Detroit Metro Wayne County to Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field DTW → HSV
482 nautical miles (555 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 201°, about 208° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 18 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 26-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DTW is marginal VFR, wind from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots; HSV is VFR, wind calm. 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: 1,123 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 148 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 20:00–03:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (CLE, FWA, CVG, LOU, BNA, HSV). 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 | 330° at 17 kt | −12 kt | 132 kt | 3 h 39 min | 12:25 am CDT (05:25 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −19 kt | 14 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 28 min | 12:14 am CDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 26 kt | −19 kt | 10 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 28 min | 12:14 am CDT (05:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 29 kt | −22 kt | 6 °C | 142 kt | 3 h 24 min | 12:10 am CDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 31 kt | −25 kt | 3 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 19 min | 12:05 am CDT (05:05 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | −24 kt | -1 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 21 min | 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | −24 kt | -6 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 21 min | 12:07 am CDT (05:07 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 340° at 32 kt | −23 kt | -9 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 22 min | 12:08 am CDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 340° at 36 kt | −26 kt | -21 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 18 min | 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 40 kt | −23 kt | -35 °C | 143 kt | 3 h 22 min | 12:08 am CDT (05:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 41 kt | −21 kt | -40 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 25 min | 12:11 am CDT (05:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 36 kt | −17 kt | -47 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 31 min | 12:17 am CDT (05:17 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | used from 0 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 340/5 | 320/13 14° | 300/12 8° | 310/10 2° | 310/14 -10° | 340/14 -23° | 320/27 -35° | 260/28 -40° | 250/36 -48° |
| FWA | used from 49 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 350/9 | 350/24 15° | 360/25 9° | 360/29 4° | 350/31 -10° | 340/39 -22° | 330/40 -37° | 320/38 -43° | 320/48 -48° |
| CVG | used from 148 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 350/13 | 340/20 13° | 340/22 8° | 350/30 3° | 340/30 -9° | 340/38 -21° | 330/37 -35° | 320/38 -40° | 310/35 -47° |
| LOU | used from 246 nm out; 21 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| BNA | used from 345 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| HSV | used from 443 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 290/15 | 330/34 16° | 330/38 11° | 330/40 5° | 320/36 -7° | 320/31 -18° | 320/44 -34° | 330/53 -41° | 330/34 -48° |
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 | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 500 feet, scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | 2,000 ft | 645 ft | 9:18 pm EDT (01:18 UTC) |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 39 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, a broken layer at 1,100 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 683 ft | 01:22 UTC |
| OWX Ottawa, OH | 79 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 400 ft | 763 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| AOH Lima, OH | 98 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 4 knots | 4 mi | 600 ft | 975 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| DAY Dayton, OH | 148 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots | 8 mi | 1,400 ft | 1,009 ft | 01:40 UTC |
| CVG Covington, KY | 197 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,800 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 896 ft | 01:21 UTC |
| LOU Louisville, KY | 266 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 545 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| GLW Glasgow, KY | 335 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 716 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| TZV Tompkinsville, KY | 345 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,036 ft | ||||
| MQY Smyrna, TN | 404 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 543 ft | 00:56 UTC | |
| FYM Fayetteville, TN | 453 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 983 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| HSV Huntsville, AL | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,036 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At HSV when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC)
Wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for HSV
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for DTW, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,400 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
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 4 nm from the route, 197 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at HSV 6:16 pm CDT (23:16 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:41 pm CDT (23:41 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at HSV is before sunrise there (6:50 am CDT (11:50 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, Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field.