Detroit Metro Wayne County to Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal DTW → SPS
867 nautical miles (998 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 240°, about 247° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC). Right now DTW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots; SPS is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22. 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 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 route from 458 to 548 nm out.
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 14:00–21:00 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 9 forecast points nearest it (FWA, IND, SPI, STL, COU, SGF, TUL, OKC, SPS). 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 | 230° at 22 kt | +22 kt | 98 kt | 8 h 51 min | 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | +23 kt | 15 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 56 min | 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 12 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 40 min | 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 9 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 30 min | 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | +17 kt | 6 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 25 min | 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 22 kt | +19 kt | 1 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 35 min | 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 25 kt | +20 kt | -3 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 40 min | 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 27 kt | +21 kt | -7 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 45 min | 6:50 pm CDT (23:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 37 kt | +30 kt | -19 °C | 90 kt | 9 h 38 min | 7:43 pm CDT (00:43 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 54 kt | +40 kt | -32 °C | 80 kt | 10 h 50 min | 8:55 pm CDT (01:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 57 kt | +36 kt | -38 °C | 84 kt | 10 h 19 min | 8:24 pm CDT (01:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 51 kt | +28 kt | -48 °C | 92 kt | 9 h 25 min | 7:30 pm CDT (00:30 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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; 87 nm from the line | 250/18 | 260/22 15° | 260/27 7° | 290/26 6° | 290/28 -8° | 290/39 -20° | 280/36 -37° | 290/54 -39° | 310/60 -48° |
| IND | used from 149 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 260/18 | 250/20 15° | 260/26 9° | 290/28 5° | 290/30 -7° | 280/40 -20° | 280/46 -35° | 290/53 -38° | 300/58 -47° |
| SPI | used from 249 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/21 15° | 260/11 12° | 280/19 6° | 270/23 -8° | 280/34 -20° | 290/55 -33° | 290/62 -37° | 290/55 -47° |
| STL | used from 349 nm out; 10 nm from the line | 240/25 | 240/21 15° | 260/21 12° | 270/21 7° | 280/25 -7° | 280/39 -19° | 290/65 -31° | 290/70 -38° | 290/59 -48° |
| COU | used from 448 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/22 17° | 250/18 12° | 260/22 6° | 270/23 -7° | 260/39 -19° | 290/70 -30° | 290/71 -37° | 290/58 -48° |
| SGF | used from 498 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/29 16° | 240/21 13° | 240/15 7° | 270/28 -7° | 260/34 -18° | 280/67 -29° | 290/59 -37° | 290/51 -49° |
| TUL | used from 598 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 210/24 | 220/29 18° | 240/17 14° | 250/16 8° | 260/28 -6° | 260/36 -18° | 270/63 -28° | 280/54 -37° | 290/46 -49° |
| OKC | used from 747 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 200/23 | 220/26 19° | 210/12 16° | 230/16 8° | 250/36 -6° | 250/45 -17° | 260/61 -28° | 270/51 -37° | 270/42 -49° |
| SPS | used from 797 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 190/18 | 220/24 18° | 210/17 15° | 230/19 8° | 250/27 -5° | 250/41 -16° | 260/48 -28° | 270/42 -37° | 270/28 -50° |
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 | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 8 mi | 20,000 ft | 645 ft | 10:53 am EDT (14:53 UTC) |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 40 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 8 mi | none | 683 ft | 14:59 UTC |
| GUS Peru, IN | 159 nm out, 17 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 810 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 259 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 289 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| SUS St Louis, MO | 399 nm out, 4 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 463 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 488 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| SGF Springfield, MO | 548 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 1,268 ft | 14:52 UTC |
| XNA Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR | 618 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 13 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| RVS Tulsa, OK | 698 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 638 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| DUC Duncan, OK | 827 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,114 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| SPS Wichita Falls, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,019 ft | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,288 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SPS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC)
Wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SPS
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DTW, the departure
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 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
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 11,000 feet
- 30% chance between Tue 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Tue 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8992 Monroe, MI, Thursday, October 15, 2026 Local 8 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts Thursday 15 October · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at SPS 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:27 pm CDT (00:27 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, Sheppard Afb/Wichita Falls Municipal.