Plan a flight · Mon 2:01 am PDT (09:01 UTC)

Van Nuys Airport to Sacramento Mather Airport VNY → MHR

294 nautical miles (338 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 333°, about 321° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now VNY is marginal VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots; MHR is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) 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: 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 2E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 39 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the last 157 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 VNY.

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

A35K at 32,000 ft, 49 nm southwest, 1:39 am PDT (08:39 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: fdcs zoa. At the destination end, 49 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
OAK UA /OV OAK348024/TM 0839/FL320/TP A35K/TB MOD CHOP/RM FDCS ZOA
```
Report
a routine report filed through OAK
Where
24 nm north (348°) of OAK
Time
08:39 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A35K
Turbulence
moderate chop
Remarks
fdcs zoa

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 3 forecast points nearest it (WJF, FAT, SAC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
4,500 ft	190° at 14 kt	−11 kt	4 °C	131 kt	2 h 15 min	4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC)
6,500 ft	190° at 15 kt	−11 kt	3 °C	131 kt	2 h 15 min	4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC)
8,500 ft	190° at 13 kt	−11 kt	-1 °C	131 kt	2 h 15 min	4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC)
10,500 ft	210° at 12 kt	−7 kt	-3 °C	127 kt	2 h 19 min	4:20 am PDT (11:20 UTC)
12,500 ft	230° at 12 kt	−2 kt	-6 °C	122 kt	2 h 25 min	4:26 am PDT (11:26 UTC)
14,500 ft	250° at 12 kt	+2 kt	-9 °C	118 kt	2 h 29 min	4:30 am PDT (11:30 UTC)
16,500 ft	270° at 14 kt	+6 kt	-12 °C	114 kt	2 h 35 min	4:36 am PDT (11:36 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 16 kt	+10 kt	-14 °C	110 kt	2 h 40 min	4:41 am PDT (11:41 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 21 kt	+18 kt	-23 °C	102 kt	2 h 53 min	4:54 am PDT (11:54 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	260° at 25 kt	+7 kt	-32 °C	113 kt	2 h 36 min	4:37 am PDT (11:37 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	240° at 37 kt	−5 kt	-38 °C	125 kt	2 h 21 min	4:22 am PDT (11:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	230° at 41 kt	−10 kt	-44 °C	130 kt	2 h 16 min	4:17 am PDT (11:17 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
WJF	used from 0 nm out; 26 nm from the line		210/26 4°	210/28 2°	230/23 -4°	240/28 -13°	220/47 -23°	220/57 -30°	220/65 -37°	220/59 -45°
FAT	used from 98 nm out; 45 nm from the line	140/11	180/15 3°	150/14 -3°	200/14 -6°	240/17 -16°	320/25 -23°	270/22 -31°	240/29 -37°	230/36 -44°
SAC	used from 245 nm out; 28 nm from the line	L/V	L/V 4°	340/9 -4°	340/22 -8°	360/71 -12°	360/82 -23°	350/58 -37°	310/30 -40°	270/25 -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
VNY Van Nuys, CA	departure	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,900 feet	from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	2,900 ft	802 ft	1:51 am PDT (08:51 UTC)
SZP Santa Paula, CA	20 nm out, 22 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				250 ft
BFL Bakersfield, CA	78 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: overcast at 7,000 feet	from the north-northwest (340°) at 13 knots	10+ mi	7,000 ft	509 ft	08:54 UTC
MIT Shafter, CA	88 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	no report just now				424 ft
FAT Fresno, CA	167 nm out, 17 nm east of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 6,500 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet	from the southeast (140°) at 13 knots	10+ mi	6,500 ft	335 ft	08:53 UTC
MCE Merced, CA	206 nm out, 5 nm west of the line	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 9,500 feet	calm	10+ mi	9,500 ft	155 ft	08:53 UTC
MER Atwater, CA	216 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	190 ft	23:55 UTC
SCK Stockton, CA	255 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 9,500 feet	from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	32 ft	08:55 UTC
MHR Sacramento, CA	destination	VFR	from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	98 ft	11:55 pm PDT (06:55 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 MHR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:16 am PDT (11:16 UTC)

Wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for MHR

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 6:00 am PDT (13:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for VNY, the departure

From Sun 11:00 pm PDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 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 3,500 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm PDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 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 VNY 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC), at MHR 6:30 pm PDT (01:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm PDT (01:56 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MHR is before sunrise there (7:11 am PDT (14:11 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 · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Sacramento Mather Airport.