Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport to Ralph Wien Memorial CDV → OTZ
592 nautical miles (682 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 318°, about 299° magnetic at the departure end (variation 19E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:32 am AKDT (18:32 UTC). Right now CDV is marginal VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 5 knots; OTZ is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 15 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: 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 CDV.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MDO, GKN, TKA, MCG, GAL, OTZ). 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 | 200° at 11 kt | −5 kt | 125 kt | 4 h 44 min | 10:43 am AKDT (18:43 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 11 kt | −4 kt | -8 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 46 min | 10:45 am AKDT (18:45 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 12 kt | −4 kt | -12 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 46 min | 10:45 am AKDT (18:45 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 200° at 12 kt | −5 kt | -17 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 44 min | 10:43 am AKDT (18:43 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 200° at 13 kt | −6 kt | -21 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 42 min | 10:41 am AKDT (18:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 190° at 14 kt | −7 kt | -25 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 40 min | 10:39 am AKDT (18:39 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 190° at 15 kt | −8 kt | -29 °C | 128 kt | 4 h 38 min | 10:37 am AKDT (18:37 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 190° at 16 kt | −8 kt | -32 °C | 128 kt | 4 h 38 min | 10:37 am AKDT (18:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 190° at 20 kt | −10 kt | -43 °C | 130 kt | 4 h 33 min | 10:32 am AKDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 210° at 20 kt | −5 kt | -52 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 44 min | 10:43 am AKDT (18:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 26 kt | +5 kt | -52 °C | 115 kt | 5 h 09 min | 11:08 am AKDT (19:08 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 30 kt | +8 kt | -49 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 17 min | 11:16 am AKDT (19:16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDO | used from 0 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 230/14 | 240/16 -5° | 230/17 -12° | 230/17 -19° | 240/23 -30° | 240/34 -39° | 250/50 -45° | 250/49 -50° | 240/54 -47° |
| GKN | used from 49 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 170/11 | 200/6 -6° | 220/8 -12° | 230/10 -18° | 230/12 -31° | 240/14 -43° | 250/17 -51° | 250/37 -50° | 240/45 -47° |
| TKA | used from 99 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 190/10 | 200/8 -6° | 210/9 -12° | 210/10 -19° | 220/13 -31° | 220/9 -43° | 200/12 -52° | 240/27 -52° | 250/38 -48° |
| MCG | used from 247 nm out; 97 nm from the line | 210/16 | 210/14 -7° | 200/13 -13° | 200/15 -20° | 190/21 -32° | 190/24 -42° | 260/27 -51° | 260/32 -53° | 250/33 -50° |
| GAL | used from 296 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 210/13 | 210/15 -7° | 200/15 -14° | 190/15 -21° | 180/21 -32° | 180/28 -42° | 190/29 -54° | 220/26 -53° | 230/22 -50° |
| OTZ | used from 494 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 150/16 | 150/13 -7° | 160/12 -14° | 160/14 -21° | 150/21 -33° | 160/29 -45° | 170/21 -55° | 190/16 -52° | 210/15 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDV Cordova, AK | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,700 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the east (090°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 53 ft | 5:53 am AKDT (13:53 UTC) |
| 7KA Tatitlek, AK | 39 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 61 ft | ||||
| SMU Sheep Mountain, AK | 99 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,750 ft | ||||
| TKA Talkeetna, AK | 168 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,900 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet Weather: light rain | calm | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 365 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| MHM Minchumina, AK | 276 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,800 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 681 ft | 13:51 UTC |
| RBY Ruby, AK | 375 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: fog | from the east (080°) at 7 knots | 0.25 mi | 300 ft | 657 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| WLK Selawik, AK | 533 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,500 feet | from the east (080°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 3,500 ft | 17 ft | 12:56 UTC |
| D76 Noorvik, AK | 563 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,200 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 5 knots | 4 mi | 2,200 ft | 54 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| OTZ Kotzebue, AK | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,600 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the east-southeast (110°) at 15 knots | 10+ mi | 3,600 ft | 15 ft | 5:53 am AKDT (13:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,750 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At OTZ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:32 am AKDT (18:32 UTC)
Wind from the east-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for OTZ
- From Mon 4:00 am AKDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am AKDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
The forecast for CDV, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am AKDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am AKDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the east at 3 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm AKDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the east at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8889 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 9 nm from the route, 128 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZAN
Daylight
Sunset at CDV 6:37 pm AKDT (02:37 UTC), at OTZ 7:28 pm AKDT (03:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 8:22 pm AKDT (04:22 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: Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport, Ralph Wien Memorial.