The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 4:25 am PDT (11:25 UTC)

Meadows Field to City Of Colorado Springs Municipal BFL → COS

716 nautical miles (824 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 069°, about 055° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 63-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:20 am MDT (15:20 UTC). Right now BFL is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 8 knots; COS is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots, gusting to 22. 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: 1 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 W22W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the south at 35 knots, until 5:55 am PDT (12:55 UTC). Over the route from 239 to 298 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 121055
    MKCW WST 121055
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 22W
    VALID UNTIL 1255Z
    AZ UT NV
    FROM 40W DTA-40WNW HVE-20SSE BCE-50NE LAS-70ENE BTY-40W DTA
    AREA TS MOV FROM 20035KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 10 to 40 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 70 to 507 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 179 to 278 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 258 to 586 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). Near the route, 308 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the last 388 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 199 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). Over the last 20 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 BFL.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • A359 at 38,000 ft, 9 nm south, 3:13 am PDT (10:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZDVWC-37. 596 nm along the route, 9 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    GUC UA /OV HBU185015/TM 1013/FL380/TP A359/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC-37
    Report
    a routine report filed through GUC
    Where
    15 nm south (185°) of HBU
    Time
    10:13 UTC
    Height
    at 38,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A359
    Turbulence
    continuous light chop
    Remarks
    ZDVWC-37

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 6 forecast points nearest it (WJF, LAS, BCE, GJT, ALS, PUB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
7,500 ft220° at 27 kt−23 kt6 °C143 kt5 h10:25 am MDT (16:25 UTC)
9,500 ft220° at 29 kt−25 kt4 °C145 kt4 h 56 min10:21 am MDT (16:21 UTC)
11,500 ft220° at 31 kt−25 kt0 °C145 kt4 h 56 min10:21 am MDT (16:21 UTC)
13,500 ft220° at 36 kt−29 kt-4 °C149 kt4 h 48 min10:13 am MDT (16:13 UTC)
15,500 ft220° at 41 kt−33 kt-8 °C153 kt4 h 41 min10:06 am MDT (16:06 UTC)
17,500 ft220° at 47 kt−37 kt-12 °C157 kt4 h 34 min9:59 am MDT (15:59 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180220° at 48 kt−38 kt-13 °C158 kt4 h 32 min9:57 am MDT (15:57 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240220° at 60 kt−51 kt-22 °C171 kt4 h 11 min9:36 am MDT (15:36 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 71 kt−62 kt-30 °C182 kt3 h 56 min9:21 am MDT (15:21 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340230° at 71 kt−63 kt-37 °C183 kt3 h 55 min9:20 am MDT (15:20 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390230° at 64 kt−57 kt-45 °C177 kt4 h 03 min9:28 am MDT (15:28 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
WJFused from 0 nm out; 53 nm from the line210/26 4°210/28 2°230/23 -4°240/28 -13°220/47 -23°220/57 -30°220/65 -37°220/59 -45°
LASused from 99 nm out; 73 nm from the line210/20 8°210/29 4°200/32 -3°200/51 -15°210/64 -21°220/70 -30°220/66 -38°220/55 -44°
BCEused from 298 nm out; 43 nm from the line200/32 -2°210/57 -15°220/71 -22°220/69 -30°220/64 -38°220/67 -44°
GJTused from 447 nm out; 95 nm from the line220/26 6°230/39 0°220/55 -13°230/60 -23°230/78 -31°230/80 -35°230/74 -44°
ALSused from 596 nm out; 72 nm from the line240/35 3°230/54 -9°240/66 -19°230/85 -26°240/87 -34°240/70 -47°
PUBused from 646 nm out; 57 nm from the line260/45 11°240/38 6°230/47 -8°230/51 -19°240/74 -29°240/82 -35°250/72 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
BFL Bakersfield, CA departure VFR Sky: overcast at 5,500 feet from the north (360°) at 8 knots 10+ mi 5,500 ft 509 ft 3:54 am PDT (10:54 UTC)
IYK Inyokern, CA 60 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line no report just now 2,457 ft
VGT Las Vegas, NV 189 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet from the east-southeast (120°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 11,000 ft 2,205 ft 10:53 UTC
SGU St George, UT 288 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet from the southeast (140°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 2,883 ft 10:56 UTC
BCE Bryce Canyon, UT 358 nm out, 23 nm north of the line low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,800 feet Weather: mist from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots 6 mi 400 ft 7,589 ft 10:53 UTC
BDG Blanding, UT 477 nm out, 19 nm south of the line VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,100 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet Weather: light rain from the south (170°) at 11 knots 10+ mi 4,100 ft 5,867 ft 06:15 UTC
AIB Nucla, CO 527 nm out, 9 nm north of the line IFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet Weather: haze from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 1.25 mi 6,000 ft 5,945 ft 07:35 UTC
GUC Gunnison, CO 606 nm out, 8 nm north of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 feet from the north-northwest (340°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 7,679 ft 10:56 UTC
ANK Salida, CO 646 nm out, 5 nm east of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots 10+ mi none 7,523 ft 11:15 UTC
COS Colorado Springs, CO destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet from the southwest (230°) at 11 knots, gusting to 22 10+ mi none 6,187 ft 4:54 am MDT (10:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 7,679 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At COS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:20 am MDT (15:20 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for COS
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for BFL, the departure
  • From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
  • From Mon 2:00 pm PDT (21:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

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 2 nm from the route, 40 nm along the route · 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 on the route, 179 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
  • 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 13 nm from the route, 686 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV

Daylight

Sunset at BFL 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 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

Radar now, the Pacific Southwest
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, City Of Colorado Springs Municipal.