Des Moines International to Washington Dulles International DSM → IAD
757 nautical miles (872 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 096°, about 095° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 51-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC). 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: 4 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 E31E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, until 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120855 MKCE WST 120855 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 31E VALID UNTIL 1055Z MD VA DC FROM 20NNE DCA-30WSW SBY-RIC-CSN-20NNE DCA AREA TS MOV LTL. TOPS TO FL300.
- 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 first 140 nm of the route.
- 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 last 429 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 588 to 718 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the last 110 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 DSM.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 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 9 forecast points nearest it (DSM, BRL, JOT, IND, FWA, CMH, AGC, EKN, RIC). 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 | 270° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 5 h 24 min | 11:08 am EDT (15:08 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 16 kt | −17 kt | 10 °C | 137 kt | 5 h 32 min | 11:16 am EDT (15:16 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 12 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 36 min | 11:20 am EDT (15:20 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −14 kt | 8 °C | 134 kt | 5 h 39 min | 11:23 am EDT (15:23 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 5 h 29 min | 11:13 am EDT (15:13 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 0 °C | 140 kt | 5 h 24 min | 11:08 am EDT (15:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 24 kt | −22 kt | -3 °C | 142 kt | 5 h 20 min | 11:04 am EDT (15:04 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 27 kt | −25 kt | -7 °C | 145 kt | 5 h 13 min | 10:57 am EDT (14:57 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 28 kt | −25 kt | -8 °C | 145 kt | 5 h 13 min | 10:57 am EDT (14:57 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 32 kt | −31 kt | -20 °C | 151 kt | 5 h 01 min | 10:45 am EDT (14:45 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 38 kt | −37 kt | -35 °C | 157 kt | 4 h 49 min | 10:33 am EDT (14:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 53 kt | −50 kt | -41 °C | 170 kt | 4 h 27 min | 10:11 am EDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 54 kt | −51 kt | -50 °C | 171 kt | 4 h 26 min | 10:10 am EDT (14:10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM | used from 0 nm out; 25 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° |
| BRL | used from 50 nm out; 54 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° |
| JOT | used from 199 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| IND | used from 299 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| FWA | used from 349 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 270/20 | 300/16 15° | 290/14 10° | 280/17 3° | 290/25 -7° | 280/30 -19° | 280/34 -35° | 290/48 -44° | 300/64 -52° |
| CMH | used from 448 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 320/12 | 340/26 15° | 340/22 9° | 320/24 3° | 320/32 -7° | 320/36 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/59 -44° | 320/57 -50° |
| AGC | used from 548 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 340/11 | 350/12 11° | 360/25 7° | 340/30 2° | 340/41 -8° | 340/44 -21° | 350/59 -36° | 340/68 -42° | 340/50 -51° |
| EKN | used from 598 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 330/20 10° | 350/29 7° | 340/32 2° | 340/44 -8° | 350/50 -21° | 350/63 -35° | 340/69 -40° | 330/42 -50° | |
| RIC | used from 747 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 350/34 | 340/27 12° | 340/36 8° | 330/31 3° | 310/32 -9° | 320/34 -21° | 300/37 -34° | 290/37 -39° | 290/42 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSM Des Moines, IA | departure | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| PEA Pella, IA | 30 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 885 ft | ||||
| MLI Moline, IL | 140 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| EZI Kewanee, IL | 169 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| PNT Pontiac, IL | 229 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 666 ft | ||||
| GUS Peru, IN | 349 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 810 ft | ||||
| MIE Muncie, IN | 379 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 937 ft | ||||
| OSU Columbus, OH | 488 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 905 ft | ||||
| ZZV Zanesville, OH | 548 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 899 ft | ||||
| MGW Morgantown, WV | 638 nm out, 8 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,243 ft | ||||
| MRB Martinsburg, WV | 728 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 564 ft | ||||
| IAD Washington, DC | destination | no report just now | 312 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,243 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IAD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC)
IAD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 8 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at IAD 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 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
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: Des Moines International, Washington Dulles International.