Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal to Merced Yosemite Regional HHR → MCE
228 nautical miles (263 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 333°, about 319° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 19-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:36 am PDT (07:36 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 1,083 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 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 10 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 HHR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 13,000 ft, 29 nm south, 8:30 pm PDT (03:30 UTC): moderate turbulence. At the departure end, 29 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
SLI UA /OV SLI180020/TM 0330/FL130/TP B737/TB MOD
- Report
- a routine report filed through SLI
- Where
- 20 nm south (180°) of SLI
- Time
- 03:30 UTC
- Height
- at 13,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- moderate
- B38M at 3,000 ft, 42 nm east, 10:47 pm PDT (05:47 UTC): a broken layer from 2,900 ft to 8,000 ft, remarks: BASE030. At the departure end, 42 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV KONT080005/TM 0547/FL030/TP B38M/SK BKN029-TOP080/RM BASE030
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 5 nm east (080°) of KONT
- Time
- 05:47 UTC
- Height
- at 3,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Sky
- a broken layer from 2,900 ft, tops 8,000 ft
- Remarks
- BASE030
- A321 at 3,300 ft, 45 nm east, 9:59 pm PDT (04:59 UTC): a broken layer above 3,300 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 45 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT078008/TM 0459/FL033/TP A321/SK BKN033-TOPUNKN/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 8 nm east (078°) of ONT
- Time
- 04:59 UTC
- Height
- at 3,300 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,300 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent
- B38M at 4,500 ft, 49 nm east, 9:15 pm PDT (04:15 UTC): a broken layer above 4,500 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 49 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT078012/TM 0415/FL045/TP B38M/SK BKN045-TOPUNKN/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 12 nm east (078°) of ONT
- Time
- 04:15 UTC
- Height
- at 4,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Sky
- a broken layer from 4,500 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent
- E75L at 3,600 ft, 5 nm east, 8:30 pm PDT (03:30 UTC): overcast above 6,600 ft, remarks: bases 3,600 ft. At the departure end, 5 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
KLAX UA /OV 10 E LAX/TM 0330/FL036/TP E75L/SK OVC066/RM BASES 036
- Report
- a routine report filed through KLAX
- Where
- 10 east lax
- Time
- 03:30 UTC
- Height
- at 3,600 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Sky
- overcast from 6,600 ft
- Remarks
- bases 3,600 ft
- B737 at 3,500 ft, 11 nm southeast, 8:25 pm PDT (03:25 UTC): a broken layer above 3,500 ft. At the departure end, 11 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LGB UA /OV LGB/TM 0325/FL035/TP B737/SK BKN035
- Report
- a routine report filed through LGB
- Where
- over LGB
- Time
- 03:25 UTC
- Height
- at 3,500 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Sky
- a broken layer from 3,500 ft
- A20N climbing, 38 nm east, 8:04 pm PDT (03:04 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 38 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT153007/TM 0304/FLDURC/TP A20N/SK B-036 -T047
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 7 nm southeast (153°) of ONT
- Time
- 03:04 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- A20N
- Sky
- B-036 T047
- A20N climbing, 35 nm east, 8:03 pm PDT (03:03 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 35 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT204003/TM 0303/FLDURC/TP A20N/SK B-030
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 3 nm southwest (204°) of ONT
- Time
- 03:03 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- A20N
- Sky
- B-030
- B737 climbing, 25 nm northeast, 8:01 pm PDT (03:01 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ONT UA /OV ONT278016/TM 0301/FLDURC/TP B737/SK B-047 -T080
- Report
- a routine report filed through ONT
- Where
- 16 nm west (278°) of ONT
- Time
- 03:01 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B737
- Sky
- B-047 T080
- GLF5 at 3,500 ft, 1 nm east, 9:54 pm PDT (04:54 UTC): overcast above 3,600 ft. 20 nm along the route, 1 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
VNY UA /OV VNY36006/TM 0454/FL035/TP GLF5/SK OVC036
- Report
- a routine report filed through VNY
- Where
- VNY36006
- Time
- 04:54 UTC
- Height
- at 3,500 ft
- Aircraft
- GLF5
- Sky
- overcast from 3,600 ft
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 2 forecast points nearest it (WJF, FAT). 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 | 180° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 6 °C | 138 kt | 1 h 39 min | 12:37 am PDT (07:37 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 180° at 23 kt | −19 kt | 5 °C | 139 kt | 1 h 38 min | 12:36 am PDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 27 kt | −19 kt | 2 °C | 139 kt | 1 h 38 min | 12:36 am PDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 200° at 27 kt | −17 kt | -2 °C | 137 kt | 1 h 40 min | 12:38 am PDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | −14 kt | -6 °C | 134 kt | 1 h 42 min | 12:40 am PDT (07:40 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | −13 kt | -9 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 43 min | 12:41 am PDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 210° at 27 kt | −13 kt | -12 °C | 133 kt | 1 h 43 min | 12:41 am PDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 27 kt | −12 kt | -15 °C | 132 kt | 1 h 44 min | 12:42 am PDT (07:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 30 kt | −9 kt | -23 °C | 129 kt | 1 h 46 min | 12:44 am PDT (07:44 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 44 kt | −17 kt | -29 °C | 137 kt | 1 h 40 min | 12:38 am PDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 45 kt | −17 kt | -36 °C | 137 kt | 1 h 40 min | 12:38 am PDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 48 kt | −18 kt | -44 °C | 138 kt | 1 h 39 min | 12:37 am PDT (07:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WJF | used from 0 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 200/28 6° | 210/28 3° | 210/29 -4° | 210/28 -14° | 220/41 -20° | 220/47 -29° | 220/46 -37° | 220/53 -44° | |
| FAT | used from 99 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 130/16 | 160/20 5° | 190/28 -1° | 210/25 -5° | 220/27 -15° | 230/21 -26° | 220/42 -29° | 220/44 -35° | 220/44 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HHR Hawthorne, CA | departure | no report just now | 65 ft | ||||
| VNY Van Nuys, CA | 20 nm out, 1 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 802 ft | ||||
| BFL Bakersfield, CA | 99 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 509 ft | ||||
| FAT Fresno, CA | 179 nm out, 20 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 335 ft | ||||
| MAE Madera, CA | 208 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | no report just now | 255 ft | ||||
| MCE Merced, CA | destination | no report just now | 155 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 802 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MCE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:36 am PDT (07:36 UTC)
MCE has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at HHR 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at MCE 6:29 pm PDT (01:29 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:55 pm PDT (01:55 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MCE is before sunrise there (7:07 am PDT (14:07 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: Jack Northrop Fld/Hawthorne Municipal, Merced Yosemite Regional.