Casper/Natrona County International to Helena Regional CPR → HLN
324 nautical miles (372 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 315°, about 303° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 7-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:33 am MDT (17:33 UTC). Right now CPR is IFR, wind from the north (360°) at 9 knots; HLN is marginal VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 6 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
- 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 294 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 78 to 216 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 98 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 CPR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E175L at 10,000 ft, 10 nm southeast, 8:05 am MDT (14:05 UTC): overcast from 10,500 ft to 11,500 ft. At the departure end, 10 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CPR UA /OV CPR110010/TM 1405/FL100/TP E175L/SK OVC105-TOP115
- Report
- a routine report filed through CPR
- Where
- 10 nm east (110°) of CPR
- Time
- 14:05 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E175L
- Sky
- overcast from 10,500 ft, tops 11,500 ft
- GLF4 descending, 14 nm southwest, 7:48 am MDT (13:48 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 265 nm along the route, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 1348/FLDURD/TP GLF4/SK 047
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 13:48 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- GLF4
- Sky
- at 4,700 ft
- C340 descending, 14 nm southwest, 6:47 am MDT (12:47 UTC): light icing, remarks: smooth. 265 nm along the route, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 1247/FLDURD/TP C340/SK 055/IC LGT RM/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 12:47 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- C340
- Sky
- at 5,500 ft
- Icing
- light remarks
- Remarks
- smooth
- BE9L at 7,500 ft, 1 nm east, 6:45 am MDT (12:45 UTC): no turbulence, light rime icing, overcast from 7,500 ft to 9,000 ft, -6 °C, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 1 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
HLN UA /OV HLN120010/TM 1245/FL075/TP BE9L/SK OVC075-TOPS090/TA M06/TB NEG/IC LGT RIME/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through HLN
- Where
- 10 nm southeast (120°) of HLN
- Time
- 12:45 UTC
- Height
- at 7,500 ft
- Aircraft
- BE9L
- Sky
- overcast from 7,500 ft, tops 9,000 ft
- Temperature
- −6 °C
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- during the climb
- B752 at 41,000 ft, 10 nm northeast, 6:31 am MDT (12:31 UTC): light to moderate turbulence above 41,000 ft. At the destination end, 10 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
HLN UA /OV HLN009010/TM 1231/FL410/TP B752/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD 410/ZLC
- Report
- a routine report filed through HLN
- Where
- 10 nm north (009°) of HLN
- Time
- 12:31 UTC
- Height
- at 41,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B752
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate 410/ZLC
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (LND, BIL, DLN, GTF). 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 | light and variable | 0 | 120 kt | 2 h 42 min | 11:42 am MDT (17:42 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 2 kt | +1 kt | 119 kt | 2 h 43 min | 11:43 am MDT (17:43 UTC) | |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 9 kt | +1 kt | 1 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 43 min | 11:43 am MDT (17:43 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 14 kt | +2 kt | -2 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 45 min | 11:45 am MDT (17:45 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +1 kt | -3 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 43 min | 11:43 am MDT (17:43 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −1 kt | -7 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 41 min | 11:41 am MDT (17:41 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | −2 kt | -12 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 39 min | 11:39 am MDT (17:39 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 25 kt | −3 kt | -15 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 38 min | 11:38 am MDT (17:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 35 kt | −6 kt | -28 °C | 126 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:34 am MDT (17:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 56 kt | −7 kt | -33 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:33 am MDT (17:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 59 kt | −7 kt | -38 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:33 am MDT (17:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 58 kt | −5 kt | -44 °C | 125 kt | 2 h 36 min | 11:36 am MDT (17:36 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LND | used from 0 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 220/16 3° | 230/26 -1° | 210/30 -14° | 220/57 -26° | 220/60 -31° | 220/62 -38° | 220/52 -44° | ||
| BIL | used from 98 nm out; 88 nm from the line | L/V | 250/11 -1° | 240/20 -2° | 230/28 -15° | 220/28 -28° | 220/53 -34° | 220/55 -39° | 220/63 -44° | |
| DLN | used from 245 nm out; 79 nm from the line | L/V -3° | 170/16 -6° | 180/21 -18° | 190/27 -30° | 210/63 -33° | 210/62 -36° | 210/51 -42° | ||
| GTF | used from 294 nm out; 64 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -4° | 230/12 -3° | 210/12 -17° | 190/23 -29° | 200/48 -39° | 210/69 -39° | 220/66 -42° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPR Casper, WY | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north (360°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 5,344 ft | 8:53 am MDT (14:53 UTC) |
| WRL Worland, WY | 88 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,500 ft | 4,251 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| COD Cody, WY | 147 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 500 ft | 5,102 ft | 14:56 UTC |
| RED Red Lodge, MT | 186 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 5,762 ft | ||||
| LVM Livingston, MT | 235 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 feet, scattered clouds at 4,100 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,659 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| BZN Bozeman, MT | 265 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: freezing fog | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 4,473 ft | 14:56 UTC |
| HLN Helena, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,800 feet | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,800 ft | 3,877 ft | 8:53 am MDT (14:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,762 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HLN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:33 am MDT (17:33 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for HLN
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet, overcast at 600 feet
The forecast for CPR, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet and more above
- 30% chance between Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, rain, a broken layer at 1,200 feet
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 CPR 6:26 pm MDT (00:26 UTC), at HLN 6:45 pm MDT (00:45 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:15 pm MDT (01:15 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: Casper/Natrona County International, Helena Regional.