Plan a flight · Mon 4:01 am MDT (10:01 UTC)

City Of Colorado Springs Municipal to Hector International COS → FAR

597 nautical miles (688 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 033°, about 025° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:29 am CDT (13:29 UTC). Right now COS is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 16 knots, gusting to 28; FAR is low IFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 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: 3 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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 70 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the first 30 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 10 to 30 nm out.
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 last 378 nm of the route.
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 259 to 269 nm out.

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 COS.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B38M at 22,000 ft, 43 nm northwest, 2:14 am MDT (08:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the departure end, 43 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN216059/TM 0814/FL220/TP B38M/TB NEG/RM ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
59 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
Time
08:14 UTC
Height
at 22,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
zdvwc
B38M at 37,000 ft, 42 nm west, 1:42 am MDT (07:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: mtw +/-7KT zdvwc. At the departure end, 42 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PUB UA /OV PUB280055/TM 0742/FL370/TP B38M/TB LGT CHOP/RM MTW +/-7KT. ZDVWC
```
Report
a routine report filed through PUB
Where
55 nm west (280°) of PUB
Time
07:42 UTC
Height
at 37,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
light chop
Remarks
mtw +/-7KT zdvwc
B737 descending, 31 nm northwest, 2:10 am MDT (08:10 UTC): light chop turbulence. 50 nm along the route, 31 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0810/FLDURD/TP B737/TB LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
08:10 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light chop
B737 descending, 31 nm northwest, 1:10 am MDT (07:10 UTC): remarks: smooth. 50 nm along the route, 31 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0710/FLDURD/TP B737/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through DEN
Where
over DEN
Time
07:10 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B737
Remarks
smooth
B77W at 30,000 ft, 4 nm southeast, 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. 488 nm along the route, 4 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ABR UA /OV ABR/TM 0800/FL300/TP B77W/TB LGT-MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ABR
Where
over ABR
Time
08:00 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
B77W
Turbulence
light to moderate chop
P28A at 4,000 ft, 12 nm northwest, 3:27 am MDT (09:27 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, overcast from 1,300 ft to 3,800 ft, 10 °C. At the destination end, 12 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FAR UA /OV KFAR270015/TM 0927/FL040/TP P28A/SK OVC013-TOP038/TA 10/TB NEG/IC NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through FAR
Where
15 nm west (270°) of KFAR
Time
09:27 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
P28A
Sky
overcast from 1,300 ft, tops 3,800 ft
Temperature
10 °C
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
B39M at 35,000 ft, 5 nm southeast, 2:30 am MDT (08:30 UTC): light chop turbulence above 35,000 ft. At the destination end, 5 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FAR UA /OV FAR/TM 0830/FL350/TP B39M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 350
```
Report
a routine report filed through FAR
Where
over FAR
Time
08:30 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
continuous light chop at 35,000 ft

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 5 forecast points nearest it (DEN, BFF, PIR, ABR, GFK). 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	260° at 14 kt	−10 kt	15 °C	130 kt	4 h 36 min	9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC)
7,500 ft	250° at 21 kt	−16 kt	12 °C	136 kt	4 h 23 min	9:24 am CDT (14:24 UTC)
9,500 ft	250° at 25 kt	−21 kt	11 °C	141 kt	4 h 14 min	9:15 am CDT (14:15 UTC)
11,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	−24 kt	6 °C	144 kt	4 h 09 min	9:10 am CDT (14:10 UTC)
13,500 ft	230° at 28 kt	−27 kt	1 °C	147 kt	4 h 04 min	9:05 am CDT (14:05 UTC)
15,500 ft	230° at 32 kt	−31 kt	-4 °C	151 kt	3 h 57 min	8:58 am CDT (13:58 UTC)
17,500 ft	220° at 36 kt	−35 kt	-9 °C	155 kt	3 h 51 min	8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	220° at 37 kt	−36 kt	-10 °C	156 kt	3 h 50 min	8:51 am CDT (13:51 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	220° at 46 kt	−46 kt	-21 °C	166 kt	3 h 36 min	8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 50 kt	−47 kt	-33 °C	167 kt	3 h 34 min	8:35 am CDT (13:35 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 57 kt	−51 kt	-37 °C	171 kt	3 h 29 min	8:30 am CDT (13:30 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	250° at 62 kt	−52 kt	-47 °C	172 kt	3 h 28 min	8:29 am CDT (13:29 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
DEN	used from 0 nm out; 44 nm from the line			270/24 11°	230/13 5°	230/48 -8°	230/46 -20°	230/63 -30°	240/78 -36°	240/78 -48°
BFF	used from 149 nm out; 59 nm from the line		280/28	260/39 11°	240/34 5°	210/38 -11°	210/52 -22°	230/61 -31°	230/61 -36°	240/56 -45°
PIR	used from 299 nm out; 69 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°
ABR	used from 448 nm out; 14 nm from the line	080/12	210/12 17°	220/22 12°	230/26 5°	220/28 -10°	230/41 -21°	250/36 -36°	260/47 -39°	260/63 -47°
GFK	used from 548 nm out; 81 nm from the line	080/18	L/V 11°	260/22 7°	250/48 3°	260/51 -11°	250/44 -22°	260/34 -38°	260/53 -44°	270/66 -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
COS Colorado Springs, CO	departure	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 20,000 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 16 knots, gusting to 28	10+ mi	none	6,187 ft	3:54 am MDT (09:54 UTC)
AKO Akron, CO	110 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots	10+ mi	none	4,716 ft	09:53 UTC
STK Sterling, CO	129 nm out, 5 nm west of the line	VFR	from the west (270°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	4,037 ft	09:55 UTC
OKS Oshkosh, NE	189 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				3,394 ft
SUO Rosebud, SD	319 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist	from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots	1 mi	200 ft	2,724 ft	09:55 UTC
PIR Pierre, SD	388 nm out, 25 nm northwest of the line	low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: mist	from the east-northeast (060°) at 10 knots	5 mi	400 ft	1,744 ft	09:53 UTC
MKA Miller, SD	428 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				1,569 ft
ABR Aberdeen, SD	488 nm out, 2 nm south of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist	from the northeast (040°) at 11 knots	4 mi	300 ft	1,301 ft	09:53 UTC
GWR Gwinner, ND	548 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	reported, no category	from the north-northeast (020°) at 17 knots	1 mi	none	1,265 ft	09:55 UTC
FAR Fargo, ND	destination	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north-northeast (020°) at 11 knots	2.5 mi	400 ft	901 ft	4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At FAR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:29 am CDT (13:29 UTC)

Wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet IFR

The whole forecast for FAR

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 300 feet
At times between Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC) and 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers

The forecast for COS, the departure

From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

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 COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC), at FAR 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 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 southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: City Of Colorado Springs Municipal, Hector International.