Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport to Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field DCA → BFF
1,223 nautical miles (1,408 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 287°, about 298° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 11 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 8:10 pm MDT (02:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 119 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 60 to 189 nm out.
- 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 route from 99 to 338 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, 885 nm along the route.
- 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 189 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 DCA.
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 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 13 forecast points nearest it (RIC, EKN, AGC, CMH, FWA, IND, JOT, BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, ONL, BFF). 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 | 260° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 17 °C | 102 kt | 11 h 59 min | 8:10 pm MDT (02:10 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 16 °C | 100 kt | 12 h 14 min | 8:25 pm MDT (02:25 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 22 kt | +22 kt | 12 °C | 98 kt | 12 h 29 min | 8:40 pm MDT (02:40 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 24 kt | +24 kt | 7 °C | 96 kt | 12 h 44 min | 8:55 pm MDT (02:55 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 4 °C | 95 kt | 12 h 52 min | 9:03 pm MDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 26 kt | +26 kt | -1 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 01 min | 9:12 pm MDT (03:12 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 27 kt | +28 kt | -5 °C | 92 kt | 13 h 18 min | 9:29 pm MDT (03:29 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 28 kt | +29 kt | -8 °C | 91 kt | 13 h 26 min | 9:37 pm MDT (03:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 38 kt | +39 kt | -21 °C | 81 kt | 15 h 06 min | 11:17 pm MDT (05:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 51 kt | +52 kt | -33 °C | 68 kt | 17 h 59 min | 2:10 am MDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 59 kt | +61 kt | -39 °C | 59 kt | 20 h 44 min | 4:55 am MDT (10:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 56 kt | +58 kt | -47 °C | 62 kt | 19 h 44 min | 3:55 am MDT (09:55 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIC | used from 0 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 350/24 | 350/28 14° | 340/25 8° | 340/26 5° | 340/40 -6° | 340/44 -19° | 340/48 -33° | 330/45 -42° | 310/38 -50° |
| EKN | used from 50 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 320/20 15° | 340/24 10° | 340/25 4° | 310/28 -7° | 290/32 -19° | 290/36 -36° | 300/49 -43° | 310/48 -50° | |
| AGC | used from 149 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 270/15 | 320/17 14° | 320/22 9° | 340/23 4° | 310/25 -8° | 290/30 -19° | 280/40 -36° | 290/49 -45° | 300/53 -49° |
| CMH | used from 199 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 270/15 | 280/20 14° | 280/21 9° | 290/26 4° | 290/29 -7° | 290/38 -20° | 280/44 -35° | 280/48 -42° | 310/61 -48° |
| FWA | used from 348 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 250/18 | 260/22 15° | 260/27 7° | 290/26 6° | 290/28 -8° | 290/39 -20° | 280/36 -37° | 290/54 -39° | 310/60 -48° |
| IND | used from 448 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 260/18 | 250/20 15° | 260/26 9° | 290/28 5° | 290/30 -7° | 280/40 -20° | 280/46 -35° | 290/53 -38° | 300/58 -47° |
| JOT | used from 497 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/30 | 250/26 16° | 270/27 11° | 280/34 5° | 290/32 -8° | 280/37 -21° | 280/40 -36° | 290/46 -37° | 290/56 -47° |
| BRL | used from 597 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/25 18° | 250/26 12° | 260/29 5° | 260/24 -8° | 270/36 -20° | 280/57 -33° | 290/65 -37° | 290/54 -46° |
| DSM | used from 696 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/34 | 230/32 20° | 220/33 12° | 240/35 5° | 250/39 -7° | 250/43 -21° | 280/61 -31° | 280/73 -37° | 280/67 -47° |
| OMA | used from 845 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 210/23 | 240/34 20° | 230/40 14° | 220/43 7° | 240/38 -8° | 250/47 -21° | 270/70 -29° | 270/79 -36° | 270/68 -48° |
| GRI | used from 945 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 270/26 19° | 230/33 13° | 230/39 8° | 230/43 -9° | 240/55 -21° | 250/76 -28° | 260/84 -36° | 260/68 -47° | |
| ONL | used from 995 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 270/16 17° | 250/25 13° | 230/34 7° | 230/46 -9° | 240/57 -22° | 250/72 -31° | 250/87 -36° | 250/75 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 1094 nm out; 104 nm from the line | 310/15 | 280/27 8° | 250/27 2° | 230/30 -12° | 240/52 -22° | 250/66 -32° | 240/78 -37° | 240/76 -43° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington, DC | departure | no report just now | 14 ft | ||||
| IAD Washington, DC | 20 nm out, 1 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 312 ft | ||||
| MGW Morgantown, WV | 139 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,243 ft | ||||
| OSU Columbus, OH | 288 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 905 ft | ||||
| GUS Peru, IN | 438 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 810 ft | ||||
| PNT Pontiac, IL | 547 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 666 ft | ||||
| MLI Moline, IL | 637 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 776 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 875 nm out, 21 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 984 ft | ||||
| BUB Burwell, NE | 1025 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,183 ft | ||||
| AIA Alliance, NE | 1184 nm out, 12 nm north of the line | no report just now | 3,930 ft | ||||
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | destination | no report just now | 3,967 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,967 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:10 pm MDT (02:10 UTC)
BFF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA on the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at DCA 6:34 pm EDT (22:34 UTC), at BFF 6:16 pm MDT (00:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:44 pm MDT (00:44 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BFF is after sunset there (6:17 pm MDT (00:17 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: Ronald Reagan Washington Ntl Airport, Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field.