Rapid City Regional to Rick Husband Amarillo International RAP → AMA
534 nautical miles (614 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 173°, about 165° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 9-knot headwind), arriving about 7:49 am CDT (12:49 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RAP is low IFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 8 knots; AMA is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 17 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: 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 SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 109 nm of 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). Near the route, 40 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, 247 nm along the route.
- 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 last 148 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 RAP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (RAP, BFF, GLD, GCK, AMA). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 36 kt | +29 kt | 18 °C | 91 kt | 5 h 52 min | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | +25 kt | 16 °C | 95 kt | 5 h 37 min | 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +22 kt | 13 °C | 98 kt | 5 h 27 min | 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +19 kt | 8 °C | 101 kt | 5 h 17 min | 8:17 am CDT (13:17 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +17 kt | 4 °C | 103 kt | 5 h 11 min | 8:11 am CDT (13:11 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +16 kt | -1 °C | 104 kt | 5 h 08 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +16 kt | -6 °C | 104 kt | 5 h 08 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 28 kt | +15 kt | -7 °C | 105 kt | 5 h 05 min | 8:05 am CDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 35 kt | +19 kt | -20 °C | 101 kt | 5 h 17 min | 8:17 am CDT (13:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 55 kt | +26 kt | -31 °C | 94 kt | 5 h 41 min | 8:41 am CDT (13:41 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 57 kt | +18 kt | -36 °C | 102 kt | 5 h 14 min | 8:14 am CDT (13:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 55 kt | +9 kt | -47 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 49 min | 7:49 am CDT (12:49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| BFF | used from 49 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| GLD | used from 198 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| GCK | used from 346 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| AMA | used from 445 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 210/38 | 230/29 14° | 240/29 7° | 220/27 -5° | 240/37 -18° | 240/66 -28° | 250/59 -37° | 260/47 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP Rapid City, SD | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 8 knots | 1.5 mi | 200 ft | 3,203 ft | 1:52 am MDT (07:52 UTC) |
| HSR Hot Springs, SD | 40 nm out, 19 nm west of the line | no report just now | 3,150 ft | ||||
| CDR Chadron, NE | 69 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots | 2.5 mi | 300 ft | 3,297 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| AIA Alliance, NE | 119 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the north (360°) at 12 knots | 3 mi | 200 ft | 3,930 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| CNP Chappell, NE | 178 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,681 ft | ||||
| RYA Wray, CO | 237 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,677 ft | ||||
| ITR Burlington, CO | 287 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,218 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| EHA Elkhart, KS | 425 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 18 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,621 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| GUY Guymon, OK | 445 nm out, 19 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,125 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| DUX Dumas, TX | 494 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 18 knots, gusting to 27 | 10+ mi | none | 3,706 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| AMA Amarillo, TX | destination | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 17 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,606 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,218 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AMA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:49 am CDT (12:49 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 19 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for AMA
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 19 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 17 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 11,000 feet
The forecast for RAP, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility ¾ mile, mist, overcast at 200 feet
- At times between Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC) and 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 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 RAP 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC), at AMA 7:14 pm CDT (00:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:40 pm CDT (00:40 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at AMA 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: Rapid City Regional, Rick Husband Amarillo International.