Denver International to Lincoln Airport DEN → LNK
367 nautical miles (422 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 078°, about 070° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 69-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:21 am CDT (13:21 UTC). Right now DEN is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots; LNK is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20. 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: 3,169 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 50 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 10 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 40 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). Over the last 169 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 DEN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 23,000 ft, 36 nm west, 4:26 am MDT (10:26 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the departure end, 36 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN278037/TM 1026/FL230/TP B763/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 37 nm west (278°) of DEN
- Time
- 10:26 UTC
- Height
- at 23,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- zdvwc
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 4 forecast points nearest it (DEN, GLD, GRI, OMA). 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 | 240° at 37 kt | −35 kt | 23 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 22 min | 8:46 am CDT (13:46 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −28 kt | 16 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 29 min | 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 13 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 33 min | 8:57 am CDT (13:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −20 kt | 8 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 37 min | 9:01 am CDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −22 kt | 3 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 35 min | 8:59 am CDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | −27 kt | -2 °C | 147 kt | 2 h 30 min | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | −31 kt | -7 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 26 min | 8:50 am CDT (13:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 37 kt | −32 kt | -8 °C | 152 kt | 2 h 25 min | 8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 45 kt | −40 kt | -21 °C | 160 kt | 2 h 18 min | 8:42 am CDT (13:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 59 kt | −57 kt | -31 °C | 177 kt | 2 h 04 min | 8:28 am CDT (13:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 69 kt | −69 kt | -36 °C | 189 kt | 1 h 57 min | 8:21 am CDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 67 kt | −66 kt | -47 °C | 186 kt | 1 h 58 min | 8:22 am CDT (13:22 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; 25 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° | ||
| GLD | used from 99 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 260/37 | 260/25 14° | 250/27 8° | 230/36 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 250/71 -30° | 260/82 -36° | 250/73 -48° | |
| GRI | used from 198 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| OMA | used from 347 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN Denver, CO | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,433 ft | 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC) |
| AKO Akron, CO | 69 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,716 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| RYA Wray, CO | 109 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,677 ft | ||||
| IML Imperial, NE | 149 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,276 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MCK Mc Cook, NE | 188 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,582 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| CSB Cambridge, NE | 208 nm out, 11 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 2,414 ft | 11:15 UTC |
| EAR Kearney, NE | 268 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,131 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 297 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| SWT Seward, NE | 347 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,505 ft | ||||
| LNK Lincoln, NE | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,433 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LNK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:21 am CDT (13:21 UTC)
Wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for LNK
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 16 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for DEN, the departure
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 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 DEN 6:22 pm MDT (00:22 UTC), at LNK 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm CDT (00:19 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: Denver International, Lincoln Airport.