Boeing Fld/King County International to Santa Barbara Municipal BFI → SBA
795 nautical miles (914 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 171°, about 156° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:08 pm PDT (05:08 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BFI is VFR, wind variable at 4 knots; SBA is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 14 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: 3 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 25,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Near the route, 179 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 199 to 248 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 546 nm along 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 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 20:00–03:00 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 9 forecast points nearest it (SEA, PDX, RDM, LKV, RBL, RNO, SAC, FAT, SBA). 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 | 300° at 2 kt | −1 kt | 121 kt | 6 h 34 min | 11:04 pm PDT (06:04 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 360° at 3 kt | −3 kt | -2 °C | 123 kt | 6 h 28 min | 10:58 pm PDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 010° at 5 kt | −4 kt | -1 °C | 124 kt | 6 h 25 min | 10:55 pm PDT (05:55 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 360° at 3 kt | −3 kt | -4 °C | 123 kt | 6 h 28 min | 10:58 pm PDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 3 kt | −1 kt | -7 °C | 121 kt | 6 h 34 min | 11:04 pm PDT (06:04 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 5 kt | −3 kt | -11 °C | 123 kt | 6 h 28 min | 10:58 pm PDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 8 kt | −7 kt | -14 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 16 min | 10:46 pm PDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 330° at 12 kt | −11 kt | -17 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 04 min | 10:34 pm PDT (05:34 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 13 kt | −12 kt | -18 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 01 min | 10:31 pm PDT (05:31 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 23 kt | −21 kt | -25 °C | 141 kt | 5 h 38 min | 10:08 pm PDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 22 kt | −15 kt | -31 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 53 min | 10:23 pm PDT (05:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 20 kt | −7 kt | -35 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 16 min | 10:46 pm PDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 24 kt | 0 | -42 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 38 min | 11:08 pm PDT (06:08 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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; 20 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -43° |
| PDX | used from 50 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 330/7 | 360/13 0° | 040/22 -6° | 030/23 -12° | 020/64 -18° | 010/93 -25° | 010/91 -39° | 360/62 -40° | 350/41 -43° |
| RDM | used from 149 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 010/15 -2° | 030/21 -8° | 020/26 -12° | 020/46 -22° | 010/72 -27° | 360/47 -34° | 340/31 -35° | 320/20 -40° | |
| LKV | used from 248 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 010/18 -6° | 280/7 -11° | 290/9 -22° | 280/13 -27° | 290/20 -31° | 260/19 -34° | 260/27 -39° | ||
| RBL | used from 397 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 350/10 | 350/7 6° | L/V -1° | 320/6 -8° | 340/24 -18° | 340/38 -24° | 330/32 -30° | 300/25 -34° | 270/37 -40° |
| RNO | used from 447 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 320/7 | 260/13 1° | 230/21 -7° | 210/38 -17° | 220/43 -26° | 230/54 -29° | 230/59 -32° | 230/54 -41° | |
| SAC | used from 497 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 270/5 | L/V 5° | L/V -1° | 240/11 -5° | 250/22 -15° | 270/25 -24° | 260/31 -27° | 240/39 -33° | 240/39 -42° |
| FAT | used from 596 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 180/7 | 170/9 7° | 200/20 3° | 210/27 -3° | 240/27 -14° | 230/38 -24° | 220/57 -27° | 230/42 -33° | 230/41 -44° |
| SBA | used from 745 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | 170/13 7° | 220/23 4° | 220/30 -2° | 230/26 -14° | 230/34 -20° | 220/38 -28° | 220/37 -35° | 220/43 -44° |
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 Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 feet | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 21 ft | 3:53 pm PDT (22:53 UTC) |
| PLU Puyallup, WA | 30 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR Weather: light drizzle | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 537 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| TTD Portland, OR | 119 nm out, 23 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 10,000 feet | from the east (090°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 38 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| RDM Redmond, OR | 199 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,200 feet, a broken layer at 4,200 feet, overcast at 7,500 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 3,081 ft | 22:56 UTC |
| AAT Alturas, CA | 367 nm out, 21 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 8,500 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 4,378 ft | 22:55 UTC |
| SVE Susanville, CA | 437 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,149 ft | 23:15 UTC |
| TRK Truckee, CA | 497 nm out, 24 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,500 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 17 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,904 ft | 22:47 UTC |
| MER Atwater, CA | 616 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 190 ft | 22:55 UTC |
| FAT Fresno, CA | 655 nm out, 24 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 13,000 feet, a few clouds at 16,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 335 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| SBA Santa Barbara, CA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 14 knots | 9 mi | none | 13 ft | 3:53 pm PDT (22:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,904 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SBA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:08 pm PDT (05:08 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SBA
- From Sun 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am PDT (07:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 12:00 am PDT (07:00 UTC) and 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): light rain showers
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC) and 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): light rain showers
The forecast for BFI, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Sun 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 2 knots, 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
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 SBA 6:28 pm PDT (01:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm PDT (01:54 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SBA is after sunset there (6:30 pm PDT (01:30 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, Santa Barbara Municipal.