Meadows Field to Alexandria International BFL → AEX
1,348 nautical miles (1,551 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 093°, about 079° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:11 am CDT (15:11 UTC). 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 below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 190 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 210 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 210 to 529 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 240 to 379 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 279 to 689 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 339 to 379 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 BFL.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (WJF, LAS, PRC, FMN, ABQ, ROW, LBB, ABI, DAL, SHV). 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 | 200° at 27 kt | −6 kt | 13 °C | 126 kt | 10 h 42 min | 12:43 pm CDT (17:43 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 25 kt | −9 kt | 11 °C | 129 kt | 10 h 27 min | 12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | −10 kt | 9 °C | 130 kt | 10 h 22 min | 12:23 pm CDT (17:23 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | −11 kt | 5 °C | 131 kt | 10 h 17 min | 12:18 pm CDT (17:18 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | −13 kt | 1 °C | 133 kt | 10 h 08 min | 12:09 pm CDT (17:09 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | −16 kt | -3 °C | 136 kt | 9 h 55 min | 11:56 am CDT (16:56 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −18 kt | -7 °C | 138 kt | 9 h 46 min | 11:47 am CDT (16:47 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 33 kt | −19 kt | -8 °C | 139 kt | 9 h 42 min | 11:43 am CDT (16:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 43 kt | −26 kt | -18 °C | 146 kt | 9 h 14 min | 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 53 kt | −40 kt | -28 °C | 160 kt | 8 h 26 min | 10:27 am CDT (15:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 54 kt | −45 kt | -37 °C | 165 kt | 8 h 10 min | 10:11 am CDT (15:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 46 kt | −41 kt | -48 °C | 161 kt | 8 h 22 min | 10:23 am CDT (15:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WJF | used from 0 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 200/28 6° | 210/28 3° | 210/29 -4° | 210/28 -14° | 220/41 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 220/46 -37° | 220/53 -44° | |
| LAS | used from 100 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° | |
| PRC | used from 250 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| FMN | used from 449 nm out; 139 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ABQ | used from 499 nm out; 96 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| ROW | used from 649 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 190/33 | 210/27 14° | 220/28 6° | 230/36 -6° | 230/56 -15° | 230/63 -27° | 250/59 -37° | 260/57 -49° | |
| LBB | used from 799 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| ABI | used from 948 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° | |
| DAL | used from 1048 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| SHV | used from 1198 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | departure | no report just now | 509 ft | ||||
| MHV Mojave, CA | 50 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,801 ft | ||||
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | 220 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 707 ft | ||||
| FLG Flagstaff, AZ | 359 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 7,014 ft | ||||
| SJN St Johns, AZ | 479 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,736 ft | ||||
| ONM Socorro, NM | 609 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 4,875 ft | ||||
| PRZ Portales, NM | 779 nm out, 24 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,077 ft | ||||
| LBB Lubbock, TX | 858 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,282 ft | ||||
| MWL Mineral Wells, TX | 1058 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 973 ft | ||||
| FWS Fort Worth, TX | 1098 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 700 ft | ||||
| RFI Henderson, TX | 1218 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 441 ft | ||||
| AEX Alexandria, LA | destination | no report just now | 88 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,014 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AEX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:11 am CDT (15:11 UTC)
AEX has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8783 38NM NE BAKERSFIELD, CA, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Friday, October 23, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, at the departure end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 23 October · ZLA
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 24 nm from the route, 190 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, 220 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 649 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, 1098 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at BFL 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at AEX 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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: Meadows Field, Alexandria International.