Plan a flight · Sun 9:44 pm EDT (01:44 UTC)

Albany International to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field ALB → MSN

682 nautical miles (785 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 277°, about 290° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 2:31 am CDT (07:31 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ALB is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 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: 2 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 415 nm of the route.
AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the first 119 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 218 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 13,000 ft. Over the first 89 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 119 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 ALB.

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

CRJ7 at 20,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 8:50 pm EDT (00:50 UTC): moderate turbulence. At the departure end, 37 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV CAM360020/TM 0050/FL200/TP CRJ7/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
20 nm north (360°) of CAM
Time
00:50 UTC
Height
at 20,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
moderate
GLEX at 26,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 7:54 pm EDT (23:54 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV CAM/TM 2354/FL260/TP GLEX/TB MOD CAT 260-230 LGT MOD CAT BLO 230
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
over CAM
Time
23:54 UTC
Height
at 26,000 ft
Aircraft
GLEX
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence from 26,000 ft to 23,000 ft light moderate clear-air turbulence below 23,000 ft
E75S at 10,000 ft, 45 nm south, 7:53 pm EDT (23:53 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence. At the departure end, 45 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
POU UA /OV PWL350015/TM 2353/FL100/TP E75S/TB MOD CAT
```
Report
a routine report filed through POU
Where
15 nm north (350°) of PWL
Time
23:53 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
E75S
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence
A388 at 34,000 ft, 30 nm south, 7:19 pm EDT (23:19 UTC): moderate chop turbulence. At the departure end, 30 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
POU UA /OV PWL010030/TM 2319/FL340/TP A388/TB MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through POU
Where
30 nm north (010°) of PWL
Time
23:19 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
A388
Turbulence
moderate chop
PC12 at 8,000 ft, 41 nm south, 7:29 pm EDT (23:29 UTC): moderate clear-air turbulence. At the departure end, 41 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
POU UA /OV IGN340030/TM 2329/FL080/TP PC12/TB MOD CAT
```
Report
a routine report filed through POU
Where
30 nm north (340°) of IGN
Time
23:29 UTC
Height
at 8,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Turbulence
moderate clear-air turbulence
E75 at 34,000 ft, 10 nm north, 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 UTC): moderate turbulence. 59 nm along the route, 10 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RME UA /OV UCA/TM 2315/FL340/TP E75/TB CONS MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through RME
Where
over UCA
Time
23:15 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
E75
Turbulence
continuous moderate
A21N at 35,000 ft, 10 nm north, 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC): moderate turbulence. 59 nm along the route, 10 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RME UA /OV UCA/TM 2257/FL350/TP A21N/TB CONS MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through RME
Where
over UCA
Time
22:57 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
continuous moderate
DH8D at 19,000 ft, 6 nm northwest, 7:35 pm EDT (23:35 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zob. 168 nm along the route, 6 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ROC UA /OV ROC/TM 2335/FL190/TP DH8D/TB CONS MOD CHOP/RM ZOB
```
Report
a routine report filed through ROC
Where
over ROC
Time
23:35 UTC
Height
at 19,000 ft
Aircraft
DH8D
Turbulence
continuous moderate chop
Remarks
zob
E145 at 24,000 ft, 28 nm south, 8:59 pm EDT (00:59 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 28 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV 1B1/TM 0059/FL240/TP E145/TB CONS MMOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
over 1B1
Time
00:59 UTC
Height
at 24,000 ft
Aircraft
E145
Turbulence
continuous mmod chop
CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 20 nm north, 8:53 pm EDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the departure end, 20 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV CAM300020/TM 0053/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB ONCL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
20 nm northwest (300°) of CAM
Time
00:53 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
oncl light chop
CRJ7 at 22,000 ft, 37 nm north, 8:32 pm EDT (00:32 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: during the descent. At the departure end, 37 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RUT UA /OV GFL/TM 0032/FL220/TP CRJ7/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through RUT
Where
over GFL
Time
00:32 UTC
Height
at 22,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
during the descent
BCS3 at 17,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 7:59 pm EDT (23:59 UTC): light rime icing from 17,000 ft to 20,000 ft, -9 °C. At the departure end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV CAM/TM 2359/FL170/TP BCS3/TA M09/IC LGT RIME 170-200
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
over CAM
Time
23:59 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS3
Temperature
−9 °C
Icing
light rime from 17,000 ft to 20,000 ft
BCS3 at 17,000 ft, 47 nm southeast, 7:59 pm EDT (23:59 UTC): light turbulence, light rime icing above 17,000 ft, -7 °C. At the departure end, 47 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BAF UA /OV CTR/TM 2359/FL170/TP BCS3/TA M07/TB LGT MOD/IC LGT RIME ABV 170
```
Report
a routine report filed through BAF
Where
over CTR
Time
23:59 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS3
Temperature
−7 °C
Turbulence
light moderate
Icing
light rime above 17,000 ft
A388 at 34,000 ft, 10 nm east, 7:17 pm EDT (23:17 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the departure end, 10 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALB UA /OV ALB110010/TM 2317/FL340/TP A388/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALB
Where
10 nm east (110°) of ALB
Time
23:17 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
A388
Turbulence
occasional light chop

16 more routine reports are on the map.

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, MKG, GRB). 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	210° at 6 kt	+2 kt		118 kt	5 h 47 min	2:31 am CDT (07:31 UTC)
6,500 ft	270° at 6 kt	+5 kt	11 °C	115 kt	5 h 56 min	2:40 am CDT (07:40 UTC)
8,500 ft	300° at 8 kt	+7 kt	9 °C	113 kt	6 h 02 min	2:46 am CDT (07:46 UTC)
10,500 ft	300° at 9 kt	+8 kt	5 °C	112 kt	6 h 05 min	2:49 am CDT (07:49 UTC)
12,500 ft	290° at 10 kt	+9 kt	1 °C	111 kt	6 h 09 min	2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC)
14,500 ft	290° at 12 kt	+11 kt	-3 °C	109 kt	6 h 15 min	2:59 am CDT (07:59 UTC)
16,500 ft	280° at 14 kt	+13 kt	-7 °C	107 kt	6 h 22 min	3:06 am CDT (08:06 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 15 kt	+15 kt	-10 °C	105 kt	6 h 30 min	3:14 am CDT (08:14 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 20 kt	+19 kt	-22 °C	101 kt	6 h 45 min	3:29 am CDT (08:29 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	270° at 31 kt	+29 kt	-36 °C	91 kt	7 h 30 min	4:14 am CDT (09:14 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	260° at 43 kt	+40 kt	-44 °C	80 kt	8 h 32 min	5:16 am CDT (10:16 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 53 kt	+50 kt	-50 °C	70 kt	9 h 45 min	6:29 am CDT (11:29 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
ALB	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	160/27	190/16 9°	200/29 7°	230/21 3°	240/24 -9°	240/43 -19°	230/65 -33°	240/91 -42°	230/99 -53°
SYR	used from 49 nm out; 31 nm from the line	160/17	200/22 10°	250/10 6°	L/V 1°	270/11 -11°	220/25 -20°	220/66 -36°	230/89 -42°	240/74 -51°
BUF	used from 148 nm out; 45 nm from the line	170/19	L/V 10°	040/9 6°	220/8 2°	230/15 -11°	220/33 -22°	220/47 -35°	230/55 -41°	230/56 -50°
CLE	used from 346 nm out; 110 nm from the line	340/5	320/13 14°	300/12 8°	310/10 2°	310/14 -10°	340/14 -23°	320/27 -35°	260/28 -40°	250/36 -48°
MKG	used from 395 nm out; 126 nm from the line	250/5	320/10 15°	310/19 9°	320/21 3°	310/23 -10°	330/37 -22°	330/51 -38°	320/44 -47°	300/60 -49°
GRB	used from 643 nm out; 86 nm from the line	240/24	260/18 16°	270/20 11°	290/14 4°	280/24 -9°	300/34 -21°	310/51 -38°	310/54 -48°	300/71 -51°

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
ALB Albany, NY	departure	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots	4 mi	2,200 ft	284 ft	9:34 pm EDT (01:34 UTC)
SYR Syracuse, NY	99 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 5,500 feet, overcast at 11,000 feet Weather: light rain	from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	5,500 ft	421 ft	00:54 UTC
ROC Rochester, NY	168 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet	from the east-southeast (110°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	5,000 ft	558 ft	00:54 UTC
IAG Niagara Falls, NY	227 nm out, 0 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,400 feet	from the east (080°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	4,400 ft	592 ft	00:53 UTC
CYZR Sarnia,	376 nm out, 14 nm south of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet	variable at 2 knots	9 mi	1,400 ft	594 ft	01:00 UTC
FNT Flint, MI	435 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet	calm	10+ mi	1,100 ft	782 ft	00:53 UTC
MKG Muskegon, MI	544 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	628 ft	00:55 UTC
MWC Milwaukee, WI	623 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	744 ft	01:35 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	destination	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 886 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, 2:31 am CDT (07:31 UTC)

Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSN

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for ALB, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 2,500 feet
At times between Sun 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC) and 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 800 feet
From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility 1½ miles, light drizzle, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 800 feet
From Mon 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 5 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, 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 ALB 6:18 pm EDT (22:18 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

Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Albany International, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.