Plan a flight · Mon 9:09 am CDT (14:09 UTC)

University Of Illinois/Willard Airport to Billings Logan International CMI → BIL

953 nautical miles (1,096 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 298°, about 301° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC). Right now CMI is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots; BIL is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 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

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 516 nm of the route.
AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 60 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 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 CMI.

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

A321 at 32,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 7:25 am CDT (12:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 198 nm along the route, 37 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CID UA /OV CID360010/TM 1225/FL320/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP CONS LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through CID
Where
10 nm north (360°) of CID
Time
12:25 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
intermittent light chop continuous light chop
P46T at 31,000 ft, 50 nm northeast, 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC): light chop turbulence. 238 nm along the route, 50 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALO UA /OV ALO270005/TM 1337/FL310/TP P46T/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALO
Where
5 nm west (270°) of ALO
Time
13:37 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
P46T
Turbulence
intermittent light chop
B38M at 32,000 ft, 38 nm north, 6:35 am CDT (11:35 UTC): light chop turbulence above 32,000 ft. 278 nm along the route, 38 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FOD UA /OV FOD075035/TM 1135/FL320/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 320/INTMT LGT CHOP 340
```
Report
a routine report filed through FOD
Where
35 nm east (075°) of FOD
Time
11:35 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous light chop 320/INTMT light chop at 34,000 ft
B38M at 32,000 ft, 18 nm north, 6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC): light chop turbulence. 367 nm along the route, 18 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FOD UA /OV FOD285060/TM 1145/FL320/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP OCNL MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through FOD
Where
60 nm west (285°) of FOD
Time
11:45 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous light chop occasional moderate chop
UAL1095 at 36,000 ft, 34 nm northeast, 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): no turbulence, -41 °C, wind 253° at 52 knots. 437 nm along the route, 34 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL1095 4338N 09646W 1300 F360 MS41 253/052KT TB NONE SK CLEAR IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
SF50 at 4,000 ft, 23 nm north, 8:47 am CDT (13:47 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. 586 nm along the route, 23 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PIR UA /OV PIR/TM 1347/FL040/TP SF50/SK BASE008-TOP040/TB NEG/IC NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through PIR
Where
over PIR
Time
13:47 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
SF50
Sky
BASE008-TOP040
Turbulence
none
Icing
none
C25A at 5,000 ft, 3 nm west, 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): light rime icing, 4 °C, remarks: lt rime in the descent. At the destination end, 3 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BIL UA /OV 100006/TM 1300/FL050/TP C25A/TA 4/IC LT RIME/RM LT RIME IN THE DESCENT
```
Report
a routine report filed through BIL
Where
wind from 100° at 6 knots
Time
13:00 UTC
Height
at 5,000 ft
Aircraft
C25A
Temperature
4 °C
Icing
lt rime
Remarks
lt rime in the descent

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 9 forecast points nearest it (SPI, BRL, DSM, FSD, ONL, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL). 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	250° at 23 kt	+17 kt	12 °C	103 kt	9 h 15 min	5:24 pm MDT (23:24 UTC)
6,500 ft	250° at 21 kt	+15 kt	15 °C	105 kt	9 h 05 min	5:14 pm MDT (23:14 UTC)
8,500 ft	240° at 21 kt	+14 kt	11 °C	106 kt	8 h 59 min	5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)
10,500 ft	240° at 22 kt	+14 kt	7 °C	106 kt	8 h 59 min	5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)
12,500 ft	240° at 24 kt	+15 kt	3 °C	105 kt	9 h 05 min	5:14 pm MDT (23:14 UTC)
14,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	+14 kt	-2 °C	106 kt	8 h 59 min	5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)
16,500 ft	230° at 25 kt	+14 kt	-6 °C	106 kt	8 h 59 min	5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	230° at 25 kt	+14 kt	-9 °C	106 kt	8 h 59 min	5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	230° at 34 kt	+18 kt	-22 °C	102 kt	9 h 21 min	5:30 pm MDT (23:30 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	250° at 43 kt	+32 kt	-33 °C	88 kt	10 h 50 min	6:59 pm MDT (00:59 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 49 kt	+39 kt	-38 °C	81 kt	11 h 46 min	7:55 pm MDT (01:55 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	260° at 54 kt	+47 kt	-47 °C	73 kt	13 h 03 min	9:12 pm MDT (03:12 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
SPI	used from 0 nm out; 48 nm from the line	260/28	250/22 15°	250/14 9°	260/20 6°	280/27 -7°	280/34 -19°	280/48 -32°	280/59 -41°	300/60 -49°
BRL	used from 99 nm out; 23 nm from the line	250/32	250/19 17°	260/15 11°	270/16 3°	290/23 -7°	260/42 -20°	270/52 -34°	280/63 -39°	290/64 -48°
DSM	used from 198 nm out; 45 nm from the line	250/47	260/25 20°	240/19 11°	240/31 5°	250/26 -9°	260/38 -20°	260/47 -34°	270/58 -37°	270/61 -47°
FSD	used from 347 nm out; 68 nm from the line	210/20	230/23 21°	220/25 14°	230/30 5°	230/26 -9°	240/30 -21°	270/33 -36°	260/47 -37°	270/58 -47°
ONL	used from 496 nm out; 71 nm from the line		250/31 22°	230/27 16°	220/25 8°	230/25 -9°	220/29 -22°	250/42 -33°	250/48 -36°	250/52 -46°
PIR	used from 546 nm out; 31 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 645 nm out; 47 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°
MLS	used from 794 nm out; 74 nm from the line		290/17 -1°	250/18 0°	230/25 0°	220/31 -11°	220/32 -24°	220/50 -32°	220/60 -38°	230/71 -46°
BIL	used from 893 nm out; 35 nm from the line		300/14	270/19 -2°	260/26 -2°	220/28 -13°	210/51 -25°	220/56 -33°	220/61 -39°	220/72 -45°

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
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL	departure	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	754 ft	8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC)
PIA Peoria, IL	79 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	660 ft	13:54 UTC
GBG Galesburg, IL	109 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	none	764 ft	13:55 UTC
GGI Grinnell, IA	228 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,008 ft	13:55 UTC
SLB Storm Lake, IA	347 nm out, 3 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 16	10+ mi	none	1,487 ft	13:55 UTC
LRJ Le Mars, IA	397 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	1,197 ft	13:55 UTC
MHE Mitchell, SD	486 nm out, 21 nm north of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog	from the north (350°) at 6 knots	0.5 mi	200 ft	1,304 ft	13:53 UTC
PHP Philip, SD	635 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet	from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	1,600 ft	2,209 ft	13:55 UTC
EFC Belle Fourche, SD	744 nm out, 8 nm south of the line	no report just now				3,190 ft
BIL Billings, MT	destination	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,100 feet, overcast at 3,700 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	3,700 ft	3,662 ft	7:53 am MDT (13:53 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 BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:08 pm MDT (23:08 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for BIL

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

The forecast for CMI, the departure

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies

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 CMI 6:18 pm CDT (23:18 UTC), at BIL 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm MDT (01:02 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 upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the northern Rockies · 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: University Of Illinois/Willard Airport, Billings Logan International.