Great Falls International to Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport GTF → MEM
1,214 nautical miles (1,397 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 120°, about 107° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 35-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:34 am CDT (14:34 UTC). 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: 853 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
- SIGMET C11C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am MDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 368 to 418 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120555 MKCC WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11C VALID UNTIL 0755Z SD WY FROM 60WNW DPR-20SSE DPR-40SSW RAP-60W RAP-60WNW DPR DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 557 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 149 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the first 20 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 119 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 169 to 279 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 199 to 318 nm out.
- 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 239 to 398 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 259 to 388 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 507 to 985 nm out.
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 GTF.
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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (GTF, BIL, MLS, RAP, ONL, GRI, SLN, MKC, SGF, LIT, MEM). 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 | 210° at 19 kt | +3 kt | 14 °C | 117 kt | 10 h 23 min | 12:07 pm CDT (17:07 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | +1 kt | 14 °C | 119 kt | 10 h 12 min | 11:56 am CDT (16:56 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −1 kt | 9 °C | 121 kt | 10 h 02 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | 0 | 5 °C | 120 kt | 10 h 07 min | 11:51 am CDT (16:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −2 kt | 1 °C | 122 kt | 9 h 57 min | 11:41 am CDT (16:41 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | −4 kt | -3 °C | 124 kt | 9 h 47 min | 11:31 am CDT (16:31 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −6 kt | -7 °C | 126 kt | 9 h 38 min | 11:22 am CDT (16:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 23 kt | −6 kt | -8 °C | 126 kt | 9 h 38 min | 11:22 am CDT (16:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 30 kt | −8 kt | -20 °C | 128 kt | 9 h 29 min | 11:13 am CDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 40 kt | −17 kt | -34 °C | 137 kt | 8 h 52 min | 10:36 am CDT (15:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 51 kt | −32 kt | -39 °C | 152 kt | 7 h 59 min | 9:43 am CDT (14:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 54 kt | −35 kt | -48 °C | 155 kt | 7 h 50 min | 9:34 am CDT (14:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTF | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| BIL | used from 99 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 199 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| RAP | used from 298 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| ONL | used from 497 nm out; 109 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 647 nm out; 12 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| SLN | used from 746 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| MKC | used from 796 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| SGF | used from 945 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| LIT | used from 1094 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| MEM | used from 1144 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTF Great Falls, MT | departure | no report just now | 3,680 ft | ||||
| LWT Lewistown, MT | 80 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 4,170 ft | ||||
| RPX Roundup, MT | 129 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 408 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,203 ft | ||||
| TIF Thedford, NE | 567 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,925 ft | ||||
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 686 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,847 ft | ||||
| MYZ Marysville, KS | 786 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,283 ft | ||||
| IXD Olathe, KS | 885 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,087 ft | ||||
| SGF Springfield, MO | 1005 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,268 ft | ||||
| CVK Ash Flat, AR | 1104 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 717 ft | ||||
| MEM Memphis, TN | destination | no report just now | 340 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,170 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MEM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:34 am CDT (14:34 UTC)
MEM has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 GTF 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 UTC), at MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 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: Great Falls International, Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport.