Tri-Cities Airport to Bozeman Yellowstone International PSC → BZN
333 nautical miles (384 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 092°, about 077° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 25-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now PSC is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots; BZN is low 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: 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
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 20,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 275 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 108 to 314 nm out.
- 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 last 108 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. 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 PSC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- PC12 at 13,500 ft, 25 nm north, 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC): no turbulence, a trace of icing, overcast from 9,000 ft to 13,500 ft, -10 °C. At the departure end, 25 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PSC UA /OV PSC360025/TM 0108/FL135/TP PC12/SK OVC090-TOP135/TA M10/TB NEG /IC TRACE RM 135-090
- Report
- a routine report filed through PSC
- Where
- 25 nm north (360°) of PSC
- Time
- 01:08 UTC
- Height
- at 13,500 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- overcast from 9,000 ft, tops 13,500 ft
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- trace remarks from 13,500 ft to 9,000 ft
- PC12 at 6,000 ft, 22 nm south, 5:56 pm PDT (00:56 UTC): overcast above 6,000 ft. 29 nm along the route, 22 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
ALW UA /OV ALW200015/TM 0056/FL060/TP PC12/SK OVC060
- Report
- a routine report filed through ALW
- Where
- 15 nm south (200°) of ALW
- Time
- 00:56 UTC
- Height
- at 6,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- overcast from 6,000 ft
- E75L descending, 0 nm northwest, 6:04 pm PDT (01:04 UTC): remarks: had the airport in sight at 400-500FT above ground. At the destination end, 0 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 0104/FLDURD/TP E75L/RM HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AT 400-500FT AGL
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 01:04 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Remarks
- had the airport in sight at 400-500FT above ground
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 2 forecast points nearest it (LWS, DLN). 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 | 070° at 10 kt | +10 kt | 110 kt | 3 h 02 min | 12:38 am MDT (06:38 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 080° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 3 h 03 min | 12:39 am MDT (06:39 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 060° at 9 kt | +7 kt | -5 °C | 113 kt | 2 h 57 min | 12:33 am MDT (06:33 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 040° at 6 kt | +4 kt | -7 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 52 min | 12:28 am MDT (06:28 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 3 kt | −2 kt | -7 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 44 min | 12:20 am MDT (06:20 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 200° at 11 kt | −3 kt | -11 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 42 min | 12:18 am MDT (06:18 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 190° at 20 kt | −2 kt | -14 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 44 min | 12:20 am MDT (06:20 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 190° at 30 kt | −1 kt | -18 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 45 min | 12:21 am MDT (06:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 190° at 32 kt | −1 kt | -19 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 45 min | 12:21 am MDT (06:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 180° at 48 kt | +1 kt | -29 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 48 min | 12:24 am MDT (06:24 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 210° at 46 kt | −16 kt | -35 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 27 min | 12:03 am MDT (06:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 210° at 47 kt | −21 kt | -35 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 22 min | 11:58 pm MDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 42 kt | −25 kt | -40 °C | 145 kt | 2 h 18 min | 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LWS | used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 070/10 | 080/12 -2° | 030/12 -6° | 080/7 -10° | 170/34 -21° | 160/46 -32° | 200/33 -35° | 220/22 -35° | 230/18 -38° |
| DLN | used from 196 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 090/6 -6° | 240/22 -4° | 210/34 -16° | 210/62 -25° | 210/66 -34° | 210/82 -36° | 220/77 -42° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSC Pasco, WA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 410 ft | 7:53 pm PDT (02:53 UTC) |
| ALW Walla Walla, WA | 39 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,000 feet, overcast at 7,500 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 1,194 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| LWS Lewiston, ID | 88 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 6,000 ft | 1,442 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| GIC Grangeville, ID | 127 nm out, 12 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,300 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,300 ft | 3,313 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| HRF Hamilton, MT | 206 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north (350°) at 7 knots | 1.5 mi | 300 ft | 3,635 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| BTM Butte, MT | 275 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 5 mi | 3,200 ft | 5,550 ft | 03:23 UTC |
| BZN Bozeman, MT | destination | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 200 feet, overcast at 800 feet Weather: light snow, mist | calm | 1.25 mi | 200 ft | 4,473 ft | 9:26 pm MDT (03:26 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,550 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BZN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility ½ mile, snow, fog, overcast at 300 feet low IFR
At times between Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BZN
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ½ mile, snow, fog, overcast at 300 feet
- At times between Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC) and 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light snow, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm MDT (23:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
The forecast for PSC, the departure
- From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
- From Sun 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am PDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 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 PSC 6:15 pm PDT (01:15 UTC), at BZN 6:44 pm MDT (00:44 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:14 pm MDT (01:14 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BZN is before sunrise there (7:36 am MDT (13:36 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: Tri-Cities Airport, Bozeman Yellowstone International.