Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field to Billings Logan International BFF → BIL
319 nautical miles (367 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 319°, about 309° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 23 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 14-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC). Right now BFF is low IFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 4 knots; BIL is marginal VFR, wind from the west-northwest (290°) 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 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 130 nm of 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 route from 40 to 100 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 179 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 199 to 309 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 100 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 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 BFF.
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 4 forecast points nearest it (BFF, RAP, LND, BIL). 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 | 280° at 21 kt | +16 kt | 16 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 04 min | 9:22 am MDT (15:22 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 22 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 04 min | 9:22 am MDT (15:22 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 24 kt | +14 kt | 7 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 01 min | 9:19 am MDT (15:19 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 27 kt | +12 kt | 3 °C | 108 kt | 2 h 57 min | 9:15 am MDT (15:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | +8 kt | 0 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 51 min | 9:09 am MDT (15:09 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | +2 kt | -4 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 42 min | 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −4 kt | -8 °C | 124 kt | 2 h 34 min | 8:52 am MDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 34 kt | −8 kt | -12 °C | 128 kt | 2 h 30 min | 8:48 am MDT (14:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 50 kt | −14 kt | -23 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 23 min | 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 56 kt | −3 kt | -32 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 36 min | 8:54 am MDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 57 kt | −3 kt | -37 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 36 min | 8:54 am MDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 60 kt | −1 kt | -45 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 38 min | 8:56 am MDT (14:56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFF | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| RAP | used from 100 nm out; 110 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -46° | |
| LND | used from 149 nm out; 132 nm from the line | 240/10 3° | 240/30 0° | 220/42 -13° | 230/52 -23° | 220/54 -33° | 220/52 -36° | 220/53 -44° | ||
| BIL | used from 199 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (040°) at 4 knots | 6 mi | 200 ft | 3,967 ft | 5:53 am MDT (11:53 UTC) |
| TOR Torrington, WY | 20 nm out, 12 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1.5 mi | 200 ft | 4,206 ft | 12:11 UTC |
| GUR Guernsey, WY | 50 nm out, 23 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 18,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | 18,000 ft | 4,401 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| BYG Buffalo, WY | 199 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 16 knots, gusting to 27 | 10+ mi | 2,600 ft | 4,970 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| SHR Sheridan, WY | 229 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 4,021 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| BIL Billings, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 3,662 ft | 5:53 am MDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,970 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain snow, a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for BIL
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain snow, a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east at 9 knots, visibility 6 miles, light drizzle, mist, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 9 knots, visibility 4 miles, light drizzle, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Tue 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,200 feet and more above
The forecast for BFF, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 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 BFF 6:16 pm MDT (00:16 UTC), at BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm MDT (01:02 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: Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field, Billings Logan International.