Plan a flight · Mon 5:01 am EDT (09:01 UTC)

Patrick Leahy Burlington International to Rapid City Regional BTV → RAP

1,279 nautical miles (1,472 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 279°, about 294° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 11 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 3:12 pm MDT (21:12 UTC). Right now BTV is low IFR, wind calm; RAP is low IFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) 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 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 C14C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 5:55 am EDT (09:55 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
as issued
```
WSUS32 KKCI 120755
MKCC WST 120755
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 14C
VALID UNTIL 0955Z
SD ND
FROM 50SE DIK-50ENE DPR-40ENE RAP-50NNW RAP-50SE DIK
AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
```
AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the first 90 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 70 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the first 70 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 400 to 799 nm out.
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 last 340 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

A359 at 37,000 ft, 49 nm south, 2:18 am EDT (06:18 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. 120 nm along the route, 49 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ART UA /OV ART/TM 0618/FL370/TP A359/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ART
Where
over ART
Time
06:18 UTC
Height
at 37,000 ft
Aircraft
A359
Turbulence
continuous light occasional moderate chop
B77W at 30,000 ft, 46 nm north, 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. 1069 nm along the route, 46 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ABR UA /OV ABR/TM 0800/FL300/TP B77W/TB LGT-MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ABR
Where
over ABR
Time
08:00 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
B77W
Turbulence
light to moderate chop

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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (ALB, SYR, BUF, TVC, GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR, PIR, RAP). 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	270° at 15 kt	+15 kt	15 °C	105 kt	12 h 11 min	3:12 pm MDT (21:12 UTC)
6,500 ft	270° at 15 kt	+16 kt	14 °C	104 kt	12 h 18 min	3:19 pm MDT (21:19 UTC)
8,500 ft	260° at 16 kt	+17 kt	10 °C	103 kt	12 h 25 min	3:26 pm MDT (21:26 UTC)
10,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	+19 kt	7 °C	101 kt	12 h 40 min	3:41 pm MDT (21:41 UTC)
12,500 ft	270° at 19 kt	+21 kt	3 °C	99 kt	12 h 55 min	3:56 pm MDT (21:56 UTC)
14,500 ft	270° at 20 kt	+21 kt	-2 °C	99 kt	12 h 55 min	3:56 pm MDT (21:56 UTC)
16,500 ft	280° at 20 kt	+22 kt	-7 °C	98 kt	13 h 03 min	4:04 pm MDT (22:04 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 20 kt	+22 kt	-10 °C	98 kt	13 h 03 min	4:04 pm MDT (22:04 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 26 kt	+28 kt	-22 °C	92 kt	13 h 54 min	4:55 pm MDT (22:55 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 31 kt	+33 kt	-37 °C	87 kt	14 h 42 min	5:43 pm MDT (23:43 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 42 kt	+42 kt	-43 °C	78 kt	16 h 24 min	7:25 pm MDT (01:25 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 51 kt	+50 kt	-50 °C	70 kt	18 h 16 min	9:17 pm MDT (03:17 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
ALB	used from 0 nm out; 107 nm from the line	340/22	340/19 9°	320/16 7°	330/16 2°	330/19 -11°	320/21 -23°	320/25 -39°	280/30 -44°	270/41 -51°
SYR	used from 50 nm out; 107 nm from the line	330/17	320/14 9°	350/18 8°	350/26 2°	340/25 -11°	360/34 -22°	350/43 -39°	330/50 -46°	350/50 -54°
BUF	used from 200 nm out; 123 nm from the line	300/11	330/15 11°	340/26 8°	330/28 2°	340/31 -10°	340/32 -21°	340/52 -37°	340/59 -46°	330/66 -53°
TVC	used from 350 nm out; 158 nm from the line	270/31	280/23 15°	260/22 8°	260/29 4°	280/29 -11°	280/42 -21°	270/42 -36°	270/54 -47°	290/67 -51°
GRB	used from 600 nm out; 48 nm from the line	250/32	250/22 17°	240/18 8°	280/21 6°	280/34 -11°	280/35 -21°	280/39 -37°	270/52 -45°	290/60 -49°
LSE	used from 699 nm out; 92 nm from the line	250/25	240/21 17°	240/28 11°	250/28 5°	280/24 -10°	280/31 -21°	260/35 -37°	270/45 -43°	280/59 -47°
MSP	used from 799 nm out; 32 nm from the line	250/12	250/17 17°	240/26 12°	250/26 5°	280/26 -9°	280/32 -22°	270/37 -38°	280/47 -41°	280/55 -48°
AXN	used from 899 nm out; 59 nm from the line	110/6	260/10 16°	240/17 12°	250/20 5°	260/29 -10°	260/35 -22°	260/29 -38°	270/48 -41°	270/61 -48°
ABR	used from 999 nm out; 66 nm from the line	080/12	210/12 17°	220/22 12°	230/26 5°	220/28 -10°	230/41 -21°	250/36 -36°	260/47 -39°	260/63 -47°
PIR	used from 1099 nm out; 34 nm from the line		230/15 15°	220/22 14°	220/24 6°	200/32 -10°	210/48 -22°	240/45 -33°	240/43 -37°	250/55 -46°
RAP	used from 1199 nm out; 55 nm from the line		250/28 16°	260/31 10°	240/25 4°	210/35 -10°	200/45 -23°	230/47 -31°	230/47 -36°	230/51 -46°

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	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain, mist	calm	3 mi	300 ft	334 ft	4:54 am EDT (08:54 UTC)
PTD Potsdam, NY	80 nm out, 2 nm east of the line	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet	from the west (260°) at 4 knots	9 mi	500 ft	474 ft	08:55 UTC
CYQA Muskoka,	260 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist	calm	2.25 mi	200 ft	925 ft	08:49 UTC
APN Alpena, MI	450 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	689 ft	08:54 UTC
CVX Charlevoix, MI	520 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	668 ft	08:55 UTC
AIG Antigo, WI	679 nm out, 4 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	1,523 ft	08:55 UTC
MIC Minneapolis, MN	859 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	869 ft	08:53 UTC
MVE Montevideo, MN	959 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet	from the northwest (320°) at 6 knots	7 mi	400 ft	1,034 ft	08:55 UTC
MKA Miller, SD	1099 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	no report just now				1,569 ft
PIR Pierre, SD	1159 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: mist	from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots	5 mi	500 ft	1,744 ft	08:53 UTC
RAP Rapid City, SD	destination	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: mist	from the east-southeast (120°) at 9 knots	0.75 mi	200 ft	3,203 ft	2:52 am MDT (08:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RAP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:12 pm MDT (21:12 UTC)

Wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for RAP

From Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 6 knots, visibility ¾ mile, mist, overcast at 200 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC) and 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, overcast at 300 feet
At times between Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet

The forecast for BTV, the departure

From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 1,400 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,100 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 1,900 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/6656 ANOKA, MN, Monday, October 5, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 Local 8 nm from the route, 859 nm along the route · security · until 19 October · ZMP

Daylight

Sunset at BTV 6:13 pm EDT (22:13 UTC), at RAP 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 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: Patrick Leahy Burlington International, Rapid City Regional.