Joe Foss Field to Kansas City International FSD → MCI
273 nautical miles (314 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 160°, about 155° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 26-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:51 am CDT (16:51 UTC). Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots; MCI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots, gusting to 27. 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: 3 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 39 nm of the route.
- 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 last 136 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 FSD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL1095 at 36,000 ft, 3 nm north, 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): no turbulence, -41 °C, wind 253° at 52 knots. At the departure end, 3 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL1095 4338N 09646W 1300 F360 MS41 253/052KT TB NONE SK CLEAR IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
- B38M at 18,000 ft, 13 nm northeast, 8:04 am CDT (13:04 UTC): light chop turbulence. 214 nm along the route, 13 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVU UA /OV EVU/TM 1304/FL180/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVU
- Where
- over EVU
- Time
- 13:04 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (FSD, OMA, MKC). 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 | 220° at 24 kt | +12 kt | 108 kt | 2 h 32 min | 12:31 pm CDT (17:31 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +8 kt | 112 kt | 2 h 26 min | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +9 kt | 17 °C | 111 kt | 2 h 28 min | 12:27 pm CDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 34 kt | +12 kt | 13 °C | 108 kt | 2 h 32 min | 12:31 pm CDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | +14 kt | 8 °C | 106 kt | 2 h 35 min | 12:34 pm CDT (17:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | +12 kt | 3 °C | 108 kt | 2 h 32 min | 12:31 pm CDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 36 kt | +8 kt | -2 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 26 min | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 36 kt | +4 kt | -7 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 21 min | 12:20 pm CDT (17:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 36 kt | +3 kt | -8 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:19 pm CDT (17:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 46 kt | +2 kt | -21 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:18 pm CDT (17:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 67 kt | −21 kt | -29 °C | 141 kt | 1 h 56 min | 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 73 kt | −26 kt | -36 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 52 min | 11:51 am CDT (16:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 64 kt | −22 kt | -48 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 55 min | 11:54 am CDT (16:54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSD | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 260/9 | 210/16 18° | 220/27 14° | 230/28 6° | 240/39 -9° | 240/48 -22° | 260/52 -32° | 260/61 -38° | 260/60 -46° |
| OMA | used from 49 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 210/23 | 240/34 20° | 230/40 14° | 220/43 7° | 240/38 -8° | 250/47 -21° | 270/70 -29° | 270/79 -36° | 270/68 -48° |
| MKC | used from 195 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 220/35 | 240/30 21° | 240/27 13° | 240/31 6° | 260/31 -7° | 250/43 -21° | 270/70 -28° | 280/72 -36° | 280/59 -49° |
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: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| SXK Maurice, IA | 39 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,408 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 68 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,098 ft | 14:52 UTC |
| MEY Mapleton, IA | 97 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,116 ft | ||||
| OMA Omaha, NE | 146 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 984 ft | 14:52 UTC |
| EVU Maryville, MO | 214 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,145 ft | 14:55 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 244 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| MCI Kansas City, MO | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 16 knots, gusting to 27 | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 1,027 ft | 9:53 am CDT (14:53 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 MCI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:51 am CDT (16:51 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MCI
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for FSD, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 300 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 800 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,200 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 MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:11 pm CDT (00:11 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, Kansas City International.