Plan a flight · Mon 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC)

Des Moines International to Richmond International DSM → RIC

793 nautical miles (913 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 102°, about 101° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC). Right now DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 knots; RIC is IFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 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

SIGMET E31E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, until 5:55 am CDT (10:55 UTC). Over the last 0 nm of the route.

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 139 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 476 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 565 to 684 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 625 to 754 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 0 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

B739 at 35,000 ft, 29 nm north, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 258 nm along the route, 29 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
23 nm north (010°) of RBS
Time
07:05 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B739
Turbulence
none
B752 climbing, 39 nm south, 2:37 am CDT (07:37 UTC): overcast. 426 nm along the route, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 0737/FLDURC/TP B752/SK B001 OVC T015
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
5 west cvg
Time
07:37 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B752
Sky
B001 overcast T015
B763 at 100 ft, 38 nm south, 4:05 am CDT (09:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. 436 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0905/FL001/TP B763/SK VV001/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
09:05 UTC
Height
at 100 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 100 ft
Remarks
during the climb
A21N at 33,000 ft, 45 nm northeast, 3:07 am CDT (08:07 UTC): light chop turbulence. 436 nm along the route, 45 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DAY UA /OV ROD/TM 0807/FL330/TP A21N/TB OCNL LT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through DAY
Where
over ROD
Time
08:07 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
occasional lt chop
B763 at 200 ft, 38 nm south, 3:05 am CDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. 436 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
08:05 UTC
Height
at 200 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 200 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B738 at 33,000 ft, 6 nm east, 3:44 am CDT (08:44 UTC): -39 °C, wind 350° at 65 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. 644 nm along the route, 6 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
EKN UA /OV EKN188027 /TM 0844 /FL330 /TP B738 /TA M39 /WV 35065KT /TB MOD-CONS /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
```
Report
a routine report filed through EKN
Where
27 nm south (188°) of EKN
Time
08:44 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Temperature
−39 °C
Wind
from 350° at 65 knots
Turbulence
mod-cons
Remarks
produced by skypath

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 11 forecast points nearest it (DSM, BRL, SPI, JOT, IND, CVG, CMH, CRW, EKN, ROA, 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	280° at 21 kt	−22 kt		142 kt	5 h 35 min	11:20 am EDT (15:20 UTC)
5,500 ft	300° at 18 kt	−19 kt	10 °C	139 kt	5 h 42 min	11:27 am EDT (15:27 UTC)
7,500 ft	310° at 17 kt	−17 kt	12 °C	137 kt	5 h 47 min	11:32 am EDT (15:32 UTC)
9,500 ft	310° at 17 kt	−17 kt	8 °C	137 kt	5 h 47 min	11:32 am EDT (15:32 UTC)
11,500 ft	300° at 19 kt	−18 kt	5 °C	138 kt	5 h 45 min	11:30 am EDT (15:30 UTC)
13,500 ft	300° at 21 kt	−21 kt	1 °C	141 kt	5 h 37 min	11:22 am EDT (15:22 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 24 kt	−23 kt	-3 °C	143 kt	5 h 33 min	11:18 am EDT (15:18 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 27 kt	−26 kt	-6 °C	146 kt	5 h 26 min	11:11 am EDT (15:11 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 28 kt	−27 kt	-7 °C	147 kt	5 h 24 min	11:09 am EDT (15:09 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 33 kt	−34 kt	-20 °C	154 kt	5 h 09 min	10:54 am EDT (14:54 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 39 kt	−39 kt	-34 °C	159 kt	4 h 59 min	10:44 am EDT (14:44 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 52 kt	−50 kt	-41 °C	170 kt	4 h 40 min	10:25 am EDT (14:25 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 53 kt	−52 kt	-49 °C	172 kt	4 h 37 min	10:22 am EDT (14:22 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; 51 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°
SPI	used from 198 nm out; 60 nm from the line	260/28	250/22 15°	250/14 9°	260/20 6°	280/27 -7°	280/34 -19°	280/48 -32°	280/59 -41°	300/60 -49°
JOT	used from 248 nm out; 68 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 297 nm out; 36 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°
CVG	used from 397 nm out; 38 nm from the line	300/19	310/23 15°	320/20 9°	310/18 3°	300/26 -6°	290/36 -19°	310/32 -34°	310/53 -43°	310/61 -51°
CMH	used from 496 nm out; 52 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°
CRW	used from 545 nm out; 30 nm from the line	320/17	340/23 12°	340/32 8°	340/35 4°	330/40 -7°	340/45 -20°	340/57 -34°	340/64 -42°	320/38 -50°
EKN	used from 644 nm out; 37 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°
ROA	used from 694 nm out; 69 nm from the line	310/32	340/32 14°	350/25 9°	340/24 3°	340/42 -8°	340/52 -20°	350/62 -34°	350/64 -39°	310/44 -48°
RIC	used from 744 nm out; 25 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	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)
PEA Pella, IA	30 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	885 ft	09:35 UTC
GBG Galesburg, IL	149 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	764 ft	09:35 UTC
PIA Peoria, IL	188 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	660 ft	08:54 UTC
LAF Lafayette, IN	307 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	605 ft	08:54 UTC
AID Anderson, IN	377 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist	calm	3 mi	none	919 ft	09:35 UTC
ILN Wilmington, OH	466 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet	from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots	9 mi	600 ft	1,076 ft	08:54 UTC
EOP Waverly, OH	516 nm out, 5 nm west of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,500 feet	calm	10+ mi	1,500 ft	661 ft	09:35 UTC
USW Spencer, WV	585 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				928 ft
SHD Staunton/Waynesboro/Harrisonburg, VA	704 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	1,201 ft	09:35 UTC
CHO Charlottesville, VA	734 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 9,500 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	3,000 ft	640 ft	08:53 UTC
RIC Richmond, VA	destination	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the west-northwest (300°) at 7 knots	5 mi	700 ft	167 ft	4:54 am EDT (08:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,201 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RIC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC)

Wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet VFR

The whole forecast for RIC

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 900 feet
From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 1,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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

6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 446 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC), at RIC 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

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, Richmond International.