The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)

Dothan Regional to Hector International DHN → FAR

1,073 nautical miles (1,235 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 334°, about 337° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC). Right now DHN is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots; FAR is low IFR, wind from the north (360°) 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 return flight

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), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Near the route, 209 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 626 to 835 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), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 89 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 DHN.

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

No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.

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 12 forecast points nearest it (MGM, BHM, HSV, BNA, CGI, STL, SPI, BRL, DSM, MCW, MSP, AXN). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft260° at 17 kt+6 kt114 kt9 h 25 min12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC)
6,500 ft270° at 18 kt+10 kt15 °C110 kt9 h 45 min12:32 pm CDT (17:32 UTC)
8,500 ft280° at 18 kt+11 kt12 °C109 kt9 h 51 min12:38 pm CDT (17:38 UTC)
10,500 ft280° at 16 kt+11 kt8 °C109 kt9 h 51 min12:38 pm CDT (17:38 UTC)
12,500 ft280° at 15 kt+10 kt5 °C110 kt9 h 45 min12:32 pm CDT (17:32 UTC)
14,500 ft280° at 18 kt+11 kt0 °C109 kt9 h 51 min12:38 pm CDT (17:38 UTC)
16,500 ft280° at 21 kt+13 kt-4 °C107 kt10 h 02 min12:49 pm CDT (17:49 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180280° at 23 kt+13 kt-8 °C107 kt10 h 02 min12:49 pm CDT (17:49 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240290° at 27 kt+20 kt-19 °C100 kt10 h 44 min1:31 pm CDT (18:31 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300290° at 34 kt+26 kt-34 °C94 kt11 h 25 min2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340290° at 45 kt+36 kt-42 °C84 kt12 h 46 min3:33 pm CDT (20:33 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390290° at 44 kt+35 kt-51 °C85 kt12 h 37 min3:24 pm CDT (20:24 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
MGMused from 0 nm out; 52 nm from the line310/19340/24 17°340/28 11°330/16 7°300/23 -7°320/32 -16°330/46 -33°330/55 -42°330/41 -50°
BHMused from 99 nm out; 26 nm from the line310/19330/20 17°320/28 11°340/21 6°310/22 -7°330/33 -17°330/50 -32°330/57 -41°330/41 -50°
HSVused from 199 nm out; 33 nm from the line310/20330/20 16°320/27 11°340/23 5°320/23 -7°340/30 -17°320/50 -33°330/61 -41°340/41 -50°
BNAused from 298 nm out; 82 nm from the line310/20340/20 17°330/24 10°340/22 5°330/26 -6°340/29 -18°330/52 -33°320/62 -41°340/45 -50°
CGIused from 348 nm out; 41 nm from the line240/20270/15 15°280/15 11°300/13 6°290/20 -6°280/24 -18°300/34 -32°300/47 -41°310/49 -51°
STLused from 447 nm out; 36 nm from the line250/24250/24 16°260/23 9°270/16 6°260/25 -6°270/29 -19°290/34 -33°290/48 -41°290/54 -51°
SPIused from 547 nm out; 55 nm from the line220/21250/23 16°260/27 9°270/14 6°270/23 -7°270/31 -19°270/28 -33°290/48 -42°300/55 -52°
BRLused from 596 nm out; 22 nm from the line230/24240/29 15°290/16 10°280/15 4°260/23 -7°260/32 -19°260/36 -33°280/48 -41°280/59 -52°
DSMused from 696 nm out; 57 nm from the line230/40250/33 17°250/18 12°240/17 5°260/28 -8°270/34 -19°260/41 -33°260/55 -41°270/62 -51°
MCWused from 745 nm out; 34 nm from the line220/44250/30 17°230/14 12°240/17 6°250/22 -8°270/29 -20°250/34 -34°260/52 -43°260/59 -51°
MSPused from 845 nm out; 66 nm from the line230/26240/30 17°240/24 12°250/22 5°250/35 -10°260/36 -21°250/41 -36°250/49 -45°260/58 -52°
AXNused from 944 nm out; 25 nm from the line100/14250/21 14°240/24 12°240/31 5°260/36 -10°260/40 -21°250/42 -36°260/48 -45°260/53 -50°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
DHN Dothan, AL departure VFR from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 400 ft 6:55 pm CDT (23:55 UTC)
TOI Troy, AL 40 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 397 ft 06:53 UTC
BHM Birmingham, AL 149 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 650 ft 06:53 UTC
MSL Muscle Shoals, AL 229 nm out, 7 nm west of the line VFR calm 7 mi none 550 ft 07:18 UTC
PAH Paducah, KY 378 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 410 ft 00:00 UTC
BLV Belleville, IL 487 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 459 ft 06:55 UTC
PPQ Pittsfield, IL 566 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 709 ft 07:35 UTC
FFL Fairfield, IA 666 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 800 ft 07:35 UTC
ALO Waterloo, IA 755 nm out, 23 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 873 ft 06:54 UTC
BDH Willmar, MN 944 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line VFR Weather: mist calm 6 mi none 1,126 ft 07:35 UTC
FFM Fergus Falls, MN 1024 nm out, 3 nm north of the line marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots 10+ mi 1,100 ft 1,182 ft 07:35 UTC
FAR Fargo, ND destination low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain, mist from the north (360°) at 9 knots 2 mi 300 ft 901 ft 2:20 am CDT (07:20 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,182 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At FAR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC)

Wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet marginal VFR

30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers

The whole forecast for FAR
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 300 feet
  • At times between Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC) and 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
  • From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 700 feet
  • From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
The forecast for DHN, the departure
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, fog nearby, clear skies
  • From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 DHN 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC), at FAR 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 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 lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Dothan Regional, Hector International.