Fairbanks International to Kenai Municipal FAI → ENA
271 nautical miles (312 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 202°, about 187° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 4-knot headwind), arriving about 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FAI is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots; ENA is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots, gusting to 16. 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 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.
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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (FAI, TKA, ANC). 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 8 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 2 h 23 min | 9:06 pm AKDT (05:06 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 9 kt | +7 kt | -7 °C | 113 kt | 2 h 24 min | 9:07 pm AKDT (05:07 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 9 kt | +6 kt | -10 °C | 114 kt | 2 h 23 min | 9:06 pm AKDT (05:06 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 8 kt | +5 kt | -14 °C | 115 kt | 2 h 21 min | 9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 7 kt | +4 kt | -19 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 20 min | 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 6 kt | +5 kt | -23 °C | 115 kt | 2 h 21 min | 9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 6 kt | +5 kt | -28 °C | 115 kt | 2 h 21 min | 9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 6 kt | +5 kt | -31 °C | 115 kt | 2 h 21 min | 9:04 pm AKDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 5 kt | +4 kt | -42 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 20 min | 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 11 kt | +6 kt | -53 °C | 114 kt | 2 h 23 min | 9:06 pm AKDT (05:06 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 21 kt | +15 kt | -52 °C | 105 kt | 2 h 35 min | 9:18 pm AKDT (05:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 33 kt | +25 kt | -47 °C | 95 kt | 2 h 51 min | 9:34 pm AKDT (05:34 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAI | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 270/11 | 280/15 -5° | 270/15 -11° | 290/10 -18° | L/V -30° | 230/6 -43° | 300/15 -54° | 280/18 -53° | 240/26 -48° |
| TKA | used from 97 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 190/6 | 200/10 -7° | 240/6 -11° | 240/7 -18° | 220/10 -31° | L/V -41° | 240/13 -54° | 230/22 -52° | 240/33 -47° |
| ANC | used from 194 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 200/5 | 220/9 -5° | 210/8 -12° | 210/7 -18° | 220/8 -31° | 240/9 -41° | 210/12 -52° | 240/30 -49° | 240/42 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAI Fairbanks, AK | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,700 feet, a broken layer at 3,300 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 6 mi | 2,700 ft | 439 ft | 6:10 pm AKDT (02:10 UTC) |
| AK7 Fairbanks, AK | 39 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,720 ft | ||||
| INR Mckinley Park, AK | 68 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,400 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (360°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,400 ft | 1,720 ft | 01:56 UTC |
| UMM Summit, AK | 97 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,409 ft | ||||
| TKA Talkeetna, AK | 165 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 300 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | calm | 7 mi | 300 ft | 365 ft | 02:36 UTC |
| ANC Anchorage, AK | 223 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 3,600 feet, overcast at 4,600 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the east (080°) at 5 knots | 4 mi | 3,600 ft | 151 ft | 02:14 UTC |
| ENA Kenai, AK | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,600 feet, a broken layer at 3,700 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | 3,700 ft | 99 ft | 6:23 pm AKDT (02:23 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,409 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ENA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:03 pm AKDT (05:03 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ENA
- From Sun 4:00 pm AKDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- At times between Sun 4:00 pm AKDT (00:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm AKDT (03:00 UTC): a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
The forecast for FAI, the departure
- From Sun 4:00 pm AKDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm AKDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am AKDT (10:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am AKDT (14:00 UTC) and 10:00 am AKDT (18:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/3002 Clear, AK 22 nm from the route, 48 nm along the route · security · ZAN
- 6/8889 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 213 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZAN
- 6/8772 Anchorage, AK, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 223 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAN
Daylight
Sunset at FAI 6:39 pm AKDT (02:39 UTC), at ENA 7:03 pm AKDT (03:03 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:46 pm AKDT (03:46 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ENA is after sunset there (7:06 pm AKDT (03:06 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: Fairbanks International, Kenai Municipal.