Rapid City Regional to Laughlin/Bullhead International RAP → IFP
752 nautical miles (866 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 229°, about 221° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 32-knot headwind), arriving about 6:45 am MST (13:45 UTC). Right now RAP is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots; IFP is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 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: 8 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 8C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 12:55 am MDT (06:55 UTC). Over the route from 30 to 99 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120455 MKCC WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8C VALID UNTIL 0655Z NE SD WY FROM 50WNW RAP-20SSW RAP-60NW BFF-40ENE DDY-50WNW RAP DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- 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 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 574 nm out.
- 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 route from 30 to 366 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 79 to 723 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 218 to 733 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 228 to 703 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 257 to 307 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 653 to 673 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the last 30 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
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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 6 forecast points nearest it (RAP, BFF, RKS, GJT, BCE, LAS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 34 kt | +32 kt | 8 °C | 88 kt | 8 h 33 min | 6:45 am MST (13:45 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 33 kt | +32 kt | 4 °C | 88 kt | 8 h 33 min | 6:45 am MST (13:45 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +34 kt | 0 °C | 86 kt | 8 h 45 min | 6:57 am MST (13:57 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 36 kt | +36 kt | -4 °C | 84 kt | 8 h 57 min | 7:09 am MST (14:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 38 kt | +38 kt | -9 °C | 82 kt | 9 h 10 min | 7:22 am MST (14:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 40 kt | +39 kt | -12 °C | 81 kt | 9 h 17 min | 7:29 am MST (14:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 51 kt | +51 kt | -22 °C | 69 kt | 10 h 54 min | 9:06 am MST (16:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 54 kt | +54 kt | -30 °C | 66 kt | 11 h 24 min | 9:36 am MST (16:36 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 58 kt | +58 kt | -35 °C | 62 kt | 12 h 08 min | 10:20 am MST (17:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 54 kt | +54 kt | -45 °C | 66 kt | 11 h 24 min | 9:36 am MST (16:36 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 99 nm out; 84 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° | |
| RKS | used from 198 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| GJT | used from 297 nm out; 76 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° | ||
| BCE | used from 445 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 220/27 -1° | 210/40 -13° | 220/54 -21° | 220/64 -30° | 220/64 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |||
| LAS | used from 643 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° |
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 | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 700 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots | 6 mi | 700 ft | 3,203 ft | 10:52 pm MDT (04:52 UTC) |
| CUT Custer, SD | 30 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet Weather: light rain | variable at 4 knots | 7 mi | 9,500 ft | 5,619 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| DGW Douglas, WY | 129 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,932 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| DWX Dixon, WY | 267 nm out, 1 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 6,548 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| CNY Moab, UT | 436 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 4,579 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| HVE Hanksville, UT | 485 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 6,500 ft | 4,453 ft | 04:50 UTC |
| BCE Bryce Canyon, UT | 564 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 3,200 feet, overcast at 4,800 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 7,589 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| KNB Kanab, UT | 604 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 0 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,867 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| IGM Kingman, AZ | 723 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 3,448 ft | 04:51 UTC |
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | destination | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 707 ft | 9:55 pm MST (04:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,589 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IFP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:45 am MST (13:45 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for IFP
- From Sun 5:00 pm MST (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 18 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm MST (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am MST (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MST (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am MST (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 18 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
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
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at IFP 6:07 pm MST (01:07 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:32 pm MST (01:32 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, Laughlin/Bullhead International.