Fairbanks International to Arctic Village Airport FAI → ARC
205 nautical miles (236 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 014°, about 359° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 30 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:52 am AKDT (10:52 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FAI is VFR, wind calm; ARC is IFR, 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: 709 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 FAI.
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 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 2 forecast points nearest it (FAI, FYU). 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 | 240° at 10 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 1 h 37 min | 2:59 am AKDT (10:59 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −10 kt | -7 °C | 130 kt | 1 h 35 min | 2:57 am AKDT (10:57 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | −12 kt | -12 °C | 132 kt | 1 h 33 min | 2:55 am AKDT (10:55 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 14 kt | −11 kt | -16 °C | 131 kt | 1 h 34 min | 2:56 am AKDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 13 kt | −10 kt | -21 °C | 130 kt | 1 h 35 min | 2:57 am AKDT (10:57 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 14 kt | −11 kt | -25 °C | 131 kt | 1 h 34 min | 2:56 am AKDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | −13 kt | -30 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 32 min | 2:54 am AKDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 16 kt | −14 kt | -33 °C | 134 kt | 1 h 32 min | 2:54 am AKDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 19 kt | −16 kt | -43 °C | 136 kt | 1 h 30 min | 2:52 am AKDT (10:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 23 kt | −1 kt | -52 °C | 121 kt | 1 h 42 min | 3:04 am AKDT (11:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 30 kt | +3 kt | -58 °C | 117 kt | 1 h 45 min | 3:07 am AKDT (11:07 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 27 kt | −13 kt | -53 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 32 min | 2:54 am AKDT (10:54 UTC) |
Based on data from the 13th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 13th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAI | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 200/6 | 200/12 -7° | 200/15 -13° | 200/13 -20° | 200/9 -33° | 210/9 -41° | 300/9 -50° | 300/16 -57° | 240/25 -54° |
| FYU | used from 49 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 260/7 | 250/15 -6° | 240/16 -13° | 250/14 -20° | 230/19 -33° | 230/22 -43° | 280/27 -53° | 290/35 -58° | 260/28 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAI Fairbanks, AK | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 439 ft | 12:53 am AKDT (08:53 UTC) |
| WBQ Beaver, AK | 88 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 364 ft | ||||
| VEE Venetie, AK | 137 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 574 ft | ||||
| ARC Arctic Village, AK | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: light snow, mist | calm | 2.5 mi | 1,400 ft | 2,092 ft | 1:19 am AKDT (09:19 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,092 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
FAI Fairbanks, AK
the observation and the forecast as issued, and in English
METAR PAFA 130853Z 00000KT 10SM BKN100 00/M01 A2964 RMK AO2 SLP046 T00001006 400561011 53002 $
- METAR
- a routine hourly observation
- PAFA
- the station, PAFA
- 130853Z
- observed 12:53 am AKDT (08:53 UTC)
- 00000KT
- wind calm
- 10SM
- visibility 10 miles
- BKN100
- a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- 00/M01
- temperature 0 °C (32 °F), dew point -1 °C (30 °F)
- A2964
- altimeter setting 29.64 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
- SLP046
- sea-level pressure 1004.6 hPa
- T00001006
- temperature 0 °C (32 °F), dew point -0.6 °C (31 °F)
- 400561011
- 24-hour highest 5.6 °C (42 °F), lowest -1.1 °C (30 °F)
- 53002
- pressure in the last three hours rising, faster lately, change 0.2 hPa
- $
- the station needs maintenance
TAF PAFA 130530Z 1306/1412 04003KT P6SM BKN100 FM131000 00000KT P6SM VCFG FEW004 BKN100 FM131900 00000KT P6SM BKN100
- TAF
- a terminal aerodrome forecast: the weather expected at the airport, usually for the next 24 or 30 hours
- PAFA
- the station, PAFA
- 130530Z
- issued 9:30 pm AKDT (05:30 UTC)
- 1306/1412 04003KT P6SM BKN100
- valid from Mon 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC) to Wed 4:00 am AKDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- FM131000 00000KT P6SM VCFG FEW004 BKN100
- from Tue 2:00 am AKDT (10:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, fog nearby, a few clouds at 400 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- FM131900 00000KT P6SM BKN100
- from Tue 11:00 am AKDT (19:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
ARC Arctic Village, AK
the observation as issued, and in English
SPECI PARC 130919Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM -SN BR OVC014 M04/M06 A2958 RMK AO2 P0000 FZRANO TSNO
- SPECI
- a special observation, issued because the weather changed
- PARC
- the station, PARC
- 130919Z
- observed 1:19 am AKDT (09:19 UTC)
- AUTO
- fully automated report, nobody checked it
- 00000KT
- wind calm
- 2 1/2SM
- visibility 2½ miles
- -SN
- light snow
- BR
- mist
- OVC014
- overcast at 1,400 feet
- M04/M06
- temperature -4 °C (25 °F), dew point -6 °C (21 °F)
- A2958
- altimeter setting 29.58 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
- P0000
- a trace of precipitation in the last hour
- FZRANO TSNO
- the freezing-rain sensor is not working, the thunderstorm sensor is not working
At ARC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:52 am AKDT (10:52 UTC)
ARC has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for FAI, the departure
- From Mon 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am AKDT (10:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, fog nearby, a few clouds at 400 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 11:00 am AKDT (19:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
FAI: the forecast as issued, and in English
TAF PAFA 130530Z 1306/1412 04003KT P6SM BKN100 FM131000 00000KT P6SM VCFG FEW004 BKN100 FM131900 00000KT P6SM BKN100
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
FAI: 73 notices in force. runway 02 closed all of them, grouped →
- closed Runway 02W/20W Waterlane closed until Fri 30 Apr, 1:00 am AKDT (09:00 UTC) · FAI 10/015
as issued
!FAI 10/015 FAI RWY 02W/20W WATERLANE CLSD 2610012343-2704300900
ARC: 2 notices 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 a minute 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 FAI 6:32 pm AKDT (02:32 UTC), at ARC 6:11 pm AKDT (02:11 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm AKDT (03:09 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ARC is before sunrise there (8:38 am AKDT (16:38 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: Fairbanks International, Arctic Village Airport.