Appleton International to Tucson International ATW → TUS
1,278 nautical miles (1,471 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 243°, about 245° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 25-knot headwind), arriving about 2:28 pm MST (21:28 UTC). Right now ATW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots; TUS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 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 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 first 709 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 799 to 1138 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the route from 809 to 1128 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (GRB, LSE, MCW, DSM, OMA, GRI, SLN, GCK, PUB, ALS, ABQ, TUS). 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 | 230° at 34 kt | +34 kt | 18 °C | 86 kt | 14 h 52 min | 3:53 pm MST (22:53 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 17 °C | 91 kt | 14 h 03 min | 3:04 pm MST (22:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +25 kt | 12 °C | 95 kt | 13 h 27 min | 2:28 pm MST (21:28 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 9 °C | 95 kt | 13 h 27 min | 2:28 pm MST (21:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 5 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 36 min | 2:37 pm MST (21:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 0 °C | 91 kt | 14 h 03 min | 3:04 pm MST (22:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +32 kt | -4 °C | 88 kt | 14 h 31 min | 3:32 pm MST (22:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 34 kt | +35 kt | -8 °C | 85 kt | 15 h 02 min | 4:03 pm MST (23:03 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 42 kt | +43 kt | -20 °C | 77 kt | 16 h 36 min | 5:37 pm MST (00:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 60 kt | +60 kt | -30 °C | 60 kt | 21 h 18 min | 10:19 pm MST (05:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 64 kt | +63 kt | -38 °C | 57 kt | 22 h 25 min | 11:26 pm MST (06:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 59 kt | +57 kt | -49 °C | 63 kt | 20 h 17 min | 9:18 pm MST (04:18 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
| 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; 46 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| LSE | used from 50 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MCW | used from 150 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| DSM | used from 250 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 300 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| GRI | used from 449 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| SLN | used from 549 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GCK | used from 599 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| PUB | used from 749 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| ALS | used from 849 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| ABQ | used from 899 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| TUS | used from 1148 nm out; 105 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -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 | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 918 ft | 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC) |
| DLL Baraboo, WI | 70 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 980 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 200 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| OMA Omaha, NE | 369 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 984 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 419 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| RCP Stockton, KS | 569 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,999 ft | ||||
| TQK Scott City, KS | 659 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 17 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 2,968 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| RTN Raton, NM | 859 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,352 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | 999 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the east (100°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| SAD Safford, AZ | 1198 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the east (080°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 3,178 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| TUS Tucson, AZ | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,800 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 2,643 ft | 12:53 am MST (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,352 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:28 pm MST (21:28 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TUS
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MST (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 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 TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:18 pm MST (01:18 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, Tucson International.