Van Nuys Airport to Tucson International VNY → TUS
400 nautical miles (460 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 106°, about 094° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 35-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:34 am MST (13:34 UTC). Right now VNY is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots; TUS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 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: 4 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 100 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 50 to 180 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.
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
- B744 at 1,700 ft, 14 nm southwest, 2:24 am PDT (09:24 UTC): a few clouds above 1,700 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 25L lax. At the departure end, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAX UA /OV KLAX/TM 0924/FL017/TP B744/SK FEW017/RM DURD RY25L LAX
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAX
- Where
- over KLAX
- Time
- 09:24 UTC
- Height
- at 1,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B744
- Sky
- a few clouds from 1,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 25L lax
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 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 4 forecast points nearest it (ONT, BLH, PHX, TUS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 220° at 15 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 3 h 09 min | 7:08 am MST (14:08 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 19 kt | −4 kt | 13 °C | 124 kt | 3 h 14 min | 7:13 am MST (14:13 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 200° at 25 kt | −3 kt | 7 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 15 min | 7:14 am MST (14:14 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 200° at 30 kt | −3 kt | 3 °C | 123 kt | 3 h 15 min | 7:14 am MST (14:14 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 210° at 32 kt | −6 kt | 0 °C | 126 kt | 3 h 10 min | 7:09 am MST (14:09 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 210° at 37 kt | −10 kt | -3 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 05 min | 7:04 am MST (14:04 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 43 kt | −16 kt | -6 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 56 min | 6:55 am MST (13:55 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 49 kt | −21 kt | -9 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 50 min | 6:49 am MST (13:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 51 kt | −22 kt | -10 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 49 min | 6:48 am MST (13:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 220° at 65 kt | −24 kt | -20 °C | 144 kt | 2 h 47 min | 6:46 am MST (13:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 220° at 78 kt | −29 kt | -29 °C | 149 kt | 2 h 41 min | 6:40 am MST (13:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 220° at 83 kt | −35 kt | -37 °C | 155 kt | 2 h 35 min | 6:34 am MST (13:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 220° at 84 kt | −31 kt | -47 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 39 min | 6:38 am MST (13:38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONT | used from 0 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 250/11 | 200/20 4° | 210/27 3° | 220/26 -4° | 240/32 -13° | 220/52 -21° | 220/67 -30° | 220/72 -37° | 220/65 -46° |
| BLH | used from 100 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 240/19 | 210/20 10° | 200/27 4° | 210/34 -2° | 220/59 -10° | 220/67 -20° | 220/75 -29° | 230/78 -38° | 220/90 -47° |
| PHX | used from 250 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 190/15 | 210/25 12° | 200/34 4° | 200/34 2° | 220/58 -9° | 220/75 -19° | 220/91 -28° | 220/100 -35° | 220/95 -47° |
| TUS | used from 350 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° |
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 | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,900 feet Weather: light rain | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 8 mi | 3,900 ft | 802 ft | 3:51 am PDT (10:51 UTC) |
| EMT El Monte, CA | 20 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 5,500 ft | 295 ft | 02:45 UTC |
| RAL Riverside, CA | 50 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,600 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 3,600 ft | 818 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| PSP Palm Springs, CA | 100 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,800 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 476 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| CLR Calipatria, CA | 160 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | no report just now | -181 ft | ||||
| BLH Blythe, CA | 190 nm out, 22 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 399 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| AVQ Marana, AZ | 380 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 2,031 ft | 10:35 UTC |
| TUS Tucson, AZ | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 2,643 ft | 3:53 am MST (10:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,643 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:34 am MST (13:34 UTC)
Wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TUS
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MST (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
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
- 4/3635 DISNEYLAND THEME PARK, ANAHEIM,, CA 13 nm from the route, 30 nm along the route · security · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at VNY 6:22 pm PDT (01:22 UTC), at TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:18 pm MST (01:18 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: Van Nuys Airport, Tucson International.