Decatur Airport to Duluth International DEC → DLH
445 nautical miles (512 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 342°, about 343° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 32 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DEC is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots; DLH is VFR, wind from the north (360°) 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: 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 DEC.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 12 nm northeast, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 129 nm along the route, 12 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
- Report
- a routine report filed through RPJ
- Where
- over PLL
- Time
- 01:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- pocket continuous light turbulence
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 02:00–09:00 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 (SPI, JOT, DBQ, LSE, DLH). 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 | 240° at 22 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 3 h 32 min | 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 23 kt | −1 kt | 15 °C | 121 kt | 3 h 41 min | 2:04 am CDT (07:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +1 kt | 10 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 44 min | 2:07 am CDT (07:07 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +1 kt | 7 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 44 min | 2:07 am CDT (07:07 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +1 kt | 4 °C | 119 kt | 3 h 44 min | 2:07 am CDT (07:07 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +4 kt | -1 °C | 116 kt | 3 h 50 min | 2:13 am CDT (07:13 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 24 kt | +6 kt | -5 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 54 min | 2:17 am CDT (07:17 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 26 kt | +8 kt | -9 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 58 min | 2:21 am CDT (07:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 30 kt | +6 kt | -20 °C | 114 kt | 3 h 54 min | 2:17 am CDT (07:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 37 kt | +5 kt | -34 °C | 115 kt | 3 h 52 min | 2:15 am CDT (07:15 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 43 kt | +14 kt | -44 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 12 min | 2:35 am CDT (07:35 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 60 kt | +26 kt | -53 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 44 min | 3:07 am CDT (08:07 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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; 37 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| JOT | used from 49 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 99 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| LSE | used from 198 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| DLH | used from 346 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 080/28 | 240/21 15° | 250/26 9° | 250/32 3° | 260/42 -11° | 270/40 -21° | 260/43 -36° | 260/46 -46° | 260/65 -54° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEC Decatur, IL | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | none | 681 ft | 9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC) |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 40 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | 59 nm out, 20 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| SQI Sterling/Rockfalls, IL | 119 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 647 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| SFY Savanna, IL | 148 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 616 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MRJ Mineral Point, WI | 198 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,170 ft | ||||
| CMY Sparta, WI | 257 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 839 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| BCK Black River Falls, WI | 277 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 836 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| EAU Eau Claire, WI | 326 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 913 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| SSQ Shell Lake, WI | 376 nm out, 13 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,233 ft | ||||
| OLG Solon Springs, WI | 405 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,102 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| DLH Duluth, MN | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the north (360°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 1,427 ft | 9:55 pm CDT (02:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,427 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DLH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC)
Wind from the east at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for DLH
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the east at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the east at 16 knots, gusting to 24, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 400 feet
The forecast for DEC, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 18,000 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 DEC 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC), at DLH 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DLH is before sunrise there (7:22 am CDT (12:22 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: Decatur Airport, Duluth International.