Patrick Leahy Burlington International to General Mitchell International BTV → MKE
645 nautical miles (743 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 267°, about 282° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 22-knot headwind), arriving about 4:17 pm CDT (21:17 UTC). Right now BTV is marginal VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 3 knots; MKE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) 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: 3 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 119 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the first 79 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 BTV.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (ALB, SYR, BUF, TVC, MKG). 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 | 280° at 23 kt | +22 kt | 98 kt | 6 h 35 min | 4:17 pm CDT (21:17 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 13 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 39 min | 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 27 kt | +25 kt | 9 °C | 95 kt | 6 h 47 min | 4:29 pm CDT (21:29 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 28 kt | +23 kt | 6 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 39 min | 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 28 kt | +22 kt | 2 °C | 98 kt | 6 h 35 min | 4:17 pm CDT (21:17 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 29 kt | +23 kt | -2 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 39 min | 4:21 pm CDT (21:21 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 30 kt | +25 kt | -6 °C | 95 kt | 6 h 47 min | 4:29 pm CDT (21:29 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 31 kt | +26 kt | -9 °C | 94 kt | 6 h 52 min | 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -21 °C | 89 kt | 7 h 15 min | 4:57 pm CDT (21:57 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 43 kt | +39 kt | -37 °C | 81 kt | 7 h 58 min | 5:40 pm CDT (22:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 51 kt | +42 kt | -45 °C | 78 kt | 8 h 16 min | 5:58 pm CDT (22:58 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 61 kt | +46 kt | -51 °C | 74 kt | 8 h 43 min | 6:25 pm CDT (23:25 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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; 102 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/25 12° | 330/29 8° | 330/29 3° | 320/34 -10° | 310/42 -21° | 320/43 -37° | 330/55 -47° | 320/52 -54° |
| SYR | used from 50 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 290/24 | 310/27 13° | 310/34 8° | 320/32 2° | 300/32 -10° | 300/40 -21° | 300/45 -37° | 310/58 -47° | 310/64 -54° |
| BUF | used from 199 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 270/25 | 300/28 14° | 300/29 8° | 310/29 2° | 300/30 -9° | 290/33 -21° | 290/44 -37° | 290/56 -47° | 300/62 -51° |
| TVC | used from 397 nm out; 132 nm from the line | 260/18 | 250/30 15° | 260/34 8° | 280/29 5° | 280/36 -10° | 280/37 -22° | 270/50 -37° | 290/46 -42° | 300/60 -49° |
| MKG | used from 497 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 240/27 | 240/26 15° | 270/27 9° | 280/27 5° | 280/28 -9° | 280/32 -22° | 270/41 -38° | 290/44 -41° | 300/60 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTV Burlington, VT | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet | from the east (090°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,200 ft | 334 ft | 10:38 am EDT (14:38 UTC) |
| SLK Saranac Lake, NY | 50 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | 500 ft | 1,662 ft | 13:58 UTC |
| PTD Potsdam, NY | 79 nm out, 17 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: mist | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 4 mi | 600 ft | 474 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| CYPQ Peterborough, | 228 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | 900 ft | 628 ft | 14:00 UTC |
| CYYZ Toronto, | 278 nm out, 22 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 10 knots | 12 mi | 1,100 ft | 569 ft | 14:00 UTC |
| BAX Bad Axe, MI | 427 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 763 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| MBS Saginaw, MI | 477 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 668 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 576 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 628 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 728 ft | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,662 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, 4:17 pm CDT (21:17 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 BTV, the departure
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC) and 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): scattered clouds at 900 feet, a broken layer at 2,200 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC) and 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 1,100 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC) and 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist
- From Tue 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 1,000 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 BTV 6:13 pm EDT (22:13 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







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: Patrick Leahy Burlington International, General Mitchell International.
