Laughlin/Bullhead International to Sacramento International IFP → SMF
399 nautical miles (459 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 304°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:21 am PDT (12:21 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now IFP is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots; SMF is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 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: 11 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 12,000 ft. Over the first 189 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 130 nm of 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 IFP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A35K at 32,000 ft, 44 nm southwest, 1:39 am MST (08:39 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: fdcs zoa. At the destination end, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
OAK UA /OV OAK348024/TM 0839/FL320/TP A35K/TB MOD CHOP/RM FDCS ZOA
- Report
- a routine report filed through OAK
- Where
- 24 nm north (348°) of OAK
- Time
- 08:39 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A35K
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- fdcs zoa
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 3 forecast points nearest it (LAS, BIH, SAC). 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 | 210° at 7 kt | 0 | 8 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 20 min | 5:23 am PDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 7 kt | 0 | 5 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 20 min | 5:23 am PDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 7 kt | +1 kt | 2 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 21 min | 5:24 am PDT (12:24 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 8 kt | 0 | -3 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 20 min | 5:23 am PDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 210° at 10 kt | −1 kt | -6 °C | 121 kt | 3 h 18 min | 5:21 am PDT (12:21 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 12 kt | +1 kt | -10 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 21 min | 5:24 am PDT (12:24 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 14 kt | +3 kt | -12 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 25 min | 5:28 am PDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 16 kt | +4 kt | -15 °C | 116 kt | 3 h 26 min | 5:29 am PDT (12:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 23 kt | +13 kt | -23 °C | 107 kt | 3 h 44 min | 5:47 am PDT (12:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 35 kt | +15 kt | -32 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 48 min | 5:51 am PDT (12:51 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 45 kt | +13 kt | -38 °C | 107 kt | 3 h 44 min | 5:47 am PDT (12:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 42 kt | +10 kt | -44 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 38 min | 5:41 am PDT (12:41 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAS | used from 0 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 210/20 8° | 210/29 4° | 200/32 -3° | 200/51 -15° | 210/64 -21° | 220/70 -30° | 220/66 -38° | 220/55 -44° | |
| BIH | used from 150 nm out; 54 nm from the line | L/V | 020/6 0° | 140/7 -7° | 210/31 -16° | 230/34 -26° | 220/43 -30° | 220/52 -36° | 220/46 -43° | |
| SAC | used from 299 nm out; 66 nm from the line | L/V | L/V 4° | 340/9 -4° | 340/22 -8° | 360/71 -12° | 360/82 -23° | 350/58 -37° | 310/30 -40° | 270/25 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,500 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 7,500 ft | 707 ft | 1:50 am MST (08:50 UTC) |
| HND Las Vegas, NV | 50 nm out, 25 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,491 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| BIH Bishop, CA | 229 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 11,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 11 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 4,124 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| MPI Mariposa, CA | 299 nm out, 24 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,254 ft | ||||
| CPU San Andreas, CA | 339 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the north (350°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 1,327 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| MHR Sacramento, CA | 379 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 98 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| SMF Sacramento, CA | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 26 ft | 1:53 am PDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,124 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SMF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:21 am PDT (12:21 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SMF
- From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for IFP, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am MST (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MST (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am MST (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 18 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MST (05:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, gusting to 15, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8890 LAS VEGAS, NV, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local 1 nm from the route, 60 nm along the route · a VIP movement · starts tomorrow · ZLA
- 6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, 279 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
- 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
Daylight
Sunset at IFP 6:05 pm MST (01:05 UTC), at SMF 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm PDT (01:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SMF is before sunrise there (7:12 am PDT (14:12 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: Laughlin/Bullhead International, Sacramento International.