Pinal Airpark to Phoenix Sky Harbor International MZJ → PHX
65 nautical miles (75 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 328°, about 316° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 22-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:03 pm MST (03:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MZJ is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots; PHX is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19. 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 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 9W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 28,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 8:55 pm MST (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 56 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 9W VALID UNTIL 0355Z AZ FROM 20S TBC-30S INW-10E PHX-60SW DRK-30WNW DRK-20S TBC DMSHG AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 21020KT. TOPS TO FL280.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 0 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 MZJ.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 descending, 32 nm southeast, 5:26 pm MST (00:26 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the departure end, 32 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TUS UA /OV FINAL RWY 12/TM 0026/FLDURD/TP A321/TB LIGHT CHOP ON FINAL
- Report
- a routine report filed through TUS
- Where
- final runway 12
- Time
- 00:26 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- light chop on final
- CRJ7 at 15,000 ft, 42 nm west, 6:55 pm MST (01:55 UTC): light rime icing, -3 °C, remarks: during the descent at 15,000 ft at 13,500 ft. At the destination end, 42 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
PHX UA /OV GEELA/TM 0155/FL150/TP CRJ7/TA -3/IC LT RIME/RM DURD 150 135
- Report
- a routine report filed through PHX
- Where
- geela
- Time
- 01:55 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Temperature
- -3
- Icing
- lt rime
- Remarks
- during the descent at 15,000 ft at 13,500 ft
- B738 at 17,000 ft, 29 nm north, 4:54 pm MST (23:54 UTC): light rime icing, 9 °C, remarks: during the descent. At the destination end, 29 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PHX UA /OV PXR330030/TM 2354/FL170/TP B738/TA 09/IC LGT RIME/RM DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through PHX
- Where
- 30 nm northwest (330°) of PXR
- Time
- 23:54 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Temperature
- 9 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- during the descent
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 1 forecast point nearest it (PHX). 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 | 190° at 12 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 30 min | 8:06 pm MST (03:06 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 200° at 22 kt | −14 kt | 11 °C | 134 kt | 29 min | 8:05 pm MST (03:05 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 200° at 26 kt | −16 kt | 7 °C | 136 kt | 29 min | 8:05 pm MST (03:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 200° at 31 kt | −19 kt | 4 °C | 139 kt | 28 min | 8:04 pm MST (03:04 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 200° at 37 kt | −21 kt | 2 °C | 141 kt | 28 min | 8:04 pm MST (03:04 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 210° at 44 kt | −20 kt | -2 °C | 140 kt | 28 min | 8:04 pm MST (03:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 52 kt | −19 kt | -5 °C | 139 kt | 28 min | 8:04 pm MST (03:04 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 58 kt | −18 kt | -8 °C | 138 kt | 28 min | 8:04 pm MST (03:04 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 69 kt | −22 kt | -19 °C | 142 kt | 27 min | 8:03 pm MST (03:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 87 kt | −27 kt | -26 °C | 147 kt | 27 min | 8:03 pm MST (03:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 93 kt | −13 kt | -35 °C | 133 kt | 29 min | 8:05 pm MST (03:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 79 kt | −11 kt | -47 °C | 131 kt | 30 min | 8:06 pm MST (03:06 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX | used from 0 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 150/5 | 200/21 12° | 200/27 6° | 200/35 3° | 220/58 -8° | 220/69 -19° | 220/87 -26° | 230/93 -35° | 230/79 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MZJ Marana, AZ | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, scattered clouds at 4,900 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,893 ft | 7:10 pm MST (02:10 UTC) |
| IWA Phoenix, AZ | 47 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 1,384 ft | 01:55 UTC |
| PHX Phoenix, AZ | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 1,134 ft | 6:51 pm MST (01:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,893 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At PHX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:03 pm MST (03:03 UTC)
Wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for PHX
- From Sun 5:00 pm MST (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Sun 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC): wind from the west at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm MST (05:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am MST (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,000 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MST (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MST (20:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MST (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MST (05:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
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 MZJ 5:56 pm MST (00:56 UTC), at PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:23 pm MST (01:23 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PHX is after sunset there (5:59 pm MST (00:59 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
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: Pinal Airpark, Phoenix Sky Harbor International.