Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal to St. George Regional SPS → SGU
756 nautical miles (869 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 288°, about 283° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 12:51 pm MDT (18:51 UTC). Right now SPS is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; SGU is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 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: 3 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 TANGO 2W: 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 first 119 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 318 to 716 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 338 to 517 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 159 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 139 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, at the destination end.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 0 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 SPS.
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 08:00–15:00 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 (SPS, AMA, TCC, ABQ, FMN, BCE). 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 | 230° at 20 kt | +10 kt | 9 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 52 min | 12:51 pm MDT (18:51 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | +11 kt | 6 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 56 min | 12:55 pm MDT (18:55 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | +13 kt | 2 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 04 min | 1:03 pm MDT (19:03 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | +16 kt | -2 °C | 104 kt | 7 h 16 min | 1:15 pm MDT (19:15 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 220° at 39 kt | +19 kt | -6 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 29 min | 1:28 pm MDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 43 kt | +21 kt | -9 °C | 99 kt | 7 h 38 min | 1:37 pm MDT (19:37 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 58 kt | +36 kt | -20 °C | 84 kt | 9 h | 2:59 pm MDT (20:59 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 73 kt | +48 kt | -28 °C | 72 kt | 10 h 30 min | 4:29 pm MDT (22:29 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 69 kt | +48 kt | -37 °C | 72 kt | 10 h 30 min | 4:29 pm MDT (22:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 64 kt | +49 kt | -47 °C | 71 kt | 10 h 39 min | 4:38 pm MDT (22:38 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/35 | 220/31 18° | 230/16 14° | 230/10 8° | 250/18 -5° | 250/32 -16° | 260/51 -28° | 280/46 -38° | 300/50 -50° |
| AMA | used from 99 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/32 | 230/28 14° | 230/27 7° | 230/38 -6° | 230/50 -17° | 250/69 -28° | 260/62 -37° | 270/65 -49° | |
| TCC | used from 199 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| ABQ | used from 348 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| FMN | used from 447 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 220/16 6° | 220/39 1° | 220/50 -10° | 230/67 -23° | 230/94 -29° | 230/102 -35° | 230/90 -46° | ||
| BCE | used from 596 nm out; 92 nm from the line | 200/32 -2° | 210/57 -15° | 220/71 -22° | 220/69 -30° | 220/64 -38° | 220/67 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS Wichita Falls, TX | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 8 mi | none | 1,019 ft | 6:52 am CDT (11:52 UTC) |
| FDR Frederick, OK | 30 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | VFR | from the east-northeast (070°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,258 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| CDS Childress, TX | 89 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,953 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| AMA Amarillo, TX | 169 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 3,606 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| TCC Tucumcari, NM | 258 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,064 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| LVS Las Vegas, NM | 338 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 6,877 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | 388 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 6,348 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| PGA Page, AZ | 656 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 10,000 feet | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 10,000 ft | 4,316 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| AZC Colorado City, AZ | 736 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the east (080°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 4,873 ft | 11:35 UTC |
| SGU St George, UT | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,883 ft | 5:56 am MDT (11:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SGU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:51 pm MDT (18:51 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SGU
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind variable at 10 knots, gusting to 20, light rain showers, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm MDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
The forecast for SPS, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 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 SPS 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC), at SGU 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:26 pm MDT (01:26 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: Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal, St. George Regional.