The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC)

Stillwater Regional to City Of Colorado Springs Municipal SWO → COS

396 nautical miles (456 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 296°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 4:09 am MDT (10:09 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SWO is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots; COS is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 10 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 return flight

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 C10C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC). Near the route, 376 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120555
    MKCC WST 120555
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10C
    VALID UNTIL 0755Z
    CO NM
    FROM 20NNE PUB-40WSW LAA-30WSW CIM-50WSW ALS-50ESE HBU-20NNE PUB
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • 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 first 317 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 89 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Near the route, 327 nm along 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). 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 SWO.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • E170 at 22,500 ft, 42 nm northwest, 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. At the destination end, 42 nm northwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
    Time
    05:06 UTC
    Height
    at 22,500 ft
    Aircraft
    E170
    Turbulence
    continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
    Remarks
    during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13

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 4 forecast points nearest it (OKC, GAG, GCK, PUB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft220° at 43 kt+11 kt20 °C109 kt3 h 38 min4:09 am MDT (10:09 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 40 kt+13 kt19 °C107 kt3 h 42 min4:13 am MDT (10:13 UTC)
8,500 ft230° at 30 kt+13 kt15 °C107 kt3 h 42 min4:13 am MDT (10:13 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 27 kt+14 kt11 °C106 kt3 h 44 min4:15 am MDT (10:15 UTC)
12,500 ft240° at 26 kt+16 kt7 °C104 kt3 h 48 min4:19 am MDT (10:19 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 28 kt+15 kt2 °C105 kt3 h 46 min4:17 am MDT (10:17 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 31 kt+14 kt-2 °C106 kt3 h 44 min4:15 am MDT (10:15 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 32 kt+13 kt-6 °C107 kt3 h 42 min4:13 am MDT (10:13 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 37 kt+21 kt-20 °C99 kt4 h4:31 am MDT (10:31 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 65 kt+42 kt-28 °C78 kt5 h 05 min5:36 am MDT (11:36 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 62 kt+46 kt-37 °C74 kt5 h 21 min5:52 am MDT (11:52 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 53 kt+42 kt-48 °C78 kt5 h 05 min5:36 am MDT (11:36 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
OKCused from 0 nm out; 57 nm from the line200/44230/32 18°240/13 15°240/10 9°240/20 -5°250/27 -16°260/47 -28°270/48 -39°270/45 -50°
GAGused from 49 nm out; 67 nm from the line220/40 19°230/28 14°240/23 8°230/21 -6°240/31 -19°250/66 -29°260/58 -38°260/47 -49°
GCKused from 148 nm out; 37 nm from the line220/48 21°230/37 14°250/30 8°230/37 -6°240/37 -20°240/69 -28°250/67 -37°260/58 -48°
PUBused from 297 nm out; 60 nm from the line230/25 13°230/32 6°220/44 -8°230/49 -21°240/70 -28°240/67 -34°240/58 -46°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
SWO Stillwater, OK departure VFR from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,000 ft 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC)
WDG Enid, OK 40 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 1,167 ft 06:15 UTC
AVK Alva, OK 89 nm out, 4 nm east of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi none 1,476 ft 06:15 UTC
MEJ Meade, KS 168 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line no report just now 2,527 ft
GCK Garden City, KS 198 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 19 knots 10+ mi none 2,890 ft 05:54 UTC
ULS Ulysses, KS 228 nm out, 8 nm south of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 18 knots, gusting to 26 10+ mi none 3,071 ft 06:15 UTC
LAA Lamar, CO 287 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 17 knots 10+ mi none 3,705 ft 05:53 UTC
LHX La Junta, CO 327 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line VFR from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 4,228 ft 15:53 UTC
COS Colorado Springs, CO destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 feet, a few clouds at 18,000 feet from the south (180°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 6,187 ft 11:54 pm MDT (05:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At COS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:09 am MDT (10:09 UTC)

Wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for COS
  • From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 11:00 am MDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for SWO, the departure
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
  • From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 16 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds 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 SWO 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC), at COS 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at COS is before sunrise there (7:04 am MDT (13:04 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

Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Stillwater Regional, City Of Colorado Springs Municipal.