Bozeman Yellowstone International to Columbia Metro Airport BZN → CAE
1,543 nautical miles (1,776 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 107°, about 094° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 39 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 40-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 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: 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 first 577 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 60 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 179 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 70 to 229 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 route from 548 to 956 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1185 to 1414 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 1314 to 1424 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 1394 to 1464 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 1394 to 1464 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 BZN.
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 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 14 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, ONL, OMA, DSM, COU, STL, EVV, BNA, TYS, GSP, CAE). 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 | 270° at 22 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 11 h 06 min | 8:13 pm EDT (00:13 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 16 °C | 137 kt | 11 h 16 min | 8:23 pm EDT (00:23 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | −16 kt | 13 °C | 136 kt | 11 h 21 min | 8:28 pm EDT (00:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | −15 kt | 8 °C | 135 kt | 11 h 26 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −15 kt | 5 °C | 135 kt | 11 h 26 min | 8:33 pm EDT (00:33 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −16 kt | 1 °C | 136 kt | 11 h 21 min | 8:28 pm EDT (00:28 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | −16 kt | -3 °C | 136 kt | 11 h 21 min | 8:28 pm EDT (00:28 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −17 kt | -7 °C | 137 kt | 11 h 16 min | 8:23 pm EDT (00:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 22 kt | −17 kt | -8 °C | 137 kt | 11 h 16 min | 8:23 pm EDT (00:23 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 27 kt | −18 kt | -21 °C | 138 kt | 11 h 11 min | 8:18 pm EDT (00:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 37 kt | −34 kt | -32 °C | 154 kt | 10 h 01 min | 7:08 pm EDT (23:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 41 kt | −39 kt | -39 °C | 159 kt | 9 h 42 min | 6:49 pm EDT (22:49 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 43 kt | −40 kt | -48 °C | 160 kt | 9 h 39 min | 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIL | used from 0 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 199 nm out; 111 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| RAP | used from 249 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -46° | |
| PIR | used from 448 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ONL | used from 498 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 250/31 22° | 230/27 16° | 220/25 8° | 230/25 -9° | 220/29 -22° | 250/42 -33° | 250/48 -36° | 250/52 -46° | |
| OMA | used from 647 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| DSM | used from 797 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| COU | used from 846 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 250/36 | 260/14 16° | 250/5 12° | 260/12 6° | 260/24 -7° | 260/35 -19° | 280/58 -31° | 280/62 -40° | 290/60 -49° |
| STL | used from 946 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
| EVV | used from 1095 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| BNA | used from 1195 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| TYS | used from 1294 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| GSP | used from 1394 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 340/30 | 360/24 13° | 350/29 10° | 340/33 6° | 340/40 -7° | 350/44 -19° | 340/59 -31° | 350/55 -41° | 300/29 -50° |
| CAE | used from 1493 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/17 | 330/15 12° | 320/22 9° | 320/31 5° | 330/35 -7° | 320/33 -19° | 340/40 -32° | 350/43 -39° | 320/35 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BZN Bozeman, MT | departure | no report just now | 4,473 ft | ||||
| LVM Livingston, MT | 30 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 4,659 ft | ||||
| SHR Sheridan, WY | 189 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,021 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 358 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,203 ft | ||||
| RBE Bassett, NE | 538 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 2,349 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 717 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 984 ft | ||||
| LWD Lamoni, IA | 816 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,130 ft | ||||
| BLV Belleville, IL | 1035 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 459 ft | ||||
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 1175 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 407 ft | ||||
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 1364 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 986 ft | ||||
| GYH Greenville, SC | 1464 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 955 ft | ||||
| CAE Columbia, SC | destination | no report just now | 235 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,659 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CAE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC)
CAE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 BZN 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC), at CAE 6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 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: Bozeman Yellowstone International, Columbia Metro Airport.