Los Angeles International to Billings Logan International LAX → BIL
844 nautical miles (971 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 029°, about 017° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 63-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:22 am MDT (14:22 UTC). Right now LAX is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots; BIL is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 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: 3 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 W18W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am PDT (10:55 UTC). Over the route from 288 to 476 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120903 CCA MKCW WST 120903 COR CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18W VALID UNTIL 1055Z UT ID NV FROM 30E TWF-10W MLD-10SE ILC-50WSW ILC-60NE OAL-30E TWF AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL300. ***COR PTS***
- SIGMET W18W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 3:55 am PDT (10:55 UTC). Over the route from 328 to 437 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120855 MKCW WST 120855 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18W VALID UNTIL 1055Z AZ UT NV FROM 20WNW BVL-30N BCE-60SSW BCE-50NNE LAS-60NNW ELY-20WNW BVL AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 60 to 476 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 427 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 407 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 248 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 LAX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B744 at 1,700 ft, 0 nm east, 2:24 am PDT (09:24 UTC): a few clouds above 1,700 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 25L lax. At the departure end, 0 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAX UA /OV KLAX/TM 0924/FL017/TP B744/SK FEW017/RM DURD RY25L LAX
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAX
- Where
- over KLAX
- Time
- 09:24 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B744
- Sky
- a few clouds from 1,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 25L lax
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 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 (WJF, LAS, ELY, SLC, PIH, LND, BIL). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 11 kt | −11 kt | 6 °C | 131 kt | 6 h 27 min | 10:12 am MDT (16:12 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 3 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 04 min | 9:49 am MDT (15:49 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 23 kt | −24 kt | 1 °C | 144 kt | 5 h 52 min | 9:37 am MDT (15:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 28 kt | −28 kt | -2 °C | 148 kt | 5 h 42 min | 9:27 am MDT (15:27 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | −31 kt | -6 °C | 151 kt | 5 h 35 min | 9:20 am MDT (15:20 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | −34 kt | -10 °C | 154 kt | 5 h 29 min | 9:14 am MDT (15:14 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 37 kt | −37 kt | -14 °C | 157 kt | 5 h 23 min | 9:08 am MDT (15:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 38 kt | −37 kt | -15 °C | 157 kt | 5 h 23 min | 9:08 am MDT (15:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 210° at 51 kt | −51 kt | -24 °C | 171 kt | 4 h 56 min | 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 64 kt | −63 kt | -31 °C | 183 kt | 4 h 37 min | 8:22 am MDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 62 kt | −62 kt | -37 °C | 182 kt | 4 h 38 min | 8:23 am MDT (14:23 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 58 kt | −58 kt | -44 °C | 178 kt | 4 h 44 min | 8:29 am MDT (14:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WJF | used from 0 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 210/26 4° | 210/28 2° | 230/23 -4° | 240/28 -13° | 220/47 -23° | 220/57 -30° | 220/65 -37° | 220/59 -45° | |
| LAS | used from 149 nm out; 75 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° | |
| ELY | used from 248 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 210/34 1° | 220/40 -4° | 220/39 -17° | 210/51 -24° | 220/65 -30° | 220/60 -37° | 220/56 -44° | ||
| SLC | used from 447 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 200/16 | 210/23 4° | 220/34 -3° | 210/40 -16° | 220/66 -23° | 220/64 -31° | 220/57 -36° | 220/50 -43° | |
| PIH | used from 546 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 070/8 | 150/19 1° | 180/32 -4° | 210/44 -17° | 210/37 -28° | 210/74 -31° | 220/68 -35° | 220/60 -43° | |
| LND | used from 695 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 240/10 3° | 240/30 0° | 220/42 -13° | 230/52 -23° | 220/54 -33° | 220/52 -36° | 220/53 -44° | ||
| BIL | used from 744 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAX Los Angeles, CA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 feet, a broken layer at 2,900 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 127 ft | 2:14 am PDT (09:14 UTC) |
| PMD Palmdale, CA | 40 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,700 feet | from the west (260°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,542 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| BTY Beatty, NV | 189 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 3,169 ft | ||||
| ELY Ely, NV | 367 nm out, 16 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,500 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 20 knots, gusting to 31 | 10+ mi | none | 6,259 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| MLD Malad City, ID | 576 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | no report just now | 4,503 ft | ||||
| AFO Afton, WY | 635 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 5,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 6,220 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| JAC Jackson, WY | 685 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,900 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 4,900 ft | 6,451 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| RED Red Lodge, MT | 794 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 5,762 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots | 9 mi | 1,900 ft | 3,662 ft | 3:39 am MDT (09:39 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,451 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:22 am MDT (14:22 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BIL
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain snow ice pellets, mist, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light rain snow ice pellets, mist, a broken layer at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
The forecast for LAX, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am PDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- At times between Mon 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC) and 7:00 am PDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 23 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at LAX 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC), at BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm MDT (01:02 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: Los Angeles International, Billings Logan International.
