Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field to Rapid City Regional BFF → RAP
132 nautical miles (152 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 010°, about 000° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (9,500 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BFF is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 6 knots; RAP is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) 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: 8 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
- SIGMET 8C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 12:55 am MDT (06:55 UTC). Near the route, 114 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120455 MKCC WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8C VALID UNTIL 0655Z NE SD WY FROM 50WNW RAP-20SSW RAP-60NW BFF-40ENE DDY-50WNW RAP DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- 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). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 85 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- 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 85 nm of the 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 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 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 02:00–09:00 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 2 forecast points nearest it (BFF, RAP). 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 | 180° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 12 °C | 144 kt | 55 min | 12:06 am MDT (06:06 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 29 kt | −29 kt | 12 °C | 149 kt | 53 min | 12:04 am MDT (06:04 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 36 kt | −34 kt | 13 °C | 154 kt | 51 min | 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 36 kt | −34 kt | 7 °C | 154 kt | 51 min | 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 34 kt | −31 kt | 2 °C | 151 kt | 52 min | 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −28 kt | -3 °C | 148 kt | 54 min | 12:05 am MDT (06:05 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −25 kt | -9 °C | 145 kt | 55 min | 12:06 am MDT (06:06 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 29 kt | −24 kt | -10 °C | 144 kt | 55 min | 12:06 am MDT (06:06 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 36 kt | −30 kt | -21 °C | 150 kt | 53 min | 12:04 am MDT (06:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 38 kt | −31 kt | -35 °C | 151 kt | 52 min | 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 50 kt | −28 kt | -37 °C | 148 kt | 54 min | 12:05 am MDT (06:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 57 kt | −29 kt | -46 °C | 149 kt | 53 min | 12:04 am MDT (06:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFF | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| RAP | used from 47 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° |
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 | VFR | from the east (100°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,967 ft | 10:53 pm MDT (04:53 UTC) |
| CDR Chadron, NE | 57 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 10 knots | 9 mi | 900 ft | 3,297 ft | 05:00 UTC |
| HSR Hot Springs, SD | 95 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 3,150 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | destination | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 700 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots | 6 mi | 700 ft | 3,203 ft | 10:52 pm MDT (04:52 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 RAP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC)
Wind from the east-southeast at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet low IFR
30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for RAP
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
The forecast for BFF, the departure
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 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
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 6:17 pm MDT (00:17 UTC), at RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RAP is before sunrise there (7:02 am MDT (13:02 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, Rapid City Regional.