Appleton International to Denver International ATW → DEN
765 nautical miles (881 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 255°, about 257° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 25-knot headwind), arriving about 4:11 pm MDT (22:11 UTC). Right now ATW is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 6 knots; DEN is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 7 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: 819 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). Near the route, 497 nm along the route.
- 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 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 0 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 ATW.
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (GRB, LSE, MCW, FSD, ONL, GRI, GLD, DEN). 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 | 240° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 22 °C | 91 kt | 8 h 24 min | 4:32 pm MDT (22:32 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +27 kt | 19 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 14 min | 4:22 pm MDT (22:22 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +25 kt | 14 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 03 min | 4:11 pm MDT (22:11 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 9 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 03 min | 4:11 pm MDT (22:11 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 5 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 03 min | 4:11 pm MDT (22:11 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 0 °C | 94 kt | 8 h 08 min | 4:16 pm MDT (22:16 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +27 kt | -5 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 14 min | 4:22 pm MDT (22:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 27 kt | +28 kt | -9 °C | 92 kt | 8 h 19 min | 4:27 pm MDT (22:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -21 °C | 86 kt | 8 h 54 min | 5:02 pm MDT (23:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 44 kt | +44 kt | -34 °C | 76 kt | 10 h 04 min | 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 56 kt | +55 kt | -38 °C | 65 kt | 11 h 46 min | 7:54 pm MDT (01:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 61 kt | +59 kt | -47 °C | 61 kt | 12 h 32 min | 8:40 pm MDT (02:40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRB | used from 0 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -49° |
| LSE | used from 50 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| MCW | used from 149 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| FSD | used from 298 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| ONL | used from 398 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 250/31 22° | 230/27 16° | 220/25 8° | 230/25 -9° | 220/29 -22° | 250/42 -33° | 250/48 -36° | 250/52 -46° | |
| GRI | used from 497 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| GLD | used from 596 nm out; 89 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° | |
| DEN | used from 696 nm out; 45 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATW Appleton, WI | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 918 ft | 8:45 am CDT (13:45 UTC) |
| DAF Necedah, WI | 70 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 919 ft | ||||
| CMY Sparta, WI | 99 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 839 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| FXY Forest City, IA | 229 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,229 ft | 13:50 UTC |
| AXA Algona, IA | 258 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,216 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 358 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,098 ft | 13:52 UTC |
| LCG Wayne, NE | 388 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,431 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| BUB Burwell, NE | 487 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,183 ft | ||||
| LBF North Platte, NE | 567 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | 400 ft | 2,777 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| GGF Grant, NE | 616 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the northwest (320°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,424 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| FMM Fort Morgan, CO | 716 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,595 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| DEN Denver, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,433 ft | 7:53 am MDT (13:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DEN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:11 pm MDT (22:11 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for DEN
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Tue 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Tue 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
The forecast for ATW, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): light rain showers, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Tue 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 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 ATW 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at DEN 6:22 pm MDT (00:22 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm MDT (00:49 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: Appleton International, Denver International.