Coldfoot Airport to Kobuk Airport CXF → OBU
158 nautical miles (182 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 266°, about 250° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 10:18 pm AKDT (06:18 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CXF is marginal VFR, wind calm. 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: 12 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.
Turbulence No turbulence warning in force along the route. No pilot has reported turbulence near the line in the last three hours. The government's turbulence forecast map ↗
Icing No icing warning in force along the route. No pilot has reported icing near the line in the last three hours. The freezing level is below 6,500 ft, the lowest forecast height, so any cloud could carry ice. The government's icing forecast map ↗
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 CXF.
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 02:00–09:00 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 2 forecast points nearest it (BTT, AFM). 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 | 220° at 7 kt | +5 kt | 115 kt | 1 h 22 min | 10:18 pm AKDT (06:18 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 10 kt | +8 kt | -9 °C | 112 kt | 1 h 25 min | 10:21 pm AKDT (06:21 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 11 kt | +9 kt | -13 °C | 111 kt | 1 h 25 min | 10:21 pm AKDT (06:21 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | +10 kt | -17 °C | 110 kt | 1 h 26 min | 10:22 pm AKDT (06:22 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 15 kt | +12 kt | -22 °C | 108 kt | 1 h 28 min | 10:24 pm AKDT (06:24 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | +13 kt | -26 °C | 107 kt | 1 h 29 min | 10:25 pm AKDT (06:25 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | +14 kt | -30 °C | 106 kt | 1 h 29 min | 10:25 pm AKDT (06:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 19 kt | +15 kt | -34 °C | 105 kt | 1 h 30 min | 10:26 pm AKDT (06:26 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 27 kt | +23 kt | -42 °C | 97 kt | 1 h 38 min | 10:34 pm AKDT (06:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 46 kt | +45 kt | -53 °C | 75 kt | 2 h 06 min | 11:02 pm AKDT (07:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 43 kt | +43 kt | -57 °C | 77 kt | 2 h 03 min | 10:59 pm AKDT (06:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 24 kt | +23 kt | -53 °C | 97 kt | 1 h 38 min | 10:34 pm AKDT (06:34 UTC) |
Based on data from the 13th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 13th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTT | used from 0 nm out; 19 nm from the line | 240/6 | 250/9 -7° | 240/12 -14° | 230/16 -20° | 230/23 -34° | 230/27 -42° | 260/41 -53° | 270/43 -58° | 250/25 -53° |
| AFM | used from 99 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 160/9 | 210/12 -9° | 200/13 -15° | 210/13 -22° | 210/12 -33° | 230/28 -43° | 250/54 -52° | 250/45 -56° | 250/21 -53° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CXF Coldfoot, AK | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,800 feet, overcast at 4,400 feet Weather: light rain, mist | calm | 3 mi | 1,800 ft | 1,049 ft | 7:56 pm AKDT (03:56 UTC) |
| BTT Bettles, AK | 30 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light rain, light snow, mist | calm | 4 mi | 700 ft | 647 ft | 03:53 UTC |
| OBU Kobuk, AK | destination | no report just now | 142 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,049 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
The codes as issued, and in English, for every airport in the table
CXF Coldfoot, AK
the observation as issued, and in English
METAR PACX 130356Z AUTO 00000KT 3SM -RA BR FEW003 BKN018 OVC044 01/00 A2963 RMK AO2 UPE11RAB11E26B50 SLP663 P0000 T00060000 FZRANO $
- METAR
- a routine hourly observation
- PACX
- the station, PACX
- 130356Z
- observed 7:56 pm AKDT (03:56 UTC)
- AUTO
- fully automated report, nobody checked it
- 00000KT
- wind calm
- 3SM
- visibility 3 miles
- -RA
- light rain
- BR
- mist
- FEW003
- a few clouds at 300 feet
- BKN018
- a broken layer at 1,800 feet
- OVC044
- overcast at 4,400 feet
- 01/00
- temperature 1 °C (34 °F), dew point 0 °C (32 °F)
- A2963
- altimeter setting 29.63 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
- UPE11RAB11E26B50
- SLP663
- sea-level pressure 966.3 hPa
- P0000
- a trace of precipitation in the last hour
- T00060000
- temperature 0.6 °C (33 °F), dew point 0 °C (32 °F)
- FZRANO $
- the freezing-rain sensor is not working, the station needs maintenance
BTT Bettles, AK
the observation and the forecast as issued, and in English
METAR PABT 130353Z 00000KT 4SM -RASN BR BKN007 OVC010 01/01 A2962 RMK AO2 SLP045 T00110011 PNO $
- METAR
- a routine hourly observation
- PABT
- the station, PABT
- 130353Z
- observed 03:53 UTC on the 13th
- 00000KT
- wind calm
- 4SM
- visibility 4 miles
- -RASN
- light rain snow
- BR
- mist
- BKN007
- a broken layer at 700 feet
- OVC010
- overcast at 1,000 feet
- 01/01
- temperature 1 °C (34 °F), dew point 1 °C (34 °F)
- A2962
- altimeter setting 29.62 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
- SLP045
- sea-level pressure 1004.5 hPa
- T00110011
- temperature 1.1 °C (34 °F), dew point 1.1 °C (34 °F)
- PNO $
- the rain gauge is not working, the station needs maintenance
TAF PABT 122320Z 1300/1324 12004KT 4SM -SHRASN BR BKN008 OVC015 FM130600 VRB02KT 4SM BR VCSH SCT008 OVC010 PROB30 1311/1317 3SM -SHSN OVC008 AMD LTD TO CLD VIS AND WX
- TAF
- a terminal aerodrome forecast: the weather expected at the airport, usually for the next 24 or 30 hours
- PABT
- the station, PABT
- 122320Z
- issued 23:20 UTC on the 12th
- 1300/1324 12004KT 4SM -SHRASN BR BKN008 OVC015
- valid from Tue 00:00 UTC to Wed 00:00 UTC: wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, light showers rain snow, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- FM130600 VRB02KT 4SM BR VCSH SCT008 OVC010
- from Tue 06:00 UTC: wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, vcsh, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- PROB30 1311/1317 3SM -SHSN OVC008 AMD LTD TO CLD VIS AND WX
- a 30% chance from Tue 11:00 UTC to Tue 17:00 UTC: visibility 3 miles, light snow showers, overcast at 800 feet, amd, ltd, to, cld, vis, and, wx
At OBU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:18 pm AKDT (06:18 UTC)
OBU 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.
Notices to air missions closures and things out of service at both ends; airspace, navigation aids and obstructions near the line
CXF: 4 notices in force. all of them, grouped →
OBU: 1 notice in force. all of them, grouped →
No airspace, navigation-aid or obstruction notice near the line.
From the FAA's notice service (NOTAMs), the site's copy refreshed every few minutes; last checked 2 minutes ago. The FAA has so far issued eFlight its test feed, which misses some notices (checked against the FAA's own search on 12 October: about a third missing at Santa Barbara and Burbank, none at Atlanta or Las Vegas); the request for the full feed is with the FAA. Times are local to the field. This is for planning; the legal briefing comes from Flight Service or the FAA's own tools.
Daylight
Sunset at CXF 6:37 pm AKDT (02:37 UTC), at OBU 7:05 pm AKDT (03:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:59 pm AKDT (03:59 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at OBU is after sunset there (7:09 pm AKDT (03:09 UTC)).
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times.
The wind over the route live wind map, from Windy.com · drag the time bar for the coming hours; the level menu changes the height
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction, at the surface unless you pick a height. Map and forecast by Windy.com; a second opinion beside the government's winds-aloft table above.
Radar and forecast charts for the regions crossed government pictures, the latest each time the page loads · the turbulence and icing forecasts: turbulence ↗ · icing ↗
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: Coldfoot Airport, Kobuk Airport.