Idaho Falls Regional to Midland International Air And Space Port IDA → MAF
837 nautical miles (963 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 143°, about 131° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 8:36 am CDT (13:36 UTC). Right now IDA is marginal VFR, wind calm; MAF is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 14 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
- SIGMET C10C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am MDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 448 to 518 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120555 MKCC WST 120555 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10C VALID UNTIL 0755Z CO NM FROM 20NNE PUB-40WSW LAA-30WSW CIM-50WSW ALS-50ESE HBU-20NNE PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 249 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 319 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 120 to 418 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 159 to 637 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 209 nm along the route.
- 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 219 to 448 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 428 to 608 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 IDA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- urgent E75L at 9,000 ft, 42 nm northeast, 10:30 pm MDT (04:30 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach. 349 nm along the route, 42 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ASE UUA /OV ASE/TM 0430/FL090/TP E75L/RM LLWS +/- 20K 1000-1500 AGL ON APCH
- Report
- an urgent report filed through ASE
- Where
- over ASE
- Time
- 04:30 UTC
- Height
- at 9,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear + 20K 1000-1500 above ground on approach
- PC12 at 14,000 ft, 2 nm northeast, 12:06 am MDT (06:06 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs. 657 nm along the route, 2 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVN UA /OV TXO260060/TM 0606/FL140/TP PC12/TB MOD/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVN
- Where
- 60 nm west (260°) of TXO
- Time
- 06:06 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
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 7 forecast points nearest it (PIH, RKS, GJT, ALS, TCC, ROW, INK). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 32 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 7 h 58 min | 9:32 am CDT (14:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | +11 kt | 9 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 41 min | 9:15 am CDT (14:15 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | +6 kt | 4 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 21 min | 8:55 am CDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | +6 kt | 0 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 21 min | 8:55 am CDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 37 kt | +8 kt | -4 °C | 112 kt | 7 h 28 min | 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 40 kt | +10 kt | -8 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 37 min | 9:11 am CDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 40 kt | +11 kt | -9 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 41 min | 9:15 am CDT (14:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 54 kt | +12 kt | -21 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 45 min | 9:19 am CDT (14:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 63 kt | +8 kt | -27 °C | 112 kt | 7 h 28 min | 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 61 kt | +1 kt | -35 °C | 119 kt | 7 h 02 min | 8:36 am CDT (13:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 54 kt | +2 kt | -46 °C | 118 kt | 7 h 06 min | 8:40 am CDT (13:40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIH | used from 0 nm out; 41 nm from the line | L/V | 240/13 1° | 240/15 -3° | 210/42 -15° | 200/70 -25° | 220/74 -29° | 220/71 -36° | 220/62 -43° | |
| RKS | used from 100 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| GJT | used from 249 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° | ||
| ALS | used from 398 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| TCC | used from 548 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 210/42 | 230/33 14° | 230/32 6° | 220/35 -6° | 230/49 -19° | 240/72 -27° | 250/62 -36° | 250/52 -48° | |
| ROW | used from 697 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 190/33 | 210/27 14° | 220/28 6° | 230/36 -6° | 230/56 -15° | 230/63 -27° | 250/59 -37° | 260/57 -49° | |
| INK | used from 747 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 190/23 20° | 200/18 15° | 230/18 8° | 240/23 -4° | 240/37 -14° | 240/46 -27° | 250/42 -38° | 260/36 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDA Idaho Falls, ID | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 4,743 ft | 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC) |
| AFO Afton, WY | 70 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,800 feet, overcast at 4,300 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,300 ft | 6,220 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| EMM Kemmerer, WY | 120 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,288 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| VEL Vernal, UT | 219 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 5,274 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| RIL Rifle, CO | 309 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 5,536 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 378 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,679 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| RCV Del Norte, CO | 438 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 7,955 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| SKX Taos, NM | 518 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | no report just now | 7,094 ft | ||||
| FSU Fort Sumner, NM | 657 nm out, 7 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,164 ft | ||||
| PRZ Portales, NM | 687 nm out, 18 nm east of the line | no report just now | 4,077 ft | ||||
| HOB Hobbs, NM | 767 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 3,660 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MAF Midland, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,872 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,955 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MAF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:36 am CDT (13:36 UTC)
Wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MAF
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for IDA, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet and more above
- From Mon 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,500 feet and more above
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 IDA 6:48 pm MDT (00:48 UTC), at MAF 7:19 pm CDT (00:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:43 pm CDT (00:43 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: Idaho Falls Regional, Midland International Air And Space Port.