Detroit Metro Wayne County to Helena Regional DTW → HLN
1,249 nautical miles (1,437 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 292°, about 299° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 10 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot headwind), arriving about 10:33 am MDT (16:33 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: 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 130 nm of 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). Over the route from 270 to 410 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). Over the last 679 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, 979 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 989 to 1049 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 190 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 130 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 40 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 DTW.
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 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 (FWA, MKG, GRB, LSE, MSP, AXN, ABR, PIR, DIK, MLS, BIL, GTF). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4,500 ft | 210° at 9 kt | +3 kt | 7 °C | 117 kt | 10 h 41 min | 10:33 am MDT (16:33 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 10 kt | +5 kt | 13 °C | 115 kt | 10 h 52 min | 10:44 am MDT (16:44 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 13 kt | +8 kt | 10 °C | 112 kt | 11 h 09 min | 11:01 am MDT (17:01 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +11 kt | 5 °C | 109 kt | 11 h 28 min | 11:20 am MDT (17:20 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | +15 kt | 1 °C | 105 kt | 11 h 54 min | 11:46 am MDT (17:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +19 kt | -3 °C | 101 kt | 12 h 22 min | 12:14 pm MDT (18:14 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +23 kt | -7 °C | 97 kt | 12 h 53 min | 12:45 pm MDT (18:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 29 kt | +26 kt | -10 °C | 94 kt | 13 h 17 min | 1:09 pm MDT (19:09 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 32 kt | +28 kt | -21 °C | 92 kt | 13 h 35 min | 1:27 pm MDT (19:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 33 kt | +31 kt | -36 °C | 89 kt | 14 h 02 min | 1:54 pm MDT (19:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 45 kt | +44 kt | -43 °C | 76 kt | 16 h 26 min | 4:18 pm MDT (22:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 56 kt | +56 kt | -49 °C | 64 kt | 19 h 31 min | 7:23 pm MDT (01:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FWA | used from 0 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| MKG | used from 50 nm out; 65 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° |
| GRB | used from 200 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| LSE | used from 300 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MSP | used from 400 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 230/26 | 240/30 17° | 240/24 12° | 250/22 5° | 250/35 -10° | 260/36 -21° | 250/41 -36° | 250/49 -45° | 260/58 -52° |
| AXN | used from 499 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 100/14 | 250/21 14° | 240/24 12° | 240/31 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/40 -21° | 250/42 -36° | 260/48 -45° | 260/53 -50° |
| ABR | used from 599 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| PIR | used from 749 nm out; 86 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| DIK | used from 799 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 150/24 7° | 200/38 6° | 220/53 0° | 230/51 -9° | 230/49 -21° | 240/37 -37° | 240/47 -44° | 250/65 -48° | |
| MLS | used from 949 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| BIL | used from 1049 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| GTF | used from 1149 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTW Detroit, MI | departure | no report just now | 645 ft | ||||
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | 100 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 793 ft | ||||
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 140 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| CMY Sparta, WI | 340 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 839 ft | ||||
| FCM Minneapolis, MN | 469 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 906 ft | ||||
| HCD Hutchinson, MN | 509 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,062 ft | ||||
| ABR Aberdeen, SD | 679 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 1,301 ft | ||||
| HEI Hettinger, ND | 859 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 2,705 ft | ||||
| BWW Bowman, ND | 889 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,965 ft | ||||
| RPX Roundup, MT | 1109 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 3,490 ft | ||||
| HWQ Harlowton, MT | 1159 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,311 ft | ||||
| HLN Helena, MT | destination | no report just now | 3,877 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,311 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HLN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:33 am MDT (16:33 UTC)
HLN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at HLN 6:46 pm MDT (00:46 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
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: Detroit Metro Wayne County, Helena Regional.