The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:47 pm EDT (00:47 UTC)

Capital Region International to Sacramento International LAN → SMF

1,687 nautical miles (1,942 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 274°, about 279° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 14 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 8:27 am PDT (15:27 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: 1 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 W70W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 929 to 1088 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 70W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    MT WY
    FROM 30SSW MLS-60WNW BFF-40SSE OCS-10S BPI-10S BIL-30SSW MLS
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
  • SIGMET W71W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 27,000 ft, moving from the south at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 1178 to 1288 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 71W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    WY UT ID
    FROM 40S DBS-40WNW BPI-30WSW MTU-30SSW DTA-30SE TWF-40S DBS
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 20040KT. TOPS TO FL270.
  • SIGMET W72W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Near the route, 1488 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 112355
    MKCW WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 72W
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    NV
    FROM 60SSW BAM-60W ELY-OAL-40WNW OAL-60SSW BAM
    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). Near the route, at the departure end.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 779 to 1438 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 899 to 1268 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 949 to 1408 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 969 to 1238 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 1028 to 1088 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 1098 to 1518 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Near the route, 1608 nm along 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 LAN.

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 14 forecast points nearest it (MKG, JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD, ONL, BFF, LND, 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 ft210° at 10 kt+5 kt17 °C115 kt14 h 40 min8:27 am PDT (15:27 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 11 kt+8 kt15 °C112 kt15 h 04 min8:51 am PDT (15:51 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 19 kt+14 kt10 °C106 kt15 h 55 min9:42 am PDT (16:42 UTC)
10,500 ft220° at 22 kt+18 kt6 °C102 kt16 h 32 min10:19 am PDT (17:19 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 24 kt+21 kt1 °C99 kt17 h 02 min10:49 am PDT (17:49 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 26 kt+23 kt-3 °C97 kt17 h 24 min11:11 am PDT (18:11 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 28 kt+25 kt-7 °C95 kt17 h 45 min11:32 am PDT (18:32 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 29 kt+26 kt-11 °C94 kt17 h 57 min11:44 am PDT (18:44 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 32 kt+31 kt-22 °C89 kt18 h 57 min12:44 pm PDT (19:44 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 40 kt+40 kt-33 °C80 kt21 h 05 min2:52 pm PDT (21:52 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 48 kt+50 kt-40 °C70 kt24 h 06 min5:53 pm PDT (00:53 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 57 kt+59 kt-47 °C61 kt27 h 39 min9:26 pm PDT (04:26 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
MKGused from 0 nm out; 52 nm from the line250/5320/10 15°310/19 9°320/21 3°310/23 -10°330/37 -22°330/51 -38°320/44 -47°300/60 -49°
JOTused from 150 nm out; 86 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°
DBQused from 200 nm out; 56 nm from the line220/23240/22 16°240/24 10°260/18 5°270/16 -8°290/27 -19°310/42 -35°320/55 -44°300/71 -52°
MCWused from 300 nm out; 61 nm from the line200/35240/33 18°250/20 10°260/10 6°270/18 -8°260/28 -19°280/30 -34°290/49 -43°280/70 -54°
FSDused from 449 nm out; 74 nm from the line200/16220/20 17°240/26 13°230/19 6°240/25 -9°240/28 -20°250/39 -33°250/44 -43°260/63 -52°
ONLused from 549 nm out; 50 nm from the line200/20 17°230/26 14°240/21 7°250/27 -9°260/32 -19°240/44 -34°240/56 -41°250/62 -51°
BFFused from 749 nm out; 73 nm from the line120/24180/31 13°210/26 7°230/25 -7°240/41 -20°230/52 -36°250/56 -41°260/57 -45°
LNDused from 949 nm out; 112 nm from the line180/33 10°190/50 3°210/59 -9°200/50 -21°190/41 -34°230/55 -39°240/65 -47°
RKSused from 999 nm out; 64 nm from the line190/43210/65 3°210/57 -9°210/56 -21°210/47 -33°230/63 -37°240/77 -46°
SLCused from 1148 nm out; 55 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 1298 nm out; 84 nm from the line210/20 4°240/21 -1°230/37 -13°200/58 -25°220/73 -27°220/73 -36°220/69 -44°
BAMused from 1398 nm out; 43 nm from the line270/8 4°230/27 -4°220/49 -18°210/52 -26°220/77 -29°220/71 -33°220/63 -43°
RNOused from 1498 nm out; 71 nm from the line320/7260/13 1°230/21 -7°210/38 -17°220/43 -26°230/54 -29°230/59 -32°230/54 -41°
SACused from 1648 nm out; 23 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°

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
LAN Lansing, MI departure no report just now 860 ft
GRR Grand Rapids, MI 40 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 793 ft
MSN Madison, WI 210 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 886 ft
ALO Waterloo, IA 339 nm out, 24 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 873 ft
RBE Bassett, NE 659 nm out, 4 nm south of the line no report just now 2,349 ft
ANW Ainsworth, NE 679 nm out, 1 nm south of the line no report just now 2,588 ft
GUR Guernsey, WY 889 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 4,401 ft
RKS Rock Springs, WY 1088 nm out, 5 nm north of the line no report just now 6,764 ft
SLC Salt Lake City, UT 1228 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 4,230 ft
TMT Austin, NV 1478 nm out, 23 nm south of the line no report just now 5,735 ft
TRK Truckee, CA 1608 nm out, 13 nm northwest 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 6,764 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, 8:27 am PDT (15:27 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/3475 BEALE AFB, CA, Sunday, March 8, 2026 through Sunday, November 1, 2026 Local 13 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 6 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · ended 11 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at LAN 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 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: Capital Region International, Sacramento International.