Joe Foss Field to Abilene Regional FSD → ABI
685 nautical miles (788 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 193°, about 188° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (16,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FSD is VFR, wind calm; ABI is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 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
- 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 119 to 417 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 FSD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- BE20 at 14,000 ft, 39 nm north, 7:20 pm CDT (00:20 UTC): light turbulence. At the departure end, 39 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FSD UA /OV FSD340035/TM 0020/FL140/TP BE20/TB CONS LGT/ NEG 120
- Report
- a routine report filed through FSD
- Where
- 35 nm north (340°) of FSD
- Time
- 00:20 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Turbulence
- continuous light no at 12,000 ft
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 8 forecast points nearest it (FSD, ONL, GRI, SLN, ICT, GAG, SPS, ABI). 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 | 220° at 35 kt | +32 kt | 20 °C | 88 kt | 7 h 47 min | 5:13 am CDT (10:13 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | +27 kt | 18 °C | 93 kt | 7 h 22 min | 4:48 am CDT (09:48 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | +21 kt | 14 °C | 99 kt | 6 h 55 min | 4:21 am CDT (09:21 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 22 kt | +16 kt | 10 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 35 min | 4:01 am CDT (09:01 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +14 kt | 7 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 28 min | 3:54 am CDT (08:54 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | +14 kt | 2 °C | 106 kt | 6 h 28 min | 3:54 am CDT (08:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +13 kt | -3 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 24 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 20 kt | +13 kt | -6 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 24 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 30 kt | +19 kt | -18 °C | 101 kt | 6 h 47 min | 4:13 am CDT (09:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 52 kt | +26 kt | -31 °C | 94 kt | 7 h 17 min | 4:43 am CDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 53 kt | +17 kt | -39 °C | 103 kt | 6 h 39 min | 4:05 am CDT (09:05 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 51 kt | +13 kt | -49 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 24 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSD | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| ONL | used from 50 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 99 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| SLN | used from 248 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| ICT | used from 347 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/48 | 230/39 19° | 240/24 14° | 240/20 8° | 240/22 -6° | 250/31 -18° | 250/61 -29° | 260/58 -38° | 270/54 -49° |
| GAG | used from 397 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 220/40 19° | 230/28 14° | 240/23 8° | 230/21 -6° | 240/31 -19° | 250/66 -29° | 260/58 -38° | 260/47 -49° | |
| SPS | used from 496 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| ABI | used from 645 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC) |
| VMR Vermillion, SD | 50 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,146 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| OLU Columbus, NE | 129 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,447 ft | 01:56 UTC |
| FMZ Fairmont, NE | 189 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,636 ft | ||||
| HJH Hebron, NE | 208 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots, gusting to 14 | 10+ mi | none | 1,468 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| HUT Hutchinson, KS | 337 nm out, 21 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,542 ft | 01:52 UTC |
| PTT Pratt, KS | 367 nm out, 16 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 17 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 1,952 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| AVK Alva, OK | 417 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,476 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| CSM Burns Flat, OK | 506 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,922 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| FDR Frederick, OK | 566 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,258 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| ABI Abilene, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,790 ft | 8:52 pm CDT (01:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,952 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ABI
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 20 knots, gusting to 29, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
The forecast for FSD, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
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 FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC), at ABI 7:09 pm CDT (00:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:34 pm CDT (00:34 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ABI is before sunrise there (7:40 am CDT (12:40 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: Joe Foss Field, Abilene Regional.