The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 12:47 am CDT (05:47 UTC)

Appleton International to Phoenix Sky Harbor International ATW → PHX

1,270 nautical miles (1,461 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 247°, about 249° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 25-knot headwind), arriving about 12:09 pm MST (19:09 UTC). Right now ATW is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots; PHX is VFR, wind from the east (080°) at 6 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: 14 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 7C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 790 to 970 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120455
    MKCC WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 7C
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    TX OK CO NM
    FROM 40NNW PUB-70WSW LBL-40NE CME-40ESE RSK-30ENE HBU-40NNW PUB
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • 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 10 to 740 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 720 to 1220 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 760 to 800 nm out.
  • 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 route from 810 to 870 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 460 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1200 to 1250 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 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 02:00–09:00 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 11 forecast points nearest it (GRB, LSE, MCW, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, PUB, ALS, FMN, PHX). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft230° at 34 kt+34 kt21 °C86 kt14 h 46 min1:33 pm MST (20:33 UTC)
6,500 ft230° at 31 kt+31 kt16 °C89 kt14 h 16 min1:03 pm MST (20:03 UTC)
8,500 ft230° at 25 kt+25 kt11 °C95 kt13 h 22 min12:09 pm MST (19:09 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 26 kt+25 kt8 °C95 kt13 h 22 min12:09 pm MST (19:09 UTC)
12,500 ft220° at 27 kt+26 kt4 °C94 kt13 h 31 min12:18 pm MST (19:18 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 29 kt+29 kt0 °C91 kt13 h 57 min12:44 pm MST (19:44 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 31 kt+32 kt-5 °C88 kt14 h 26 min1:13 pm MST (20:13 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 33 kt+34 kt-8 °C86 kt14 h 46 min1:33 pm MST (20:33 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 41 kt+42 kt-21 °C78 kt16 h 17 min3:04 pm MST (22:04 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 59 kt+60 kt-30 °C60 kt21 h 10 min7:57 pm MST (02:57 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 65 kt+65 kt-37 °C55 kt23 h 05 min9:52 pm MST (04:52 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 60 kt+61 kt-48 °C59 kt21 h 32 min8:19 pm MST (03:19 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
GRBused from 0 nm out; 46 nm from the line250/36270/23 16°270/14 9°240/18 4°280/26 -9°280/29 -20°290/42 -36°290/51 -45°290/72 -55°
LSEused from 50 nm out; 50 nm from the line230/40240/24 17°240/13 10°250/13 6°280/22 -9°250/28 -21°250/41 -34°260/42 -44°270/62 -53°
MCWused from 150 nm out; 50 nm from the line220/44250/30 17°230/14 12°240/17 6°250/22 -8°270/29 -20°250/34 -34°260/52 -43°260/59 -51°
DSMused from 250 nm out; 55 nm from the line230/40250/33 17°250/18 12°240/17 5°260/28 -8°270/34 -19°260/41 -33°260/55 -41°270/62 -51°
OMAused from 300 nm out; 49 nm from the line220/47240/33 19°250/18 11°230/17 6°260/29 -8°250/33 -19°250/51 -33°260/61 -40°270/62 -49°
GRIused from 400 nm out; 52 nm from the line230/35 21°230/23 13°220/20 7°240/25 -8°240/37 -20°250/49 -33°260/57 -38°260/58 -47°
GLDused from 550 nm out; 83 nm from the line230/49230/42 15°220/26 8°240/18 -7°230/27 -21°240/62 -30°240/61 -35°250/57 -47°
PUBused from 750 nm out; 38 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -46°
ALSused from 850 nm out; 21 nm from the line230/37 4°220/54 -9°230/62 -22°240/77 -26°240/74 -33°230/59 -45°
FMNused from 950 nm out; 56 nm from the line220/28 9°220/40 2°220/53 -10°220/62 -22°230/79 -28°240/91 -34°230/71 -45°
PHXused from 1150 nm out; 95 nm from the line150/5200/21 12°200/27 6°200/35 3°220/58 -8°220/69 -19°220/87 -26°230/93 -35°230/79 -47°

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
ATW Appleton, WI departure VFR from the south (180°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 918 ft 12:35 am CDT (05:35 UTC)
CMY Sparta, WI 90 nm out, 22 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 839 ft 04:55 UTC
ALO Waterloo, IA 200 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 873 ft 04:54 UTC
OMA Omaha, NE 370 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 984 ft 04:52 UTC
GRI Grand Island, NE 480 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 12 knots 10+ mi none 1,847 ft 04:53 UTC
CBK Colby, KS 630 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 20 knots, gusting to 28 10+ mi none 3,188 ft 05:35 UTC
GLD Goodland, KS 660 nm out, 10 nm north of the line VFR from the south (180°) at 15 knots, gusting to 23 10+ mi none 3,657 ft 04:53 UTC
PUB Pueblo, CO 800 nm out, 25 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 4,729 ft 04:53 UTC
ALS Alamosa, CO 890 nm out, 19 nm north of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 7,539 ft 04:52 UTC
GUP Gallup, NM 1070 nm out, 5 nm north of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 feet from the south (180°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 6,472 ft 04:53 UTC
TYL Taylor, AZ 1160 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line reported, no category from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 5,823 ft 05:35 UTC
PHX Phoenix, AZ destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet from the east (080°) at 6 knots 10+ mi 9,500 ft 1,134 ft 9:51 pm MST (04:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,539 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PHX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:09 pm MST (19:09 UTC)

Wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for PHX
  • From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 am MST (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm MST (20:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm MST (01:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 pm MST (05:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
The forecast for ATW, the departure
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): light rain showers, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 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 ATW 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:23 pm MST (01:23 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 upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern 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: Appleton International, Phoenix Sky Harbor International.