Alexandria International to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field AEX → MSN
725 nautical miles (835 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 011°, about 008° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 18-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:23 am CDT (08:23 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 AEX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- C750 at 43,000 ft, 24 nm west, 7:50 pm CDT (00:50 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence above 43,000 ft, remarks: zme. 229 nm along the route, 24 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
LIT UA /OV LIT360025/TM 0050/FL430/TP C750/TB CONS LGT-MOD CHOP 430/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through LIT
- Where
- 25 nm north (360°) of LIT
- Time
- 00:50 UTC
- Height
- at 43,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C750
- Turbulence
- continuous light to moderate chop at 43,000 ft
- Remarks
- zme
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 8 nm east, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 656 nm along the route, 8 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
- Report
- a routine report filed through RPJ
- Where
- over PLL
- Time
- 01:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- pocket continuous light turbulence
- E295 at 37,000 ft, 46 nm east, 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the destination end, 46 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 0053/FL370/TP E295/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 00:53 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E295
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
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 7 forecast points nearest it (SHV, LIT, CGI, STL, SPI, BRL, DBQ). 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 | 230° at 22 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 5 h 15 min | 3:23 am CDT (08:23 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 5 h 25 min | 3:33 am CDT (08:33 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −11 kt | 13 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 32 min | 3:40 am CDT (08:40 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −7 kt | 10 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 43 min | 3:51 am CDT (08:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −5 kt | 7 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:56 am CDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | −4 kt | 3 °C | 124 kt | 5 h 51 min | 3:59 am CDT (08:59 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | −5 kt | -1 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:56 am CDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | −5 kt | -5 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:56 am CDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 18 kt | −5 kt | -6 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:56 am CDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 24 kt | −5 kt | -18 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:56 am CDT (08:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 32 kt | 0 | -31 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 02 min | 4:10 am CDT (09:10 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 42 kt | +7 kt | -41 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 25 min | 4:33 am CDT (09:33 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 48 kt | +10 kt | -52 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 35 min | 4:43 am CDT (09:43 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SHV | used from 0 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| LIT | used from 99 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| CGI | used from 298 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| STL | used from 398 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| SPI | used from 497 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| BRL | used from 547 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 596 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEX Alexandria, LA | departure | no report just now | 88 ft | ||||
| RSN Ruston, LA | 70 nm out, 16 nm west of the line | no report just now | 316 ft | ||||
| MLU Monroe, LA | 80 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 78 ft | ||||
| LIT Little Rock, AR | 199 nm out, 25 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 266 ft | ||||
| SRC Searcy, AR | 239 nm out, 7 nm west of the line | no report just now | 264 ft | ||||
| CVK Ash Flat, AR | 298 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 717 ft | ||||
| UUV Sullivan, MO | 417 nm out, 17 nm west of the line | no report just now | 933 ft | ||||
| SUS St Louis, MO | 447 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 463 ft | ||||
| PIA Peoria, IL | 576 nm out, 18 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 660 ft | ||||
| EZI Kewanee, IL | 606 nm out, 1 nm west of the line | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| JVL Janesville, WI | 696 nm out, 20 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 807 ft | ||||
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | no report just now | 886 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 933 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:23 am CDT (08:23 UTC)
MSN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 AEX 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSN is before sunrise there (7:07 am CDT (12:07 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: Alexandria International, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.