Fairbanks International to Valdez Pioneer Field FAI → VDZ
225 nautical miles (259 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 168°, about 153° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (9,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 7:11 pm AKDT (03:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FAI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots; VDZ is VFR, wind from the northeast (040°) at 3 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: 177 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
- C208 at 9,000 ft, 15 nm northwest, 4:35 pm AKDT (00:35 UTC): no icing above 9,000 ft, haze, snow, remarks: fai atct akfss. At the departure end, 15 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAI UA /OV PAFA315015 /TM 0035 /FL090 /TP C208 /WX HZ SN /IC NEG 090 /RM FAI ATCT AKFSS
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAI
- Where
- 15 nm northwest (315°) of PAFA
- Time
- 00:35 UTC
- Height
- at 9,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C208
- Weather
- haze, snow
- Icing
- no at 9,000 ft
- Remarks
- fai atct akfss
- B737 at 3,500 ft, 45 nm southeast, 3:07 pm AKDT (23:07 UTC): light chop turbulence, no icing, remarks: during the climb zan. At the destination end, 45 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CDV UA /OV CDV/TM 2307/FL035/TP B737/SK TOP 035/TB LGT CHOP/IC NEG/RM DURC ZAN
- Report
- a routine report filed through CDV
- Where
- over CDV
- Time
- 23:07 UTC
- Height
- at 3,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Sky
- top 3,500 ft
- Turbulence
- light chop
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- during the climb zan
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 2 forecast points nearest it (FAI, GKN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 190° at 14 kt | +13 kt | 107 kt | 2 h 06 min | 7:20 pm AKDT (03:20 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 15 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 2 h 02 min | 7:16 pm AKDT (03:16 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +7 kt | -8 °C | 113 kt | 1 h 59 min | 7:13 pm AKDT (03:13 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | +5 kt | -12 °C | 115 kt | 1 h 57 min | 7:11 pm AKDT (03:11 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +6 kt | -17 °C | 114 kt | 1 h 58 min | 7:12 pm AKDT (03:12 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | +7 kt | -21 °C | 113 kt | 1 h 59 min | 7:13 pm AKDT (03:13 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 15 kt | +9 kt | -25 °C | 111 kt | 2 h 02 min | 7:16 pm AKDT (03:16 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 210° at 14 kt | +11 kt | -30 °C | 109 kt | 2 h 04 min | 7:18 pm AKDT (03:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 210° at 15 kt | +11 kt | -31 °C | 109 kt | 2 h 04 min | 7:18 pm AKDT (03:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 200° at 17 kt | +15 kt | -42 °C | 105 kt | 2 h 09 min | 7:23 pm AKDT (03:23 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 29 kt | +13 kt | -50 °C | 107 kt | 2 h 06 min | 7:20 pm AKDT (03:20 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 38 kt | +20 kt | -48 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 15 min | 7:29 pm AKDT (03:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 43 kt | +21 kt | -46 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 16 min | 7:30 pm AKDT (03:30 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 | 230/13 | 240/10 -6° | 260/11 -11° | 250/10 -17° | 230/11 -29° | 160/11 -43° | 200/13 -54° | 220/25 -50° | 230/35 -47° |
| GKN | used from 98 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 160/20 | 220/20 -4° | 230/20 -11° | 230/20 -18° | 200/18 -32° | 210/24 -42° | 240/43 -47° | 230/49 -47° | 230/50 -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 | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,500 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 439 ft | 4:53 pm AKDT (00:53 UTC) |
| AK7 Fairbanks, AK | 39 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,720 ft | ||||
| Z55 Lake Louise, AK | 157 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,480 ft | ||||
| VDZ Valdez, AK | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,400 feet, scattered clouds at 2,800 feet, overcast at 4,500 feet Weather: rain | from the northeast (040°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 4,500 ft | 128 ft | 4:56 pm AKDT (00:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,480 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At VDZ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:11 pm AKDT (03:11 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, overcast at 2,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for VDZ
- From Sun 4:00 pm AKDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet and more above
- From Sun 6:00 pm AKDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am AKDT (13:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm AKDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at FAI 6:39 pm AKDT (02:39 UTC), at VDZ 6:42 pm AKDT (02:42 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:25 pm AKDT (03:25 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at VDZ is after sunset there (6:45 pm AKDT (02:45 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, Valdez Pioneer Field.