:10 am CDT (12:10 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 67 kt | −60 kt | -48 °C | 180 kt | 2 h 31 min | 7:15 am CDT (12:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | used from 0 nm out; 88 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 49 nm out; 58 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° | ||
| GLD | used from 197 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| GCK | used from 246 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 240/40 22° | 240/40 14° | 240/38 7° | 230/39 -7° | 230/45 -20° | 250/73 -28° | 260/74 -36° | 260/64 -49° | |
| ICT | used from 394 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 230/45 | 240/33 21° | 230/23 14° | 230/22 7° | 240/29 -7° | 240/36 -20° | 260/78 -29° | 270/69 -36° | 270/56 -49° |
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 few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 7,837 ft | 2:53 am MDT (08:53 UTC) |
| LXV Leadville, CO | 30 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 9,933 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | 108 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 20,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,187 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 296 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 21 knots, gusting to 30 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| DDC Dodge City, KS | 335 nm out, 23 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 2,595 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| PTT Pratt, KS | 394 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,952 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| HUT Hutchinson, KS | 424 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,542 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| ICT Wichita, KS | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,332 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 9,933 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ICT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:10 am CDT (12:10 UTC)
Wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ICT
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 18 knots, gusting to 28, 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
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 1 nm from the route, 69 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at ASE 6:31 pm MDT (00:31 UTC), at ICT 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm CDT (00:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ICT is before sunrise there (7:35 am CDT (12:35 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, Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower Ntl Airport.