Rapid City Regional to Hector International RAP → FAR
314 nautical miles (362 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 054°, about 046° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 49-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RAP is low IFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots; FAR is low IFR, wind from the north (360°) at 14 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 route from 10 to 128 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 69 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
- CRJ2 at 11,000 ft, 41 nm northwest, 6:53 pm MDT (00:53 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. 245 nm along the route, 41 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
JMS UA /OV JMS/TM 0053/FL110/TP CRJ2/SK BASE020-TOP040/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through JMS
- Where
- over JMS
- Time
- 00:53 UTC
- Height
- at 11,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ2
- Sky
- BASE020-TOP040
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- PC12 at 2,800 ft, 9 nm southeast, 8:37 pm MDT (02:37 UTC): overcast from 1,200 ft to 2,900 ft, 10 °C. At the destination end, 9 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV FAR/TM 0237/FL028/TP PC12/SK OVC012-TOP029/TA 10
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over FAR
- Time
- 02:37 UTC
- Height
- at 2,800 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- overcast from 1,200 ft, tops 2,900 ft
- Temperature
- 10 °C
- E75L at 900 ft, 0 nm southwest, 7:57 pm MDT (01:57 UTC): no icing, overcast above 1,200 ft. At the destination end, 0 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV KFAR/TM 0157/FL009/TP E75L/SK OVC012/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over KFAR
- Time
- 01:57 UTC
- Height
- at 900 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Sky
- overcast from 1,200 ft
- Icing
- none
- A320 descending, 0 nm southwest, 7:01 pm MDT (01:01 UTC): overcast above 1,200 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 36. At the destination end, 0 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
FAR UA /OV KFAR/TM 0101/FLUNKN/TP A320/SK OVC012-TOPUNKN/RM DURD RWY 36
- Report
- a routine report filed through FAR
- Where
- over KFAR
- Time
- 01:01 UTC
- Height
- height not given
- Aircraft
- A320
- Sky
- overcast from 1,200 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 36
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 (RAP, PIR, ABR, GFK). 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 11 kt | +10 kt | 110 kt | 2 h 51 min | 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 180° at 11 kt | −7 kt | 17 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 28 min | 12:37 am CDT (05:37 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 210° at 15 kt | −13 kt | 14 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 22 min | 12:31 am CDT (05:31 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 11 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 16 min | 12:25 am CDT (05:25 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 6 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 09 min | 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 1 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 07 min | 12:16 am CDT (05:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -4 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 06 min | 12:15 am CDT (05:15 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −29 kt | -9 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 06 min | 12:15 am CDT (05:15 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 30 kt | −29 kt | -10 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 06 min | 12:15 am CDT (05:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 37 kt | −35 kt | -21 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 02 min | 12:11 am CDT (05:11 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 34 kt | −33 kt | -36 °C | 153 kt | 2 h 03 min | 12:12 am CDT (05:12 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 44 kt | −41 kt | -41 °C | 161 kt | 1 h 57 min | 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 52 kt | −49 kt | -48 °C | 169 kt | 1 h 51 min | 12:00 am CDT (05:00 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° | |
| PIR | used from 49 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ABR | used from 147 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| GFK | used from 295 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 070/18 | 100/10 9° | 250/11 6° | 250/27 1° | 250/34 -10° | 260/43 -21° | 260/39 -36° | 260/36 -46° | 260/59 -53° |
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 300 feet Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots | 1.75 mi | 300 ft | 3,203 ft | 9:03 pm MDT (03:03 UTC) |
| MBG Mobridge, SD | 147 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,716 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| ASY Ashley, ND | 196 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,034 ft | ||||
| GWR Gwinner, ND | 265 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line | reported, no category | from the north (010°) at 15 knots, gusting to 21 | 5 mi | none | 1,265 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| FAR Fargo, ND | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the north (360°) at 14 knots | 2.5 mi | 300 ft | 901 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FAR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC)
Wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet low IFR
At times between Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC) and 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist IFR
The whole forecast for FAR
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 400 feet
- At times between Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC) and 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
The forecast for RAP, the departure
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 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 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at FAR 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FAR is before sunrise there (7:40 am CDT (12:40 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, Hector International.