The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 5:34 am MDT (11:34 UTC)

Bozeman Yellowstone International to Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport BZN → DCA

1,557 nautical miles (1,792 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 093°, about 080° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 9 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:37 pm EDT (20:37 UTC). Right now BZN is marginal VFR, wind calm; DCA is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots. 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 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 C17C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 am MDT (12:55 UTC). Over the route from 399 to 449 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 121055
    MKCC WST 121055
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17C
    VALID UNTIL 1255Z
    SD ND
    FROM 20NW BIS-60E BIS-20WNW PIR-20SW DPR-20NW BIS
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
  • 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 669 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 100 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 140 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 110 to 250 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). Near the route, 819 nm along the route.
  • 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 last 419 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 1378 to 1498 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 150 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 1438 to 1538 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). 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 16 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, ABR, FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ, JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE, AGC, EKN, RIC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft260° at 16 kt−15 kt135 kt11 h 32 min7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)
5,500 ft270° at 15 kt−15 kt10 °C135 kt11 h 32 min7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)
7,500 ft270° at 15 kt−15 kt12 °C135 kt11 h 32 min7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC)
9,500 ft260° at 17 kt−17 kt7 °C137 kt11 h 22 min6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC)
11,500 ft260° at 20 kt−19 kt4 °C139 kt11 h 12 min6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC)
13,500 ft260° at 20 kt−20 kt0 °C140 kt11 h 07 min6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC)
15,500 ft260° at 20 kt−21 kt-4 °C141 kt11 h 03 min6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC)
17,500 ft260° at 20 kt−21 kt-8 °C141 kt11 h 03 min6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 20 kt−21 kt-9 °C141 kt11 h 03 min6:37 pm EDT (22:37 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240260° at 26 kt−25 kt-22 °C145 kt10 h 44 min6:18 pm EDT (22:18 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300260° at 32 kt−33 kt-35 °C153 kt10 h 11 min5:45 pm EDT (21:45 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340270° at 41 kt−43 kt-40 °C163 kt9 h 33 min5:07 pm EDT (21:07 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390270° at 50 kt−52 kt-48 °C172 kt9 h 03 min4:37 pm EDT (20:37 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
BILused from 0 nm out; 84 nm from the line300/14270/19 -2°260/26 -2°220/28 -13°210/51 -25°220/56 -33°220/61 -39°220/72 -45°
MLSused from 200 nm out; 59 nm from the line290/17 -1°250/18 0°230/25 0°220/31 -11°220/32 -24°220/50 -32°220/60 -38°230/71 -46°
RAPused from 300 nm out; 72 nm from the line250/28 16°260/31 10°240/25 4°210/35 -10°200/45 -23°230/47 -31°230/47 -36°230/51 -46°
PIRused from 399 nm out; 50 nm from the line230/15 15°220/22 14°220/24 6°200/32 -10°210/48 -22°240/45 -33°240/43 -37°250/55 -46°
ABRused from 499 nm out; 53 nm from the line080/12210/12 17°220/22 12°230/26 5°220/28 -10°230/41 -21°250/36 -36°260/47 -39°260/63 -47°
FSDused from 549 nm out; 67 nm from the line210/20230/23 21°220/25 14°230/30 5°230/26 -9°240/30 -21°270/33 -36°260/47 -37°270/58 -47°
MCWused from 699 nm out; 60 nm from the line250/36250/24 19°240/26 11°250/30 5°270/22 -9°260/30 -21°260/31 -36°280/53 -38°280/66 -48°
LSEused from 799 nm out; 48 nm from the line250/25240/21 17°240/28 11°250/28 5°280/24 -10°280/31 -21°260/35 -37°270/45 -43°280/59 -47°
DBQused from 899 nm out; 44 nm from the line250/27260/23 17°240/26 10°260/30 4°280/26 -9°280/36 -21°270/41 -36°280/52 -41°290/67 -48°
JOTused from 948 nm out; 74 nm from the line250/25260/22 14°250/17 9°270/21 5°280/28 -8°280/36 -20°270/41 -35°280/57 -42°290/65 -50°
MKGused from 1048 nm out; 70 nm from the line260/28260/18 15°250/16 9°260/22 4°280/31 -9°270/35 -21°270/44 -35°270/42 -45°290/61 -51°
FWAused from 1098 nm out; 53 nm from the line270/20300/16 15°290/14 10°280/17 3°290/25 -7°280/30 -19°280/34 -35°290/48 -44°300/64 -52°
CLEused from 1248 nm out; 49 nm from the line310/7350/20 14°340/16 9°320/21 2°320/32 -8°330/34 -20°330/45 -36°320/60 -45°320/64 -51°
AGCused from 1348 nm out; 34 nm from the line340/11350/12 11°360/25 7°340/30 2°340/41 -8°340/44 -21°350/59 -36°340/68 -42°340/50 -51°
EKNused from 1448 nm out; 65 nm from the line330/20 10°350/29 7°340/32 2°340/44 -8°350/50 -21°350/63 -35°340/69 -40°330/42 -50°
RICused from 1498 nm out; 98 nm from the line350/34340/27 12°340/36 8°330/31 3°310/32 -9°320/34 -21°300/37 -34°290/37 -39°290/42 -46°

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
BZN Bozeman, MT departure marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,300 feet calm 10+ mi 2,300 ft 4,473 ft 5:24 am MDT (11:24 UTC)
BIL Billings, MT 110 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet Weather: mist from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots 5 mi 1,800 ft 3,662 ft 10:53 UTC
BKX Brookings, SD 609 nm out, 5 nm east of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots 5 mi 300 ft 1,647 ft 11:28 UTC
AEL Albert Lea, MN 769 nm out, 3 nm north of the line VFR from the south (180°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 1,261 ft 11:15 UTC
DEH Decorah, IA 839 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 feet, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet variable at 4 knots 10+ mi 5,000 ft 1,157 ft 11:15 UTC
JVL Janesville, WI 968 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 807 ft 10:45 UTC
EKM Elkhart, IN 1108 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower VFR calm 9 mi none 777 ft 11:15 UTC
MFD Mansfield, OH 1278 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line, tower IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet from the west (270°) at 3 knots 8 mi 500 ft 1,297 ft 10:52 UTC
JYO Leesburg, VA 1528 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower VFR Sky: overcast at 3,500 feet from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots 10+ mi 3,500 ft 389 ft 11:15 UTC
DCA Washington, DC destination VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet from the north-northwest (340°) at 10 knots 10+ mi 6,500 ft 14 ft 7:21 am EDT (11:21 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 4,473 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At DCA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:37 pm EDT (20:37 UTC)

Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet VFR

The whole forecast for DCA
  • From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 1,600 feet and more above
  • From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
  • From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
  • From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
The forecast for BZN, the departure
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
  • At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 400 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 21 nm from the route, 1348 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
  • 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 21 nm from the route, 1348 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
  • 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
  • 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC

Daylight

Sunset at BZN 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC), at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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 northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Bozeman Yellowstone International, Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport.