The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:36 pm PDT (03:36 UTC)

Van Nuys Airport to Los Angeles International VNY → LAX

17 nautical miles (19 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 166°, about 154° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (7,500 ft, a 22-knot headwind), arriving about 8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now VNY is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; LAX is VFR, wind variable at 3 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 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

  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the whole 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 VNY.

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

  • B737 at 13,000 ft, 31 nm southeast, 8:30 pm PDT (03:30 UTC): moderate turbulence. At the destination end, 31 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    SLI UA /OV SLI180020/TM 0330/FL130/TP B737/TB MOD
    Report
    a routine report filed through SLI
    Where
    20 nm south (180°) of SLI
    Time
    03:30 UTC
    Height
    at 13,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    moderate
  • E75L climbing, 20 nm east, 7:15 pm PDT (02:15 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 20 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ONT UA /OV ONT290030/TM 0215/FLDURC/TP E75L/SK T-078
    Report
    a routine report filed through ONT
    Where
    30 nm west (290°) of ONT
    Time
    02:15 UTC
    Height
    during the climb
    Aircraft
    E75L
    Sky
    T-078
  • B737 climbing, 27 nm east, 8:01 pm PDT (03:01 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 8 nm along the route, 27 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ONT UA /OV ONT278016/TM 0301/FLDURC/TP B737/SK B-047 -T080
    Report
    a routine report filed through ONT
    Where
    16 nm west (278°) of ONT
    Time
    03:01 UTC
    Height
    during the climb
    Aircraft
    B737
    Sky
    B-047 T080
  • B737 at 3,500 ft, 15 nm southeast, 8:25 pm PDT (03:25 UTC): a broken layer above 3,500 ft. At the destination end, 15 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LGB UA /OV LGB/TM 0325/FL035/TP B737/SK BKN035
    Report
    a routine report filed through LGB
    Where
    over LGB
    Time
    03:25 UTC
    Height
    at 3,500 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Sky
    a broken layer from 3,500 ft
  • A20N climbing, 42 nm east, 8:04 pm PDT (03:04 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 42 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ONT UA /OV ONT153007/TM 0304/FLDURC/TP A20N/SK B-036 -T047
    Report
    a routine report filed through ONT
    Where
    7 nm southeast (153°) of ONT
    Time
    03:04 UTC
    Height
    during the climb
    Aircraft
    A20N
    Sky
    B-036 T047
  • A20N climbing, 39 nm east, 8:03 pm PDT (03:03 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 39 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ONT UA /OV ONT204003/TM 0303/FLDURC/TP A20N/SK B-030
    Report
    a routine report filed through ONT
    Where
    3 nm southwest (204°) of ONT
    Time
    03:03 UTC
    Height
    during the climb
    Aircraft
    A20N
    Sky
    B-030
  • SLG4 at 3,000 ft, 26 nm east, 6:33 pm PDT (01:33 UTC): scattered clouds above 4,000 ft. At the destination end, 26 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    EMT UA /OV EMT070006/TM 0133/FL030/TP SLG4/SK SCT040
    Report
    a routine report filed through EMT
    Where
    6 nm east (070°) of EMT
    Time
    01:33 UTC
    Height
    at 3,000 ft
    Aircraft
    SLG4
    Sky
    scattered clouds from 4,000 ft
  • B737 at 6,400 ft, 15 nm southeast, 6:30 pm PDT (01:30 UTC): a broken layer from 3,300 ft to 6,400 ft. At the destination end, 15 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LGB UA /OV LGB/TM 0130/FL064/TP B737/SK BKN033-TOP064
    Report
    a routine report filed through LGB
    Where
    over LGB
    Time
    01:30 UTC
    Height
    at 6,400 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Sky
    a broken layer from 3,300 ft, tops 6,400 ft
  • A21N at 2,000 ft, 29 nm east, 6:06 pm PDT (01:06 UTC): remarks: ils 25L haze below the ceiling. At the destination end, 29 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    LAX UA /OV LAX070030/TM 0106/FL020/TP A21N/SK TOPS068 BASES040/RM ILS 25L - HZ BELOW THE CEILING
    Report
    a routine report filed through LAX
    Where
    30 nm east (070°) of LAX
    Time
    01:06 UTC
    Height
    at 2,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A21N
    Sky
    TOPS068 BASES040
    Remarks
    ils 25L haze below the ceiling
  • A20N at 5,300 ft, 31 nm southeast, 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): a broken layer from 4,300 ft to 5,300 ft. At the destination end, 31 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    SNA UA /OV SNA/TM 0100/FL053/TP A20N/SK BKN043-TOP053
    Report
    a routine report filed through SNA
    Where
    over SNA
    Time
    01:00 UTC
    Height
    at 5,300 ft
    Aircraft
    A20N
    Sky
    a broken layer from 4,300 ft, tops 5,300 ft

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 1 forecast point nearest it (WJF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
5,500 ft200° at 28 kt+23 kt6 °C97 kt11 min8:47 pm PDT (03:47 UTC)
7,500 ft200° at 28 kt+22 kt4 °C98 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
9,500 ft210° at 28 kt+20 kt2 °C100 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
11,500 ft210° at 29 kt+21 kt-3 °C99 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
13,500 ft210° at 29 kt+21 kt-6 °C99 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
15,500 ft210° at 28 kt+20 kt-10 °C100 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
17,500 ft210° at 28 kt+20 kt-13 °C100 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180210° at 28 kt+20 kt-14 °C100 kt10 min8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240220° at 41 kt+24 kt-20 °C96 kt11 min8:47 pm PDT (03:47 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300220° at 47 kt+27 kt-29 °C93 kt11 min8:47 pm PDT (03:47 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340220° at 46 kt+27 kt-37 °C93 kt11 min8:47 pm PDT (03:47 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390220° at 53 kt+31 kt-44 °C89 kt11 min8:47 pm PDT (03:47 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
WJFused from 0 nm out; 42 nm from the line200/28 6°210/28 3°210/29 -4°210/28 -14°220/41 -20°220/47 -29°220/46 -37°220/53 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
VNY Van Nuys, CA departure VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,500 feet, overcast at 7,500 feet from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 5,500 ft 802 ft 7:51 pm PDT (02:51 UTC)
LAX Los Angeles, CA destination VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,600 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet variable at 3 knots 10+ mi 5,500 ft 127 ft 7:53 pm PDT (02:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 802 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LAX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:46 pm PDT (03:46 UTC)

Wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for LAX
  • From Sun 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
  • From Sun 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Sun 9:00 pm PDT (04:00 UTC) and 3:00 am PDT (10:00 UTC): light rain showers
  • From Mon 4:00 am PDT (11:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 4:00 am PDT (11:00 UTC) and 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): light rain showers
  • From Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 10:00 am PDT (17:00 UTC) and 4:00 pm PDT (23:00 UTC): light rain showers
  • From Mon 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
The forecast for VNY, the departure
  • From Sun 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Sun 6:00 pm PDT (01:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): light rain showers
  • From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC) and 5:00 am PDT (12:00 UTC): light rain showers
  • From Mon 11:00 am PDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 10,000 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 10,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 23 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZLA

Daylight

Sunset at VNY 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC), at LAX 6:23 pm PDT (01:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm PDT (01:48 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LAX is after sunset there (6:24 pm PDT (01:24 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 Pacific Southwest
Radar now, the Pacific Southwest · 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: Van Nuys Airport, Los Angeles International.