Ralph Wien Memorial to Fairbanks International OTZ → FAI
382 nautical miles (439 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 102°, about 093° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 8-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:09 am AKDT (14:09 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now OTZ is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 14 knots; FAI is IFR, wind calm. 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: 13 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 OTZ.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE20 at 800 ft, 5 nm southwest, 2:25 am AKDT (10:25 UTC): remarks: during the descent 1M fna runway 02L fis at 800 ft fai approach akfss. At the destination end, 5 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAI UA /OV FAI180001 /TM 1025 /FL008 /TP BE20 /RM DURD 1M FNA RWY02L FIS 008 FAI APCH AKFSS
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAI
- Where
- 1 nm south (180°) of FAI
- Time
- 10:25 UTC
- Height
- at 800 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Remarks
- during the descent 1M fna runway 02L fis at 800 ft fai approach akfss
- B737 at 1,000 ft, 4 nm west, 1:30 am AKDT (09:30 UTC): no turbulence, light rime icing, -9 °C, remarks: during the climb zan. At the destination end, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAI UA /OV FAI/TM 0930/FL010/TP B737/SK BASE010-TOP160/TA M09/TB NEG/IC LGT RIME/RM DURC/ ZAN
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAI
- Where
- over FAI
- Time
- 09:30 UTC
- Height
- at 1,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Sky
- BASE010-TOP160
- Temperature
- −9 °C
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- during the climb zan
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 4 forecast points nearest it (OTZ, AFM, BTT, FAI). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 180° at 5 kt | +2 kt | 118 kt | 3 h 14 min | 6:24 am AKDT (14:24 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 6 kt | −1 kt | 121 kt | 3 h 09 min | 6:19 am AKDT (14:19 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 7 kt | −3 kt | -10 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 06 min | 6:16 am AKDT (14:16 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 8 kt | −3 kt | -14 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 06 min | 6:16 am AKDT (14:16 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 9 kt | −2 kt | -18 °C | 122 kt | 3 h 08 min | 6:18 am AKDT (14:18 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 200° at 10 kt | 0 | -22 °C | 120 kt | 3 h 11 min | 6:21 am AKDT (14:21 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 190° at 11 kt | +1 kt | -27 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 13 min | 6:23 am AKDT (14:23 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 190° at 12 kt | +2 kt | -31 °C | 118 kt | 3 h 14 min | 6:24 am AKDT (14:24 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 180° at 13 kt | +3 kt | -32 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 16 min | 6:26 am AKDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 180° at 16 kt | +3 kt | -43 °C | 117 kt | 3 h 16 min | 6:26 am AKDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 210° at 18 kt | −3 kt | -55 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 06 min | 6:16 am AKDT (14:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 210° at 18 kt | −4 kt | -55 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 05 min | 6:15 am AKDT (14:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 20 kt | −8 kt | -50 °C | 128 kt | 2 h 59 min | 6:09 am AKDT (14:09 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTZ | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 150/16 | 150/13 -7° | 160/12 -14° | 160/14 -21° | 150/21 -33° | 160/29 -45° | 170/21 -55° | 190/16 -52° | 210/15 -49° |
| AFM | used from 49 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 140/11 | 170/12 -8° | 190/10 -13° | 180/9 -20° | 170/14 -32° | 180/25 -43° | 190/31 -56° | 200/21 -55° | 210/19 -50° |
| BTT | used from 196 nm out; 84 nm from the line | L/V | 270/7 -7° | 250/8 -12° | 220/12 -19° | 210/19 -31° | 230/11 -42° | 240/20 -56° | 220/22 -56° | 230/21 -51° |
| FAI | used from 294 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 260/11 | 280/16 -6° | 270/14 -12° | 250/12 -18° | 230/5 -31° | 200/5 -43° | 300/8 -54° | 240/14 -55° | 230/25 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTZ Kotzebue, AK | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, overcast at 3,300 feet | from the east-southeast (110°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | 3,300 ft | 15 ft | 2:53 am AKDT (10:53 UTC) |
| D76 Noorvik, AK | 39 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,400 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | 3,400 ft | 54 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| WLK Selawik, AK | 69 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 4,200 feet | from the east (090°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 17 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| HUS Hughes, AK | 206 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 298 ft | ||||
| TAL Tanana, AK | 274 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | reported, no category | calm | none | 242 ft | 10:52 UTC | |
| RMP Rampart, AK | 313 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | no report just now | 306 ft | ||||
| 51Z Minto, AK | 343 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 499 ft | ||||
| FAI Fairbanks, AK | destination | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 2,900 feet | calm | 7 mi | 500 ft | 439 ft | 2:53 am AKDT (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 499 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FAI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:09 am AKDT (14:09 UTC)
Wind from the south at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet VFR
At times between Mon 6:00 am AKDT (14:00 UTC) and 10:00 am AKDT (18:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet IFR
The whole forecast for FAI
- From Sun 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am AKDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south at 2 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am AKDT (14:00 UTC) and 10:00 am AKDT (18:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
The forecast for OTZ, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm AKDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 17 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am AKDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 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 OTZ 7:28 pm AKDT (03:28 UTC), at FAI 6:36 pm AKDT (02:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:25 pm AKDT (03:25 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FAI is before sunrise there (8:34 am AKDT (16:34 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: Ralph Wien Memorial, Fairbanks International.