Durango-La Plata County to Southwest Wyoming Regional DRO → RKS
274 nautical miles (315 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 348°, about 338° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 36-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DRO is VFR, wind calm; RKS is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 4 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 42,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 264 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 166 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). Near the route, 147 nm along 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 DRO.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE20 at 9,000 ft, 0 nm northeast, 1:52 am MDT (07:52 UTC): light to moderate rime icing, -5 °C, remarks: during the descent zdvwc. At the departure end, 0 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DRO UA /OV DRO/TM 0752/FL090/TP BE20/SK BASE110 TOP165/TA M05/IC LGT-MOD RIME/RM DURD. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through DRO
- Where
- over DRO
- Time
- 07:52 UTC
- Height
- at 9,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Sky
- BASE110 TOP165
- Temperature
- −5 °C
- Icing
- light to moderate rime
- Remarks
- during the descent zdvwc
- PC12 at 11,000 ft, 0 nm northeast, 12:58 am MDT (06:58 UTC): light turbulence, no icing, remarks: during the descent arrival KFMN ZDVWC-36. At the departure end, 0 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DRO UA /OV DRO/TM 0658/FL110/TP PC12/SK BASE117/TB CONS LGT/IC NEG/RM DURD ARR KFMN. ZDVWC-36
- Report
- a routine report filed through DRO
- Where
- over DRO
- Time
- 06:58 UTC
- Height
- at 11,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- BASE117
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent arrival KFMN ZDVWC-36
- PC12 at 12,000 ft, 42 nm west, 1:08 am MDT (07:08 UTC): light turbulence, no icing, 4 °C, remarks: instrument conditions ZDVWC-11. 117 nm along the route, 42 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GJT UA /OV JNC237019/TM 0708/FL120/TP PC12/TA 04/TB OCNL LGT/IC NEG/RM IMC. ZDVWC-11
- Report
- a routine report filed through GJT
- Where
- 19 nm southwest (237°) of JNC
- Time
- 07:08 UTC
- Height
- at 12,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Temperature
- 4 °C
- Turbulence
- occasional light
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- instrument conditions ZDVWC-11
- E170 at 4,800 ft, 10 nm southwest, 12:31 am MDT (06:31 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, clear from 4,800 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt zdvwc. 127 nm along the route, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
GJT UA /OV GJT/TM 0631/FL048/TP E170/SK SKC/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURD RNAV Y 11 LGJT. ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through GJT
- Where
- over GJT
- Time
- 06:31 UTC
- Height
- at 4,800 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent rnav Y 11 lgjt 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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (FMN, GJT, RKS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −10 kt | 6 °C | 130 kt | 2 h 06 min | 5:05 am MDT (11:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −14 kt | 3 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 03 min | 5:02 am MDT (11:02 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | −18 kt | -1 °C | 138 kt | 1 h 59 min | 4:58 am MDT (10:58 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | −23 kt | -5 °C | 143 kt | 1 h 55 min | 4:54 am MDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 46 kt | −28 kt | -10 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 51 min | 4:50 am MDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 51 kt | −32 kt | -13 °C | 152 kt | 1 h 48 min | 4:47 am MDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 61 kt | −30 kt | -23 °C | 150 kt | 1 h 50 min | 4:49 am MDT (10:49 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 74 kt | −36 kt | -31 °C | 156 kt | 1 h 45 min | 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 76 kt | −37 kt | -35 °C | 157 kt | 1 h 45 min | 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 69 kt | −34 kt | -44 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 47 min | 4:46 am MDT (10:46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMN | used from 0 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| GJT | used from 49 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/26 6° | 230/39 0° | 220/55 -13° | 230/60 -23° | 230/78 -31° | 230/80 -35° | 230/74 -44° | ||
| RKS | used from 195 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 250/9 | 230/21 -1° | 210/43 -14° | 220/59 -23° | 220/55 -32° | 220/53 -35° | 220/48 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRO Durango, CO | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 feet, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 6,689 ft | 2:53 am MDT (08:53 UTC) |
| TEX Telluride, CO | 49 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,600 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots, gusting to 14 | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 9,069 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| GJT Grand Junction, CO | 127 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,500 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet | from the east-southeast (110°) at 19 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 4,861 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| RKS Rock Springs, WY | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet Weather: light rain | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | 5,500 ft | 6,764 ft | 2:54 am MDT (08:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 9,069 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RKS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:44 am MDT (10:44 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet and more above marginal VFR
The whole forecast for RKS
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, thunderstorms with rain, a broken layer at 3,000 feet (thunderheads)
- From Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet and more above
The forecast for DRO, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm MDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm MDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 4,000 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 DRO 6:37 pm MDT (00:37 UTC), at RKS 6:38 pm MDT (00:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm MDT (01:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RKS is before sunrise there (7:24 am MDT (13:24 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: Durango-La Plata County, Southwest Wyoming Regional.