The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 1:43 am EDT (05:43 UTC)

Harrisburg International to San Francisco International MDT → SFO

2,113 nautical miles (2,432 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 19 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 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 E19E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 43,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC). Over the first 20 nm of the route.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 120455
    MKCE WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 19E
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    CT NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND DE NJ NY MD CT VA CSTL WTRS
    FROM 20NNW HTO-70SSE HTO-90SE SIE-20WNW LYH-40ESE AIR-20NNW HTO
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL430.
  • SIGMET W14W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 1784 to 1904 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120455
    MKCW WST 120455
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 14W
    VALID UNTIL 0655Z
    NV
    FROM 40NW BVL-20WNW ELY-20SSE OAL-40WNW OAL-50NE BAM-40NW BVL
    AREA TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
  • 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 478 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 90 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 20 to 159 nm out.
  • 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 638 to 1196 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 1166 to 1595 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 1216 to 1784 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 1296 to 1485 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1366 to 1864 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 1455 to 1864 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 1455 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 110 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 MDT.

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 19 forecast points nearest it (PSB, AGC, CLE, FWA, JOT, BRL, DSM, OMA, GRI, GLD, BFF, DEN, GJT, SLC, ELY, BIH, RNO, SAC, SFO). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft240° at 14 kt+14 kt18 °C106 kt19 h 56 min6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC)
6,500 ft260° at 13 kt+14 kt14 °C106 kt19 h 56 min6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 14 kt+14 kt9 °C106 kt19 h 56 min6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 15 kt+15 kt5 °C105 kt20 h 07 min6:50 pm PDT (01:50 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 16 kt+16 kt1 °C104 kt20 h 19 min7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)
14,500 ft240° at 18 kt+18 kt-3 °C102 kt20 h 43 min7:26 pm PDT (02:26 UTC)
16,500 ft240° at 21 kt+21 kt-7 °C99 kt21 h 21 min8:04 pm PDT (03:04 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 23 kt+23 kt-10 °C97 kt21 h 47 min8:30 pm PDT (03:30 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240250° at 27 kt+28 kt-22 °C92 kt22 h 58 min9:41 pm PDT (04:41 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 34 kt+35 kt-32 °C85 kt24 h 52 min11:35 pm PDT (06:35 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 43 kt+45 kt-38 °C75 kt28 h 10 min2:53 am PDT (09:53 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 43 kt+46 kt-47 °C74 kt28 h 33 min3:16 am PDT (10:16 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
PSBused from 0 nm out; 52 nm from the line360/13 13°330/14 7°300/11 3°290/12 -11°240/23 -23°270/25 -36°250/34 -40°250/45 -48°
AGCused from 100 nm out; 25 nm from the line350/14330/20 11°340/18 8°330/17 3°340/22 -11°340/31 -22°330/33 -36°300/34 -41°300/35 -47°
CLEused from 199 nm out; 38 nm from the line340/7010/16 13°350/18 8°350/20 3°340/31 -10°340/46 -21°340/54 -37°330/62 -44°340/65 -49°
FWAused from 299 nm out; 64 nm from the line300/17320/20 16°330/20 10°340/15 3°310/27 -8°320/37 -20°330/52 -36°330/65 -43°330/60 -50°
JOTused from 449 nm out; 52 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°
BRLused from 598 nm out; 48 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 698 nm out; 48 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 797 nm out; 49 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 947 nm out; 21 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 1096 nm out; 105 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 1146 nm out; 70 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 1246 nm out; 58 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 1396 nm out; 85 nm from the line210/43 7°230/45 1°220/49 -12°220/62 -22°220/59 -28°230/60 -33°220/55 -45°
SLCused from 1495 nm out; 94 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 1645 nm out; 76 nm from the line200/39 3°210/27 -2°210/45 -15°220/56 -24°210/60 -28°210/63 -34°220/61 -43°
BIHused from 1844 nm out; 98 nm from the lineL/V240/7 1°190/13 -3°200/26 -16°210/43 -26°220/54 -28°220/51 -35°220/47 -43°
RNOused from 1944 nm out; 70 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 1994 nm out; 54 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°
SFOused from 2093 nm out; 10 nm from the line120/13090/14 5°040/14 -1°350/17 -5°360/42 -14°360/64 -23°350/38 -32°300/19 -37°250/18 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
MDT Harrisburg, PA departure no report just now 310 ft
BVI Beaver Falls, PA 169 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,252 ft
MFD Mansfield, OH 269 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower no report just now 1,297 ft
MLI Moline, IL 628 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 589 ft
DSM Des Moines, IA 768 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 957 ft
OMA Omaha, NE 867 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower no report just now 984 ft
OGA Ogallala, NE 1136 nm out, 2 nm north of the line no report just now 3,279 ft
CYS Cheyenne, WY 1276 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 6,159 ft
PVU Provo, UT 1595 nm out, 18 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 4,496 ft
ELY Ely, NV 1744 nm out, 3 nm south of the line no report just now 6,259 ft
SCK Stockton, CA 2053 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower no report just now 32 ft
SFO San Francisco, CA destination no report just now 13 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,259 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At SFO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:39 pm PDT (01:39 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 169 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
  • 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 16 nm from the route, 189 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
  • 6/7231 Santa Clara, CA, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZOA

Daylight

Sunset at MDT 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at SFO 6:36 pm PDT (01:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm PDT (02:02 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SFO is after sunset there (6:36 pm PDT (01:36 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 Northeast
Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service
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, 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: Harrisburg International, San Francisco International.