The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 5:28 am MDT (11:28 UTC)

Billings Logan International to General Mitchell International BIL → MKE

900 nautical miles (1,036 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 094°, about 084° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 55-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:37 am CDT (16:37 UTC). Right now BIL is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots; MKE is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 9 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 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

  • SIGMET C17C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 36,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 am MDT (12:55 UTC). Over the route from 290 to 350 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 121055
    MKCC WST 121055
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17C
    VALID UNTIL 1255Z
    SD ND
    FROM 20NW BIS-60E BIS-20WNW PIR-20SW DPR-20NW BIS
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL360.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 570 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 10 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 30 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 BIL.

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

  • B739 at 34,000 ft, 5 nm northeast, 4:58 am MDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 5 nm northeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
    Report
    a routine report filed through UES
    Where
    over BAE
    Time
    10:58 UTC
    Height
    at 34,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B739
    Turbulence
    none

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 12 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, DIK, RAP, PIR, ABR, FSD, MSP, MCW, LSE, DBQ, GRB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft240° at 17 kt−12 kt132 kt6 h 49 min1:17 pm CDT (18:17 UTC)
5,500 ft250° at 16 kt−13 kt7 °C133 kt6 h 46 min1:14 pm CDT (18:14 UTC)
7,500 ft240° at 20 kt−15 kt11 °C135 kt6 h 40 min1:08 pm CDT (18:08 UTC)
9,500 ft240° at 23 kt−17 kt8 °C137 kt6 h 34 min1:02 pm CDT (18:02 UTC)
11,500 ft240° at 25 kt−19 kt4 °C139 kt6 h 28 min12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
13,500 ft240° at 25 kt−19 kt0 °C139 kt6 h 28 min12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
15,500 ft240° at 25 kt−19 kt-4 °C139 kt6 h 28 min12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
17,500 ft240° at 25 kt−19 kt-9 °C139 kt6 h 28 min12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 25 kt−19 kt-10 °C139 kt6 h 28 min12:56 pm CDT (17:56 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 32 kt−24 kt-22 °C144 kt6 h 15 min12:43 pm CDT (17:43 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 39 kt−32 kt-35 °C152 kt5 h 55 min12:23 pm CDT (17:23 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 47 kt−42 kt-39 °C162 kt5 h 33 min12:01 pm CDT (17:01 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 57 kt−55 kt-47 °C175 kt5 h 09 min11:37 am CDT (16:37 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
BILused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line300/14270/19 -2°260/26 -2°220/28 -13°210/51 -25°220/56 -33°220/61 -39°220/72 -45°
MLSused from 50 nm out; 56 nm from the line290/17 -1°250/18 0°230/25 0°220/31 -11°220/32 -24°220/50 -32°220/60 -38°230/71 -46°
DIKused from 200 nm out; 83 nm from the line190/12 5°230/29 7°220/33 1°220/43 -11°210/47 -23°220/53 -33°240/56 -40°250/72 -47°
RAPused from 250 nm out; 89 nm from the line250/28 16°260/31 10°240/25 4°210/35 -10°200/45 -23°230/47 -31°230/47 -36°230/51 -46°
PIRused from 300 nm out; 55 nm from the line230/15 15°220/22 14°220/24 6°200/32 -10°210/48 -22°240/45 -33°240/43 -37°250/55 -46°
ABRused from 400 nm out; 32 nm from the line080/12210/12 17°220/22 12°230/26 5°220/28 -10°230/41 -21°250/36 -36°260/47 -39°260/63 -47°
FSDused from 500 nm out; 64 nm from the line210/20230/23 21°220/25 14°230/30 5°230/26 -9°240/30 -21°270/33 -36°260/47 -37°270/58 -47°
MSPused from 550 nm out; 85 nm from the line250/12250/17 17°240/26 12°250/26 5°280/26 -9°280/32 -22°270/37 -38°280/47 -41°280/55 -48°
MCWused from 650 nm out; 55 nm from the line250/36250/24 19°240/26 11°250/30 5°270/22 -9°260/30 -21°260/31 -36°280/53 -38°280/66 -48°
LSEused from 700 nm out; 21 nm from the line250/25240/21 17°240/28 11°250/28 5°280/24 -10°280/31 -21°260/35 -37°270/45 -43°280/59 -47°
DBQused from 800 nm out; 76 nm from the line250/27260/23 17°240/26 10°260/30 4°280/26 -9°280/36 -21°270/41 -36°280/52 -41°290/67 -48°
GRBused from 850 nm out; 86 nm from the line250/32250/22 17°240/18 8°280/21 6°280/34 -11°280/35 -21°280/39 -37°270/52 -45°290/60 -49°

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
BIL Billings, MT departure marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet Weather: mist from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots 5 mi 1,800 ft 3,662 ft 4:53 am MDT (10:53 UTC)
MBG Mobridge, SD 340 nm out, 23 nm north of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: light rain from the east (090°) at 10 knots 10+ mi 600 ft 1,716 ft 11:10 UTC
CNB Canby, MN 520 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots 0.5 mi 100 ft 1,194 ft 11:15 UTC
ULM New Ulm, MN 600 nm out, 2 nm east of the line VFR from the west (280°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 1,011 ft 11:15 UTC
RST Rochester, MN 690 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 10 knots 9 mi none 1,317 ft 10:54 UTC
LSE La Crosse, WI 740 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 655 ft 10:53 UTC
UES Waukesha, WI 880 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 911 ft 10:45 UTC
MKE Milwaukee, WI destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 24,000 feet from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots 10+ mi 24,000 ft 728 ft 5:52 am CDT (10:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MKE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:37 am CDT (16:37 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MKE
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
  • From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for BIL, the departure
  • From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain snow, a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east at 9 knots, visibility 6 miles, light drizzle, mist, a few clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 9 knots, visibility 4 miles, light drizzle, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
  • From Tue 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,200 feet and more above

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 BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC), at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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 northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Billings Logan International, General Mitchell International.