Joe Foss Field to Fort Worth Meacham International FSD → FTW
647 nautical miles (744 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 183°, about 178° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, no wind along the track), arriving about 2:04 am CDT (07:04 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots; FTW is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 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: 2 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 100 to 388 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 20:00–03:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (FSD, OMA, SLN, ICT, TUL, OKC, SPS, DAL). 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 | 190° at 28 kt | +28 kt | 92 kt | 7 h 02 min | 3:42 am CDT (08:42 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 29 kt | +26 kt | 94 kt | 6 h 53 min | 3:33 am CDT (08:33 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 28 min | 3:08 am CDT (08:08 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +13 kt | 12 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 03 min | 2:43 am CDT (07:43 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +11 kt | 8 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 56 min | 2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +10 kt | 4 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 53 min | 2:33 am CDT (07:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +11 kt | -1 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 56 min | 2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | +11 kt | -6 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 56 min | 2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 25 kt | +11 kt | -7 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 56 min | 2:36 am CDT (07:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 28 kt | +13 kt | -17 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 03 min | 2:43 am CDT (07:43 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 38 kt | +8 kt | -31 °C | 112 kt | 5 h 47 min | 2:27 am CDT (07:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 42 kt | +7 kt | -40 °C | 113 kt | 5 h 44 min | 2:24 am CDT (07:24 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 46 kt | 0 | -51 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 24 min | 2:04 am CDT (07:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSD | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| OMA | used from 100 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| SLN | used from 199 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 190/37 | 220/39 20° | 240/31 14° | 250/24 7° | 260/25 -7° | 250/26 -17° | 250/44 -31° | 260/47 -40° | 260/47 -50° |
| ICT | used from 299 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 190/34 | 210/34 18° | 240/28 13° | 260/23 7° | 250/23 -6° | 240/29 -17° | 260/40 -30° | 260/47 -40° | 270/42 -51° |
| TUL | used from 398 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 200/27 | 210/28 15° | 240/24 13° | 250/19 8° | 250/28 -6° | 260/25 -16° | 270/34 -30° | 280/41 -39° | 280/41 -52° |
| OKC | used from 448 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/29 16° | 230/22 14° | 240/17 9° | 240/28 -6° | 250/35 -15° | 270/42 -29° | 270/43 -39° | 280/38 -51° |
| SPS | used from 547 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 180/26 | 200/25 16° | 220/19 13° | 220/20 9° | 230/26 -5° | 230/34 -15° | 260/37 -28° | 270/42 -39° | 280/40 -51° |
| DAL | used from 597 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 180/21 | 190/24 15° | 230/20 12° | 220/23 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/18 -15° | 280/33 -29° | 280/36 -39° | 300/33 -52° |
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 | from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 7:56 pm CDT (00:56 UTC) |
| VMR Vermillion, SD | 50 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,146 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 70 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,098 ft | 00:52 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 159 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| CYW Clay Center, KS | 249 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,208 ft | ||||
| MHK Manhattan, KS | 269 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,066 ft | 00:52 UTC |
| BEC Wichita, KS | 358 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,408 ft | 01:15 UTC |
| SWO Stillwater, OK | 448 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Weather: light rain | from the south (170°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,000 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| OUN Norman, OK | 498 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,181 ft | 00:45 UTC |
| ADM Ardmore, OK | 557 nm out, 13 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 13 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 776 ft | 19:50 UTC |
| DTO Denton, TX | 627 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 642 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| FTW Fort Worth, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 710 ft | 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,430 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FTW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:04 am CDT (07:04 UTC)
Wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for FTW
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 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
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 13 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC), at FTW 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:25 pm CDT (00:25 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FTW is before sunrise there (7:31 am CDT (12:31 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, Fort Worth Meacham International.