The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 10:40 pm EDT (02:40 UTC)

Wilmington Air Park Airport to Sacramento International ILN → SMF

1,750 nautical miles (2,013 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 288° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 16 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 16-knot headwind), arriving about 12:30 pm PDT (19:30 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: 589 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 990 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    CO MT WY
    FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
  • SIGMET W10W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 1440 to 1550 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    NV
    FROM 70SW TWF-40NNW BVL-40SW ELY-30ESE OAL-40WNW OAL-70SW TWF
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 10 nm of the route.
  • 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 450 to 710 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 890 to 1600 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 910 to 1480 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 1000 to 1210 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 1010 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 1120 to 1610 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 1120 to 1190 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1130 to 1540 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1220 to 1310 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 1510 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 30 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 ILN.

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 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 17 forecast points nearest it (CVG, IND, SPI, BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, BFF, DEN, GJT, RKS, SLC, ELY, BAM, RNO, SAC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft240° at 19 kt+16 kt21 °C104 kt16 h 50 min12:30 pm PDT (19:30 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 18 kt+16 kt16 °C104 kt16 h 50 min12:30 pm PDT (19:30 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 18 kt+16 kt10 °C104 kt16 h 50 min12:30 pm PDT (19:30 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 19 kt+17 kt5 °C103 kt16 h 59 min12:39 pm PDT (19:39 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 21 kt+18 kt1 °C102 kt17 h 09 min12:49 pm PDT (19:49 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 23 kt+20 kt-3 °C100 kt17 h 30 min1:10 pm PDT (20:10 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 26 kt+23 kt-7 °C97 kt18 h 02 min1:42 pm PDT (20:42 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 28 kt+24 kt-10 °C96 kt18 h 14 min1:54 pm PDT (20:54 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 32 kt+28 kt-22 °C92 kt19 h 01 min2:41 pm PDT (21:41 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 39 kt+37 kt-31 °C83 kt21 h 05 min4:45 pm PDT (23:45 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 47 kt+47 kt-37 °C73 kt23 h 58 min7:38 pm PDT (02:38 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 46 kt+48 kt-46 °C72 kt24 h 18 min7:58 pm PDT (02:58 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
CVGused from 0 nm out; 32 nm from the line320/18350/32 16°350/35 10°350/30 3°330/30 -7°340/44 -20°340/58 -35°330/72 -41°320/36 -49°
INDused from 50 nm out; 42 nm from the line290/16310/20 16°320/21 10°330/13 3°300/25 -7°320/32 -19°330/46 -34°320/61 -43°320/63 -50°
SPIused from 200 nm out; 51 nm from the line220/21250/23 16°260/27 9°270/14 6°270/23 -7°270/31 -19°270/28 -33°290/48 -42°300/55 -52°
BRLused from 300 nm out; 37 nm from the line230/24240/29 15°290/16 10°280/15 4°260/23 -7°260/32 -19°260/36 -33°280/48 -41°280/59 -52°
DSMused from 400 nm out; 76 nm from the line230/40250/33 17°250/18 12°240/17 5°260/28 -8°270/34 -19°260/41 -33°260/55 -41°270/62 -51°
OMAused from 500 nm out; 59 nm from the line220/47240/33 19°250/18 11°230/17 6°260/29 -8°250/33 -19°250/51 -33°260/61 -40°270/62 -49°
GRIused from 600 nm out; 51 nm from the line230/35 21°230/23 13°220/20 7°240/25 -8°240/37 -20°250/49 -33°260/57 -38°260/58 -47°
GLDused from 750 nm out; 92 nm from the line230/49230/42 15°220/26 8°240/18 -7°230/27 -21°240/62 -30°240/61 -35°250/57 -47°
BFFused from 850 nm out; 83 nm from the line180/28220/33 15°210/31 7°230/32 -9°220/41 -21°220/40 -33°240/47 -36°250/54 -46°
DENused from 900 nm out; 57 nm from the line240/21 14°250/44 6°220/49 -8°220/49 -21°230/54 -30°240/57 -35°240/49 -45°
GJTused from 1050 nm out; 101 nm from the line210/43 7°230/45 1°220/49 -12°220/62 -22°220/59 -28°230/60 -33°220/55 -45°
RKSused from 1150 nm out; 78 nm from the line200/41220/44 1°220/35 -11°220/46 -24°210/53 -27°220/62 -35°230/61 -44°
SLCused from 1200 nm out; 78 nm from the line200/5230/8 2°220/20 -2°210/40 -12°190/53 -25°210/62 -30°220/69 -34°220/64 -43°
ELYused from 1350 nm out; 65 nm from the line200/39 3°210/27 -2°210/45 -15°220/56 -24°210/60 -28°210/63 -34°220/61 -43°
BAMused from 1500 nm out; 67 nm from the line310/7 0°270/19 -7°200/38 -17°190/49 -28°220/69 -29°220/63 -33°230/48 -41°
RNOused from 1550 nm out; 86 nm from the line010/9320/10 -2°210/23 -9°210/34 -19°220/36 -25°230/31 -29°230/41 -33°230/38 -42°
SACused from 1700 nm out; 26 nm from the line110/6L/V 4°010/11 -2°350/11 -7°340/24 -16°360/44 -23°330/24 -30°270/21 -35°230/23 -43°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ILN Wilmington, OH departure no report just now 1,076 ft
IND Indianapolis, IN 120 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 796 ft
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL 210 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 754 ft
LWD Lamoni, IA 470 nm out, 10 nm north of the line no report just now 1,130 ft
LNK Lincoln, NE 600 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,218 ft
HEQ Holyoke, CO 850 nm out, 4 nm south of the line no report just now 3,729 ft
FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO 980 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 5,020 ft
HDN Hayden, CO 1080 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line no report just now 6,606 ft
PVU Provo, UT 1280 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 4,496 ft
TMT Austin, NV 1540 nm out, 2 nm north of the line no report just now 5,735 ft
TRK Truckee, CA 1680 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 5,904 ft
SMF Sacramento, CA destination no report just now 26 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,606 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, 12:30 pm PDT (19:30 UTC)

SMF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
  • 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 November · ZOA
  • 6/6740 SACRAMENTO, CA, Thursday, October 8, 2026 through Sunday, October 11, 2026 Local 5 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · ended 11 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at ILN 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC), at SMF 6:32 pm PDT (01:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm PDT (01:59 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

Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Wilmington Air Park Airport, Sacramento International.