George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport to Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field IAH → BFF
818 nautical miles (941 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 333°, about 330° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 48 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:46 am MDT (07:46 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now IAH is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots; BFF is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 12 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: 1 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 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 459 to 658 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 IAH.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 27,000 ft, 2 nm south, 7:42 pm CDT (00:42 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the departure end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
IAH UA /OV IH340035/TM 0042/FL270/TP B39M/TB LT CHOP DURC/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through IAH
- Where
- IH340035
- Time
- 00:42 UTC
- Height
- at 27,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- lt chop during the climb
- Remarks
- zhu
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (CLL, DAL, SPS, OKC, GAG, GCK, GLD, BFF). 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 | 190° at 25 kt | −21 kt | 20 °C | 141 kt | 5 h 48 min | 1:46 am MDT (07:46 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 190° at 25 kt | −19 kt | 16 °C | 139 kt | 5 h 53 min | 1:51 am MDT (07:51 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 24 kt | −12 kt | 14 °C | 132 kt | 6 h 12 min | 2:10 am MDT (08:10 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 23 kt | −7 kt | 11 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 26 min | 2:24 am MDT (08:24 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | −4 kt | 7 °C | 124 kt | 6 h 36 min | 2:34 am MDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | −2 kt | 2 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 42 min | 2:40 am MDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −1 kt | -2 °C | 121 kt | 6 h 46 min | 2:44 am MDT (08:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 26 kt | +1 kt | -6 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 52 min | 2:50 am MDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 30 kt | −2 kt | -16 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 42 min | 2:40 am MDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 41 kt | +8 kt | -30 °C | 112 kt | 7 h 18 min | 3:16 am MDT (09:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 46 kt | +14 kt | -39 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 43 min | 3:41 am MDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 43 kt | +19 kt | -50 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 06 min | 4:04 am MDT (10:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLL | used from 0 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 160/18 | 190/18 16° | 200/19 12° | 220/14 7° | 260/18 -5° | 250/20 -13° | 290/29 -29° | 290/31 -40° | 300/22 -53° |
| DAL | used from 100 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
| SPS | used from 249 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 180/26 | 200/25 16° | 220/19 13° | 220/20 9° | 230/26 -5° | 230/34 -15° | 260/37 -28° | 270/42 -39° | 280/40 -51° |
| OKC | used from 349 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/29 16° | 230/22 14° | 240/17 9° | 240/28 -6° | 250/35 -15° | 270/42 -29° | 270/43 -39° | 280/38 -51° |
| GAG | used from 399 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 190/34 19° | 240/27 14° | 240/26 8° | 240/24 -6° | 240/29 -16° | 250/50 -28° | 250/50 -39° | 260/46 -50° | |
| GCK | used from 499 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/35 21° | 220/34 14° | 240/30 8° | 240/27 -6° | 240/31 -17° | 240/53 -30° | 250/55 -39° | 250/60 -50° | |
| GLD | used from 598 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| BFF | used from 748 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 120/24 | 180/31 13° | 210/26 7° | 230/25 -7° | 240/41 -20° | 230/52 -36° | 250/56 -41° | 260/57 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IAH Houston, TX | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 95 ft | 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC) |
| CXO Houston, TX | 20 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 244 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| LXY Mexia, TX | 120 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 544 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| RBD Dallas, TX | 180 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| LAW Lawton, OK | 319 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,110 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| CSM Burns Flat, OK | 379 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,922 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| WWR Woodward, OK | 439 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,189 ft | 01:30 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 549 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| TQK Scott City, KS | 579 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,968 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| SYF St Francis, KS | 668 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,429 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| SNY Sidney, NE | 768 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 4,314 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | destination | VFR | from the east (090°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,967 ft | 7:53 pm MDT (01:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,314 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:46 am MDT (07:46 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for BFF
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for IAH, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 12 nm from the route, 190 nm along the route · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, 190 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at BFF 6:17 pm MDT (00:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm MDT (00:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BFF is before sunrise there (7:03 am MDT (13:03 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: George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport, Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field.