Boeing Fld/King County International to Buffalo Niagara International BFI → BUF
1,838 nautical miles (2,115 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 082°, about 067° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 51-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:35 pm EDT (16:35 UTC). Right now BFI is VFR, wind calm; BUF is VFR, wind calm. 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 TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 190 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 130 to 699 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 260 to 400 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 280 to 469 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 route from 350 to 1129 nm out.
- 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 1329 to 1399 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1578 to 1668 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 BFI.
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 14 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, GEG, GPI, GTF, GGW, DIK, MOT, GFK, AXN, DLH, GRB, TVC, BUF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 280° at 4 kt | −4 kt | 124 kt | 14 h 49 min | 4:39 pm EDT (20:39 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 110° at 2 kt | +2 kt | 1 °C | 118 kt | 15 h 35 min | 5:25 pm EDT (21:25 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 2 kt | −1 kt | 5 °C | 121 kt | 15 h 11 min | 5:01 pm EDT (21:01 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 6 kt | −3 kt | 2 °C | 123 kt | 14 h 57 min | 4:47 pm EDT (20:47 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 10 kt | −7 kt | -1 °C | 127 kt | 14 h 28 min | 4:18 pm EDT (20:18 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −11 kt | -4 °C | 131 kt | 14 h 02 min | 3:52 pm EDT (19:52 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −15 kt | -8 °C | 135 kt | 13 h 37 min | 3:27 pm EDT (19:27 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −19 kt | -12 °C | 139 kt | 13 h 13 min | 3:03 pm EDT (19:03 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 22 kt | −21 kt | -13 °C | 141 kt | 13 h 02 min | 2:52 pm EDT (18:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 25 kt | −24 kt | -23 °C | 144 kt | 12 h 46 min | 2:36 pm EDT (18:36 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -37 °C | 149 kt | 12 h 20 min | 2:10 pm EDT (18:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 34 kt | −35 kt | -44 °C | 155 kt | 11 h 51 min | 1:41 pm EDT (17:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 52 kt | −51 kt | -49 °C | 171 kt | 10 h 45 min | 12:35 pm EDT (16:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | used from 0 nm out; 26 nm from the line | 050/7 | 050/11 1° | 050/12 -5° | 030/31 -7° | 010/61 -15° | 010/69 -26° | 360/73 -40° | 360/62 -47° | 330/21 -43° |
| YKM | used from 50 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 070/10 | 040/15 -1° | 020/27 -8° | 030/25 -13° | 020/48 -20° | 010/83 -27° | 010/77 -37° | 010/49 -40° | 350/14 -41° |
| GEG | used from 100 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° | |
| GPI | used from 250 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GTF | used from 400 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| GGW | used from 549 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 110/23 0° | 130/20 -2° | 170/24 -3° | 230/44 -11° | 220/51 -21° | 210/52 -39° | 220/64 -44° | 240/85 -48° | |
| DIK | used from 699 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| MOT | used from 799 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 120/14 5° | 200/20 4° | 230/33 1° | 250/39 -11° | 250/50 -21° | 240/61 -37° | 250/56 -45° | 260/68 -51° | |
| GFK | used from 949 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 070/18 | 100/10 9° | 250/11 6° | 250/27 1° | 250/34 -10° | 260/43 -21° | 260/39 -36° | 260/36 -46° | 260/59 -53° |
| AXN | used from 1049 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| DLH | used from 1149 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 080/28 | 240/21 15° | 250/26 9° | 250/32 3° | 260/42 -11° | 270/40 -21° | 260/43 -36° | 260/46 -46° | 260/65 -54° |
| GRB | used from 1349 nm out; 76 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° |
| TVC | used from 1448 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 260/31 | 280/22 15° | 290/18 10° | 270/13 2° | 290/25 -10° | 300/35 -21° | 310/52 -37° | 320/59 -47° | 300/84 -54° |
| BUF | used from 1698 nm out; 115 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFI Seattle, WA | departure | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 21 ft | 9:53 pm PDT (04:53 UTC) |
| EAT Wenatchee, WA | 80 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,500 feet | from the north (010°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 1,248 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| SFF Spokane, WA | 200 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,956 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| CII Choteau, MT | 410 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,946 ft | ||||
| SDY Sidney, MT | 729 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (040°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,985 ft | 05:22 UTC |
| HZE Hazen, ND | 839 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (040°) at 5 knots, gusting to 13 | 8 mi | 1,000 ft | 1,814 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| FAR Fargo, ND | 1039 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north (010°) at 13 knots | 2.5 mi | 300 ft | 901 ft | 05:12 UTC |
| AIT Aitkin, MN | 1169 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,206 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| PKF Park Falls, WI | 1309 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,501 ft | ||||
| GOV Grayling, MI | 1558 nm out, 0 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,158 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| CYSN St Catharines, | 1818 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet | from the east (080°) at 6 knots | 15 mi | 5,000 ft | 321 ft | 01:00 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet, a broken layer at 13,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 726 ft | 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,946 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BUF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:35 pm EDT (16:35 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BUF
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for BFI, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm PDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, 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 BFI 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at BUF 6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 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: Boeing Fld/King County International, Buffalo Niagara International.