Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field to Minot International BFF → MOT
396 nautical miles (455 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 014°, about 004° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 44-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:29 am CDT (12:29 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BFF is low IFR, wind calm; MOT is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 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: 2 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). Over the whole route.
- 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). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 40 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
- BE20 at 15,000 ft, 37 nm west, 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): light icing, 0 °C. 297 nm along the route, 37 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DIK UA /OV DIK/TM 0800/FL150/TP BE20/TA 00/IC LGT CLR
- Report
- a routine report filed through DIK
- Where
- over DIK
- Time
- 08:00 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Temperature
- 0 °C
- Icing
- light clear
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 4 forecast points nearest it (BFF, RAP, DIK, MOT). 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 15 kt | −11 kt | 10 °C | 131 kt | 3 h 01 min | 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | −15 kt | 9 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 56 min | 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | −20 kt | 7 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 50 min | 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | −24 kt | 4 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 45 min | 7:49 am CDT (12:49 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | −28 kt | -1 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 41 min | 7:45 am CDT (12:45 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | −31 kt | -5 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 37 min | 7:41 am CDT (12:41 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 38 kt | −35 kt | -10 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 33 min | 7:37 am CDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 39 kt | −36 kt | -11 °C | 156 kt | 2 h 32 min | 7:36 am CDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 45 kt | −44 kt | -23 °C | 164 kt | 2 h 25 min | 7:29 am CDT (12:29 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 50 kt | −43 kt | -33 °C | 163 kt | 2 h 26 min | 7:30 am CDT (12:30 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 54 kt | −41 kt | -38 °C | 161 kt | 2 h 28 min | 7:32 am CDT (12:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 61 kt | −41 kt | -47 °C | 161 kt | 2 h 28 min | 7:32 am CDT (12:32 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 49 nm out; 59 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° | |
| DIK | used from 198 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| MOT | used from 346 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/14 4° | 190/25 5° | 220/41 1° | 240/43 -11° | 230/39 -22° | 220/44 -38° | 240/62 -42° | 250/73 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 3,967 ft | 3:53 am MDT (09:53 UTC) |
| CDR Chadron, NE | 59 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots | 2 mi | 200 ft | 3,297 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 129 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: light rain, fog | from the east-southeast (120°) at 8 knots | 0.5 mi | 200 ft | 3,203 ft | 09:52 UTC |
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 247 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| HZE Hazen, ND | 336 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet Weather: light rain | from the east-northeast (070°) at 7 knots, gusting to 13 | 7 mi | 700 ft | 1,814 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| MOT Minot, ND | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet Weather: rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 8 knots | 8 mi | 5,000 ft | 1,715 ft | 4:54 am CDT (09:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,967 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MOT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:29 am CDT (12:29 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet IFR
At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for MOT
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
The forecast for BFF, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer 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 at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 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 BFF 6:16 pm MDT (00:16 UTC), at MOT 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm CDT (00:31 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MOT is before sunrise there (8:00 am CDT (13:00 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, Minot International.