Meadows Field to Southern California Logistics Airport BFL → VCV
97 nautical miles (111 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 121°, about 107° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 23-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:54 am PDT (14:54 UTC). Right now BFL is VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots; VCV is marginal VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 8 knots, gusting to 13. 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 48 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 77 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 58 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
- B737 at 13,000 ft, 10 nm southwest, 7:00 am PDT (14:00 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: dur desct from 13,000 ft to 11,000 ft. At the destination end, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV 25N ONT/TM 1400/FL130/TP B737/TB MOD TURB/RM DUR DESCT 130-110
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 25N ont
- Time
- 14:00 UTC
- Height
- at 13,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- moderate turbulence
- Remarks
- dur desct from 13,000 ft to 11,000 ft
- GA8C at 8,500 ft, 44 nm southwest, 6:55 am PDT (13:55 UTC): overcast above 8,500 ft. 68 nm along the route, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BUR UA /OV 5NW BUR/TM 1355/FL085/TP GA8C/SK OVC085
- Report
- a routine report filed through BUR
- Where
- 5NW bur
- Time
- 13:55 UTC
- Height
- at 8,500 ft
- Aircraft
- GA8C
- Sky
- overcast from 8,500 ft
- B350 at 8,000 ft, 16 nm southwest, 6:50 am PDT (13:50 UTC): a broken layer from 3,000 ft to 8,000 ft. 68 nm along the route, 16 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
EDW UA /OV PMD/TM 1350/FL080/TP B350/SK BKN030-TOP080
- Report
- a routine report filed through EDW
- Where
- over PMD
- Time
- 13:50 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B350
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,000 ft, tops 8,000 ft
- C700 at 8,600 ft, 44 nm southwest, 6:27 am PDT (13:27 UTC): overcast above 8,600 ft. 68 nm along the route, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BUR UA /OV 5 NW BUR/TM 1327/FL086/TP C700/SK OVC086
- Report
- a routine report filed through BUR
- Where
- 5 northwest bur
- Time
- 13:27 UTC
- Height
- at 8,600 ft
- Aircraft
- C700
- Sky
- overcast from 8,600 ft
- B763 at 2,800 ft, 33 nm south, 5:05 am PDT (12:05 UTC): overcast from 1,500 ft to 6,000 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 26R. At the destination end, 33 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT080006/TM 1205/FL028/TP B763/SK OVC015-TOP060/RM DURD RY26R
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 6 nm east (080°) of ONT
- Time
- 12:05 UTC
- Height
- at 2,800 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- overcast from 1,500 ft, tops 6,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 26R
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 1 forecast point nearest it (WJF). 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 | 230° at 17 kt | −5 kt | 3 °C | 125 kt | 47 min | 8:00 am PDT (15:00 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | −6 kt | 1 °C | 126 kt | 46 min | 7:59 am PDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 19 kt | −6 kt | -2 °C | 126 kt | 46 min | 7:59 am PDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −7 kt | -4 °C | 127 kt | 46 min | 7:59 am PDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −8 kt | -6 °C | 128 kt | 45 min | 7:58 am PDT (14:58 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 29 kt | −9 kt | -9 °C | 129 kt | 45 min | 7:58 am PDT (14:58 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | −10 kt | -12 °C | 130 kt | 45 min | 7:58 am PDT (14:58 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 33 kt | −11 kt | -13 °C | 131 kt | 44 min | 7:57 am PDT (14:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 23 kt | −23 kt | -22 °C | 143 kt | 41 min | 7:54 am PDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 35 kt | −17 kt | -32 °C | 137 kt | 42 min | 7:55 am PDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 53 kt | −17 kt | -38 °C | 137 kt | 42 min | 7:55 am PDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 58 kt | −19 kt | -44 °C | 139 kt | 42 min | 7:55 am PDT (14:55 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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; 36 nm from the line | 230/17 3° | 230/18 -1° | 230/24 -4° | 230/33 -13° | 300/23 -22° | 240/35 -32° | 230/53 -38° | 230/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 509 ft | 6:54 am PDT (13:54 UTC) |
| MHV Mojave, CA | 48 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,900 feet, overcast at 3,800 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 3,800 ft | 2,801 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| WJF Lancaster, CA | 58 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 2,350 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| VCV Victorville, CA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 900 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet | from the west (270°) at 8 knots, gusting to 13 | 10+ mi | 2,200 ft | 2,885 ft | 6:50 am PDT (13:50 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,885 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At VCV when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:54 am PDT (14:54 UTC)
VCV has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at BFL 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at VCV 6:17 pm PDT (01:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm PDT (01:42 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, Southern California Logistics Airport.