Eppley Airfield to North Platte Rgnl/Lee Bird Field OMA → LBF
217 nautical miles (249 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 269°, about 267° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now OMA is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots; LBF is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 10 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: 492 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 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 whole 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 OMA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL1340 at 40,000 ft, 22 nm south, 7:18 pm CDT (00:18 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, wind 244° at 70 knots. At the destination end, 22 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1340 4046N 10049W 0018 F400 244/070KT TB OCNL MOD CHOP IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- B789 at 40,000 ft, 37 nm southwest, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the destination end, 37 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SNY UA /OV SNY088072/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT /RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through SNY
- Where
- 72 nm east (088°) of SNY
- Time
- 00:22 UTC
- Height
- at 40,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zdvwc
- B789 at 40,000 ft, 31 nm southwest, 7:22 pm CDT (00:22 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. At the destination end, 31 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SNY UA /OV SNY088081/TM 0022/FL400/TP B789/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through SNY
- Where
- 81 nm east (088°) of SNY
- Time
- 00:22 UTC
- Height
- at 40,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B789
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zdvwc
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 2 forecast points nearest it (OMA, GRI). 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 | 230° at 36 kt | +28 kt | 21 °C | 92 kt | 2 h 22 min | 12:26 am CDT (05:26 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 32 kt | +26 kt | 20 °C | 94 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:23 am CDT (05:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +20 kt | 14 °C | 100 kt | 2 h 10 min | 12:14 am CDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 20 kt | +16 kt | 10 °C | 104 kt | 2 h 05 min | 12:09 am CDT (05:09 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 20 kt | +14 kt | 6 °C | 106 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +18 kt | 1 °C | 102 kt | 2 h 08 min | 12:12 am CDT (05:12 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +21 kt | -4 °C | 99 kt | 2 h 12 min | 12:16 am CDT (05:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 26 kt | +24 kt | -8 °C | 96 kt | 2 h 16 min | 12:20 am CDT (05:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 36 kt | +33 kt | -20 °C | 87 kt | 2 h 30 min | 12:34 am CDT (05:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 49 kt | +47 kt | -33 °C | 73 kt | 2 h 58 min | 1:02 am CDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 58 kt | +57 kt | -38 °C | 63 kt | 3 h 27 min | 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 59 kt | +59 kt | -47 °C | 61 kt | 3 h 33 min | 1:37 am CDT (06:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| GRI | used from 49 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA Omaha, NE | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 984 ft | 9:52 pm CDT (02:52 UTC) |
| AHQ Wahoo, NE | 30 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,225 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| OLU Columbus, NE | 69 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,447 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| GRI Grand Island, NE | 108 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,847 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| BBW Broken Bow, NE | 167 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,546 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| GTE Gothenburg, NE | 197 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,558 ft | ||||
| LBF North Platte, NE | destination | VFR | from the east (100°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,777 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,777 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LBF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC)
Wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for LBF
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for OMA, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 16 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 OMA 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 UTC), at LBF 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:34 pm CDT (00:34 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LBF is before sunrise there (7:50 am CDT (12:50 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: Eppley Airfield, North Platte Rgnl/Lee Bird Field.