Plan a flight · Mon 2:26 am CDT (07:26 UTC)

Des Moines International to Manchester Boston Regional DSM → MHT

989 nautical miles (1,138 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 078°, about 077° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 10 knots; MHT is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) 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: 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 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). Over the first 150 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). Over the last 669 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 260 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 759 to 959 nm out.
AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 160 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 60 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

UAL330 at 35,000 ft, 4 nm west, 11:30 pm CDT (04:30 UTC): moderate turbulence, wind 235° at 92 knots. At the destination end, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ARP UAL330 4257N 07145W 0430 F350 235/092KT TB MOD TURB CONT MOD CHOP IC
```
Report
a routine report filed through ARP
A333 descending, 31 nm south, 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 459 nm along the route, 31 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 31 nm south, 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 459 nm along the route, 31 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 ft
B763 descending, 0 nm east, 1:21 am CDT (06:21 UTC): overcast above 40,000 ft. At the destination end, 0 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHT UA /OV KMHT/TM 0621/FLDURD/TP B763/SK OVC004
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHT
Where
over KMHT
Time
06:21 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B763
Sky
overcast from 400 ft
B763 descending, 0 nm east, 12:55 am CDT (05:55 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 0 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MHT UA /OV RWY 35/TM 0555/FLDURD/TP B763/SK 004-005 FT
```
Report
a routine report filed through MHT
Where
runway 35
Time
05:55 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B763
Sky
from 400 ft to 500 ft ft

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 9 forecast points nearest it (DSM, DBQ, JOT, MKG, CLE, BUF, SYR, ALB, BOS). 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	260° at 12 kt	−13 kt		133 kt	7 h 26 min	10:52 am EDT (14:52 UTC)
5,500 ft	280° at 12 kt	−11 kt		131 kt	7 h 33 min	10:59 am EDT (14:59 UTC)
7,500 ft	300° at 10 kt	−9 kt	10 °C	129 kt	7 h 40 min	11:06 am EDT (15:06 UTC)
9,500 ft	300° at 9 kt	−8 kt	7 °C	128 kt	7 h 44 min	11:10 am EDT (15:10 UTC)
11,500 ft	290° at 10 kt	−9 kt	4 °C	129 kt	7 h 40 min	11:06 am EDT (15:06 UTC)
13,500 ft	290° at 13 kt	−12 kt	0 °C	132 kt	7 h 30 min	10:56 am EDT (14:56 UTC)
15,500 ft	290° at 17 kt	−15 kt	-4 °C	135 kt	7 h 20 min	10:46 am EDT (14:46 UTC)
17,500 ft	290° at 21 kt	−19 kt	-8 °C	139 kt	7 h 07 min	10:33 am EDT (14:33 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 22 kt	−19 kt	-9 °C	139 kt	7 h 07 min	10:33 am EDT (14:33 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 27 kt	−25 kt	-21 °C	145 kt	6 h 49 min	10:15 am EDT (14:15 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	290° at 32 kt	−29 kt	-36 °C	149 kt	6 h 38 min	10:04 am EDT (14:04 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 42 kt	−39 kt	-43 °C	159 kt	6 h 13 min	9:39 am EDT (13:39 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	280° at 51 kt	−47 kt	-51 °C	167 kt	5 h 55 min	9:21 am EDT (13:21 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
DSM	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	230/40	250/33 17°	250/18 12°	240/17 5°	260/28 -8°	270/34 -19°	260/41 -33°	260/55 -41°	270/62 -51°
DBQ	used from 50 nm out; 69 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°
JOT	used from 200 nm out; 49 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°
MKG	used from 300 nm out; 44 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°
CLE	used from 449 nm out; 98 nm from the line	340/7	010/16 13°	350/18 8°	350/20 3°	340/31 -10°	340/46 -21°	340/54 -37°	330/62 -44°	340/65 -49°
BUF	used from 549 nm out; 94 nm from the line	320/10	010/16 10°	360/10 6°	340/13 2°	330/22 -11°	300/25 -23°	320/31 -38°	300/29 -44°	280/36 -50°
SYR	used from 749 nm out; 12 nm from the line	280/13	350/18 10°	340/10 6°	300/15 1°	280/17 -12°	270/16 -23°	280/25 -38°	250/40 -42°	240/53 -50°
ALB	used from 849 nm out; 18 nm from the line	120/9	270/8 10°	L/V 5°	260/9 1°	260/34 -10°	250/42 -22°	240/57 -35°	240/70 -42°	240/65 -50°
BOS	used from 949 nm out; 52 nm from the line	110/20	200/26 12°	280/24 8°	260/29 3°	250/47 -10°	230/59 -19°	230/74 -33°	240/95 -41°	240/96 -53°

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	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 21,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	none	957 ft	1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC)
CID Cedar Rapids, IA	90 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	869 ft	02:52 UTC
SFY Savanna, IL	160 nm out, 2 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	616 ft	07:15 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL	210 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	742 ft	06:54 UTC
BTL Battle Creek, MI	380 nm out, 16 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots	9 mi	none	951 ft	06:53 UTC
PTK Pontiac, MI	459 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet	from the west (260°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	600 ft	980 ft	06:53 UTC
CYQS St Thomas,	559 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				776 ft
BUF Buffalo, NY	669 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,400 feet, a broken layer at 14,000 feet	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	14,000 ft	726 ft	06:54 UTC
SYR Syracuse, NY	779 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet	from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	600 ft	421 ft	07:15 UTC
SCH Schenectady, NY	879 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,100 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet Weather: rain	from the northeast (040°) at 4 knots	7 mi	1,100 ft	377 ft	00:51 UTC
DDH Bennington, VT	909 nm out, 5 nm south of the line	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet, overcast at 4,500 feet	calm	10+ mi	3,000 ft	826 ft	07:17 UTC
MHT Manchester, NH	destination	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: mist	from the north-northeast (020°) at 6 knots	5 mi	1,200 ft	266 ft	2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 980 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MHT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC)

Wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for MHT

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 1,500 feet

The forecast for DSM, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 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 DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at MHT 6:08 pm EDT (22:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 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 central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Northeast · 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: Des Moines International, Manchester Boston Regional.