Dallas-Fort Worth International to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field DFW → MSN
714 nautical miles (822 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 028°, about 024° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 28-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:13 am CDT (08:13 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DFW is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 11 knots; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 6 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: 2,132 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 DFW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL2499 at 28,000 ft, 37 nm northwest, 9:15 pm CDT (02:15 UTC): light chop turbulence. 585 nm along the route, 37 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL2499 4138N 09137W 0215 F280 TB INTMT LGT CHOP IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 654 nm along the route, 32 nm southeast 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
- E295 at 37,000 ft, 46 nm east, 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the destination end, 46 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 0053/FL370/TP E295/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 00:53 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E295
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (DAL, FSM, TUL, SGF, COU, BRL, DBQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 220° at 29 kt | −28 kt | 148 kt | 4 h 49 min | 3:13 am CDT (08:13 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 4 h 55 min | 3:19 am CDT (08:19 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | −18 kt | 13 °C | 138 kt | 5 h 10 min | 3:34 am CDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −11 kt | 11 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 27 min | 3:51 am CDT (08:51 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −11 kt | 7 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 27 min | 3:51 am CDT (08:51 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | −12 kt | 3 °C | 132 kt | 5 h 25 min | 3:49 am CDT (08:49 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −13 kt | -1 °C | 133 kt | 5 h 22 min | 3:46 am CDT (08:46 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | −15 kt | -5 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 17 min | 3:41 am CDT (08:41 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 21 kt | −15 kt | -6 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 17 min | 3:41 am CDT (08:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 26 kt | −17 kt | -18 °C | 137 kt | 5 h 13 min | 3:37 am CDT (08:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | −20 kt | -31 °C | 140 kt | 5 h 06 min | 3:30 am CDT (08:30 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 45 kt | −17 kt | -41 °C | 137 kt | 5 h 13 min | 3:37 am CDT (08:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 50 kt | −12 kt | -51 °C | 132 kt | 5 h 25 min | 3:49 am CDT (08:49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| FSM | used from 99 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| TUL | used from 198 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 210/37 | 240/29 17° | 260/15 14° | 260/11 7° | 240/22 -6° | 250/29 -16° | 270/45 -29° | 270/47 -40° | 280/44 -50° |
| SGF | used from 248 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| COU | used from 347 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| BRL | used from 496 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 595 nm out; 36 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFW Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | departure | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 606 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
| GYI Sherman/Denison, TX | 50 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 749 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| AQR Atoka, OK | 99 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 590 ft | ||||
| TQH Tahlequah, OK | 208 nm out, 0 nm south of the line | no report just now | 874 ft | ||||
| XNA Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR | 248 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| JLN Joplin, MO | 288 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 977 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| RAW Warsaw, MO | 377 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 936 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MBY Moberly, MO | 456 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 866 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| FSW Fort Madison, IA | 545 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 721 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 605 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| SFY Savanna, IL | 645 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 616 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,288 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:13 am CDT (08:13 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSN
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DFW, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 8 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 10 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 20 nm from the route, 446 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at DFW 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSN is before sunrise there (7:07 am CDT (12:07 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: Dallas-Fort Worth International, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.