Minot International to Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field MOT → BFF
396 nautical miles (455 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 195°, about 189° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 1:06 am MDT (07:06 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MOT is marginal VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 10 knots; BFF is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 12 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: 2 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
- 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 route from 20 to 277 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 119 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 MOT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B789 at 35,000 ft, 19 nm west, 8:57 pm CDT (01:57 UTC): light turbulence. 69 nm along the route, 19 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
DIK UA /OV DIK040030/TM 0157/FL350/TP B789/TB CONS LGT/ OCNL MOD CHOP/ NEG 370
- Report
- a routine report filed through DIK
- Where
- 30 nm northeast (040°) of DIK
- Time
- 01:57 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop no at 37,000 ft
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 4 forecast points nearest it (MOT, DIK, RAP, BFF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 160° at 22 kt | +19 kt | 9 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 55 min | 1:06 am MDT (07:06 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 170° at 23 kt | +21 kt | 9 °C | 99 kt | 4 h | 1:11 am MDT (07:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 32 kt | +32 kt | 9 °C | 88 kt | 4 h 30 min | 1:41 am MDT (07:41 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 38 kt | +37 kt | 6 °C | 83 kt | 4 h 46 min | 1:57 am MDT (07:57 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | +38 kt | 2 °C | 82 kt | 4 h 50 min | 2:01 am MDT (08:01 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 40 kt | +36 kt | -2 °C | 84 kt | 4 h 43 min | 1:54 am MDT (07:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 39 kt | +33 kt | -6 °C | 87 kt | 4 h 33 min | 1:44 am MDT (07:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 38 kt | +31 kt | -10 °C | 89 kt | 4 h 27 min | 1:38 am MDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 42 kt | +34 kt | -21 °C | 86 kt | 4 h 36 min | 1:47 am MDT (07:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 40 kt | +31 kt | -36 °C | 89 kt | 4 h 27 min | 1:38 am MDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 50 kt | +31 kt | -41 °C | 89 kt | 4 h 27 min | 1:38 am MDT (07:38 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 62 kt | +34 kt | -47 °C | 86 kt | 4 h 36 min | 1:47 am MDT (07:47 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/14 5° | 200/20 4° | 230/33 1° | 250/39 -11° | 250/50 -21° | 240/61 -37° | 250/56 -45° | 260/68 -51° | |
| DIK | used from 49 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| RAP | used from 198 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 346 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT Minot, ND | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (360°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 1,715 ft | 9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC) |
| HZE Hazen, ND | 59 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: light drizzle | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,814 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| LEM Lemmon, SD | 148 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,572 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 267 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots | 1.75 mi | 300 ft | 3,203 ft | 03:03 UTC |
| CDR Chadron, NE | 336 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (020°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,297 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| BFF Scottsbluff, NE | destination | VFR | from the east (100°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,967 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,967 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BFF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:06 am MDT (07:06 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for BFF
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 15,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MOT, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at MOT 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC), at BFF 6:17 pm MDT (00:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm MDT (00:45 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BFF is before sunrise there (7:03 am MDT (13:03 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: Minot International, Scottsbluff/Western Nebraska Rgnl/Wm B Heilig Field.