The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 4:01 am CDT (09:01 UTC)

Des Moines International to Provo Municipal DSM → PVU

822 nautical miles (946 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 270°, about 269° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 21-knot headwind), arriving about 11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 knots; PVU is VFR, wind from the east (090°) at 4 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: 4 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 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 357 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 307 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the last 347 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 route from 485 to 723 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 505 to 654 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 258 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 248 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 594 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the last 158 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

  • B737 at 18,000 ft, 27 nm south, 2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: FL180-130. 515 nm along the route, 27 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DEN UA /OV DEN330050/TM 0724/FL180/TP B737/TB MOD/RM FL180-130
    Report
    a routine report filed through DEN
    Where
    50 nm northwest (330°) of DEN
    Time
    07:24 UTC
    Height
    at 18,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    moderate
    Remarks
    FL180-130

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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (DSM, OMA, GRI, BFF, DEN, RKS, SLC). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft240° at 30 kt+27 kt23 °C93 kt8 h 50 min11:51 am MDT (17:51 UTC)
6,500 ft240° at 28 kt+26 kt21 °C94 kt8 h 45 min11:46 am MDT (17:46 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 24 kt+22 kt14 °C98 kt8 h 23 min11:24 am MDT (17:24 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 25 kt+21 kt8 °C99 kt8 h 18 min11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC)
12,500 ft220° at 27 kt+21 kt3 °C99 kt8 h 18 min11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC)
14,500 ft220° at 31 kt+23 kt-2 °C97 kt8 h 28 min11:29 am MDT (17:29 UTC)
16,500 ft220° at 34 kt+26 kt-7 °C94 kt8 h 45 min11:46 am MDT (17:46 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180220° at 37 kt+27 kt-10 °C93 kt8 h 50 min11:51 am MDT (17:51 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 48 kt+38 kt-22 °C82 kt10 h 01 min1:02 pm MDT (19:02 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 54 kt+48 kt-31 °C72 kt11 h 25 min2:26 pm MDT (20:26 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 58 kt+54 kt-36 °C66 kt12 h 27 min3:28 pm MDT (21:28 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 55 kt+53 kt-45 °C67 kt12 h 16 min3:17 pm MDT (21:17 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
DSMused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line250/47260/25 20°240/19 11°240/31 5°250/26 -9°260/38 -20°260/47 -34°270/58 -37°270/61 -47°
OMAused from 50 nm out; 29 nm from the line230/47240/33 21°230/22 13°220/27 5°240/35 -8°250/43 -21°260/47 -33°260/59 -36°270/58 -46°
GRIused from 149 nm out; 48 nm from the line230/39 23°230/32 15°210/29 7°230/31 -8°230/43 -21°250/52 -31°260/59 -35°260/59 -46°
BFFused from 347 nm out; 83 nm from the line280/28260/39 11°240/34 5°210/38 -11°210/52 -22°230/61 -31°230/61 -36°240/56 -45°
DENused from 495 nm out; 74 nm from the line270/24 11°230/13 5°230/48 -8°230/46 -20°230/63 -30°240/78 -36°240/78 -48°
RKSused from 594 nm out; 91 nm from the line250/9230/21 -1°210/43 -14°220/59 -23°220/55 -32°220/53 -35°220/48 -44°
SLCused from 743 nm out; 69 nm from the line200/16210/23 4°220/34 -3°210/40 -16°220/66 -23°220/64 -31°220/57 -36°220/50 -43°

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
DSM Des Moines, IA departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the south (190°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 957 ft 3:54 am CDT (08:54 UTC)
HNR Harlan, IA 79 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 1,230 ft 08:55 UTC
OMA Omaha, NE 99 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 984 ft 08:52 UTC
OLU Columbus, NE 168 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,447 ft 08:56 UTC
BBW Broken Bow, NE 267 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line VFR calm 10+ mi none 2,546 ft 08:53 UTC
OKS Oshkosh, NE 386 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line no report just now 3,394 ft
IBM Kimball, NE 456 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line VFR from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 4,925 ft 08:35 UTC
CYS Cheyenne, WY 505 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the west (260°) at 20 knots, gusting to 29 10+ mi none 6,159 ft 08:53 UTC
DWX Dixon, WY 624 nm out, 15 nm north of the line VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet from the south-southeast (150°) at 13 knots, gusting to 19 10+ mi 7,000 ft 6,548 ft 08:35 UTC
VEL Vernal, UT 723 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,000 feet, overcast at 4,900 feet Weather: light rain from the west (260°) at 8 knots 10+ mi 4,000 ft 5,274 ft 08:53 UTC
HCR Heber, UT 802 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line VFR Sky: a broken layer at 4,500 feet, overcast at 5,500 feet calm 10+ mi 4,500 ft 5,636 ft 08:55 UTC
PVU Provo, UT destination VFR Sky: overcast at 6,000 feet from the east (090°) at 4 knots 10+ mi 6,000 ft 4,496 ft 2:56 am MDT (08:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 6,548 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PVU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:19 am MDT (17:19 UTC)

Wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for PVU
  • From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC) and 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind variable at 10 knots, gusting to 25, light rain showers, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, scattered clouds at 2,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 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 PVU 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm MDT (01:17 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
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · 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: Des Moines International, Provo Municipal.