Bismarck Municipal to Boeing Fld/King County International BIS → BFI
879 nautical miles (1,011 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 274° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 15-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:14 am PDT (09:14 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BIS is marginal VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots; BFI 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: 1 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 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 20 to 589 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 40 to 609 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 349 to 639 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 16,000 ft. Over the route from 389 to 769 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 160 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 BIS.
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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 8 forecast points nearest it (DIK, MLS, GGW, GTF, GPI, GEG, YKM, SEA). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 100° at 14 kt | −15 kt | 1 °C | 135 kt | 6 h 31 min | 2:14 am PDT (09:14 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 100° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 0 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 34 min | 2:17 am PDT (09:17 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 120° at 10 kt | −11 kt | -2 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 43 min | 2:26 am PDT (09:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 150° at 9 kt | −7 kt | -4 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 55 min | 2:38 am PDT (09:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 180° at 10 kt | −3 kt | -7 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 09 min | 2:52 am PDT (09:52 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 200° at 13 kt | +2 kt | -10 °C | 118 kt | 7 h 27 min | 3:10 am PDT (10:10 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 210° at 16 kt | +7 kt | -12 °C | 113 kt | 7 h 47 min | 3:30 am PDT (10:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 19 kt | +10 kt | -15 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 59 min | 3:42 am PDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 22 kt | +9 kt | -25 °C | 111 kt | 7 h 55 min | 3:38 am PDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 22 kt | +12 kt | -38 °C | 108 kt | 8 h 08 min | 3:51 am PDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 32 kt | +23 kt | -41 °C | 97 kt | 9 h 04 min | 4:47 am PDT (11:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 47 kt | +37 kt | -44 °C | 83 kt | 10 h 35 min | 6:18 am PDT (13:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIK | used from 0 nm out; 60 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° | |
| MLS | used from 150 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| GGW | used from 200 nm out; 55 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° | |
| GTF | used from 349 nm out; 62 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° | |
| GPI | used from 499 nm out; 46 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° | |
| GEG | used from 599 nm out; 62 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° | |
| YKM | used from 749 nm out; 73 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° |
| SEA | used from 799 nm out; 56 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIS Bismarck, ND | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 1,661 ft | 8:52 pm CDT (01:52 UTC) |
| DIK Dickinson, ND | 80 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain | from the northeast (050°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 8 mi | 500 ft | 2,592 ft | 01:56 UTC |
| GDV Glendive, MT | 170 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 13 knots | 4 mi | 400 ft | 2,458 ft | 01:56 UTC |
| JDN Jordan, MT | 260 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | reported, no category | from the northeast (050°) at 14 knots | none | 2,667 ft | 01:48 UTC | |
| GTF Great Falls, MT | 439 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots | 1 mi | 900 ft | 3,680 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| CII Choteau, MT | 469 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,946 ft | ||||
| THM Thompson Falls, MT | 599 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 2,467 ft | ||||
| SFF Spokane, WA | 679 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 1,956 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| EPH Ephrata, WA | 769 nm out, 21 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 8,000 ft | 1,276 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| EAT Wenatchee, WA | 799 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,500 feet | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 1,248 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| BFI Seattle, WA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 21 ft | 6:53 pm PDT (01:53 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 BFI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:14 am PDT (09:14 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for BFI
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm PDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, 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
The forecast for BIS, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,400 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 900 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist
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 BIS 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 UTC), at BFI 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm PDT (01:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BFI is before sunrise there (7:23 am PDT (14:23 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: Bismarck Municipal, Boeing Fld/King County International.