The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 10:13 pm EDT (02:13 UTC)

Purdue University Airport to Mineta San Jose International LAF → SJC

1,635 nautical miles (1,881 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 275°, about 276° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 10:05 am PDT (17:05 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: 2 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 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 1326 to 1455 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 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 289 to 578 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 748 to 1425 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 758 to 1366 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 847 to 1057 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 857 to 887 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 987 to 1445 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 997 to 1386 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 1037 nm along the route.
  • 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 1047 to 1176 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 1376 to 1525 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 10 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 LAF.

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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (IND, JOT, SPI, BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, DEN, GJT, SLC, ELY, BIH, SAC, SFO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft220° at 16 kt+10 kt19 °C110 kt14 h 52 min10:05 am PDT (17:05 UTC)
6,500 ft230° at 15 kt+12 kt15 °C108 kt15 h 08 min10:21 am PDT (17:21 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 21 kt+16 kt10 °C104 kt15 h 43 min10:56 am PDT (17:56 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 22 kt+18 kt7 °C102 kt16 h 02 min11:15 am PDT (18:15 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 23 kt+20 kt2 °C100 kt16 h 21 min11:34 am PDT (18:34 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 25 kt+23 kt-2 °C97 kt16 h 51 min12:04 pm PDT (19:04 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 28 kt+26 kt-6 °C94 kt17 h 24 min12:37 pm PDT (19:37 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 30 kt+28 kt-10 °C92 kt17 h 46 min12:59 pm PDT (19:59 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 34 kt+29 kt-21 °C91 kt17 h 58 min1:11 pm PDT (20:11 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 43 kt+42 kt-30 °C78 kt20 h 58 min4:11 pm PDT (23:11 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 50 kt+50 kt-38 °C70 kt23 h 21 min6:34 pm PDT (01:34 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 52 kt+54 kt-48 °C66 kt24 h 46 min7:59 pm PDT (02:59 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
INDused from 0 nm out; 70 nm from the line320/10350/30 16°350/32 10°350/30 4°340/31 -10°340/42 -21°340/49 -37°320/46 -41°320/47 -47°
JOTused from 50 nm out; 63 nm from the line230/11290/12 16°300/19 10°320/19 4°300/17 -9°330/31 -20°320/49 -37°320/53 -45°320/67 -49°
SPIused from 100 nm out; 43 nm from the line210/13260/11 17°270/18 10°290/21 4°310/20 -8°330/25 -19°320/49 -34°320/60 -44°320/59 -50°
BRLused from 150 nm out; 20 nm from the line200/20250/21 16°240/22 10°260/20 5°270/16 -7°290/22 -18°320/41 -34°320/56 -43°310/68 -53°
DSMused from 249 nm out; 62 nm from the line200/32240/27 17°260/19 10°260/16 5°260/19 -7°240/22 -19°270/20 -32°270/38 -42°290/58 -53°
OMAused from 349 nm out; 52 nm from the line190/34230/34 19°250/25 12°250/18 6°250/22 -7°250/28 -19°260/34 -32°260/39 -41°280/56 -51°
GRIused from 449 nm out; 49 nm from the line210/31 19°240/21 14°240/17 6°260/27 -7°260/34 -18°240/45 -32°250/56 -40°260/62 -51°
GLDused from 598 nm out; 86 nm from the line190/29200/30 15°240/23 8°250/39 -7°230/39 -19°230/57 -31°240/67 -39°250/62 -49°
DENused from 748 nm out; 46 nm from the line190/31 16°210/32 7°240/41 -8°230/47 -21°240/56 -32°250/65 -37°250/61 -47°
GJTused from 897 nm out; 85 nm from the line210/40 11°210/46 3°210/61 -10°210/68 -22°220/57 -29°230/59 -36°240/66 -46°
SLCused from 1097 nm out; 85 nm from the line280/8210/39 5°210/52 -1°200/50 -11°200/56 -23°220/61 -28°230/73 -37°230/73 -45°
ELYused from 1196 nm out; 66 nm from the line210/20 4°240/21 -1°230/37 -13°200/58 -25°220/73 -27°220/73 -36°220/69 -44°
BIHused from 1396 nm out; 69 nm from the lineL/V210/14 6°210/20 -2°230/26 -14°220/32 -24°220/63 -27°220/56 -35°230/50 -44°
SACused from 1545 nm out; 65 nm from the line270/5L/V 5°L/V -1°240/11 -5°250/22 -15°270/25 -24°260/31 -27°240/39 -33°240/39 -42°
SFOused from 1595 nm out; 41 nm from the line220/11L/V 5°280/7 1°270/15 -3°290/23 -14°310/29 -24°280/26 -28°250/30 -34°250/36 -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
LAF Lafayette, IN departure no report just now 605 ft
BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL 90 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 871 ft
LWD Lamoni, IA 319 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line no report just now 1,130 ft
LNK Lincoln, NE 449 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,218 ft
GRI Grand Island, NE 518 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,847 ft
DEN Denver, CO 817 nm out, 23 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 5,433 ft
FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO 827 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 5,020 ft
PUC Price, UT 1097 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line no report just now 5,957 ft
DTA Delta, UT 1176 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 4,759 ft
TPH Tonopah, NV 1406 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line no report just now 5,430 ft
MOD Modesto, CA 1585 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 99 ft
SJC San Jose, CA destination no report just now 62 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,957 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SJC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:05 am PDT (17:05 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/7094 45NM NE MERCED, CA, Sunday, October 4, 2026 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 UTC 10 nm from the route, 1525 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 20 October · ZOA
  • 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 2 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at LAF 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 UTC), at SJC 6:35 pm PDT (01:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm PDT (02:01 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: Purdue University Airport, Mineta San Jose International.