Phoenix Sky Harbor International to Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field PHX → ASE
427 nautical miles (492 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 034°, about 022° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 80-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:31 pm MDT (05:31 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PHX is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 4 knots; ASE is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 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: 208 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 W11W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 9:55 pm MST (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 308 to 358 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120255 MKCW WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11W VALID UNTIL 0455Z CO NM FROM 20WNW PUB-10ENE CIM-50WNW ABQ-30NNE DVC-20WNW PUB AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 20 to 189 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 288 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 358 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 89 nm along the route.
- 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 last 129 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 129 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 PHX.
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 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 (PHX, PRC, FMN, GJT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | −29 kt | 8 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 52 min | 12:15 am MDT (06:15 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 210° at 31 kt | −31 kt | 6 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 50 min | 12:13 am MDT (06:13 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | −36 kt | 3 °C | 156 kt | 2 h 44 min | 12:07 am MDT (06:07 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 41 kt | −41 kt | -1 °C | 161 kt | 2 h 39 min | 12:02 am MDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 47 kt | −47 kt | -5 °C | 167 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:56 pm MDT (05:56 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 52 kt | −52 kt | -9 °C | 172 kt | 2 h 29 min | 11:52 pm MDT (05:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 53 kt | −53 kt | -10 °C | 173 kt | 2 h 28 min | 11:51 pm MDT (05:51 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 63 kt | −62 kt | -21 °C | 182 kt | 2 h 21 min | 11:44 pm MDT (05:44 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 77 kt | −76 kt | -28 °C | 196 kt | 2 h 11 min | 11:34 pm MDT (05:34 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 85 kt | −80 kt | -34 °C | 200 kt | 2 h 08 min | 11:31 pm MDT (05:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 69 kt | −67 kt | -45 °C | 187 kt | 2 h 17 min | 11:40 pm MDT (05:40 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; 25 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° |
| PRC | used from 50 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| FMN | used from 149 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| GJT | used from 348 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 210/43 7° | 230/45 1° | 220/49 -12° | 220/62 -22° | 220/59 -28° | 230/60 -33° | 220/55 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX Phoenix, AZ | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet | from the north (360°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 1,134 ft | 7:51 pm MST (02:51 UTC) |
| PAN Payson, AZ | 60 nm out, 0 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,600 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 5,160 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| INW Winslow, AZ | 119 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,941 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| CEZ Cortez, CO | 288 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,917 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| TEX Telluride, CO | 338 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 12 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 9,069 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MTJ Montrose, CO | 368 nm out, 13 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 10,000 feet | variable at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 5,758 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| GUC Gunnison, CO | 397 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 8,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 7,679 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| ASE Aspen, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 7,837 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 9,069 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ASE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:31 pm MDT (05:31 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ASE
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm MDT (05:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 4,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 4,500 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for PHX, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 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 PHX 5:58 pm MST (00:58 UTC), at ASE 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ASE is before sunrise there (7:14 am MDT (13:14 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: Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field.