Plan a flight · Mon 2:51 am CDT (07:51 UTC)

Joe Foss Field to Oakland County International FSD → PTK

586 nautical miles (674 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 091°, about 086° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 61-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:05 am EDT (11:05 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the north (010°) at 3 knots; PTK is low IFR, wind from the west (260°) at 4 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), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 119 to 318 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 119 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

A333 descending, 27 nm south, 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 27 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
05:44 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
A333
Sky
tops 2,500 ft
B739 descending, 27 nm south, 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 27 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0454/FLDURD/TP B739/SK BASES 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over DTW
Time
04:54 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B739
Sky
bases 1,100 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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (FSD, MCW, LSE, DBQ, GRB, MKG). 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	240° at 26 kt	−21 kt		141 kt	4 h 09 min	8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC)
5,500 ft	250° at 23 kt	−21 kt		141 kt	4 h 09 min	8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC)
7,500 ft	260° at 18 kt	−17 kt	13 °C	137 kt	4 h 17 min	8:08 am EDT (12:08 UTC)
9,500 ft	260° at 13 kt	−12 kt	10 °C	132 kt	4 h 26 min	8:17 am EDT (12:17 UTC)
11,500 ft	250° at 12 kt	−12 kt	6 °C	132 kt	4 h 26 min	8:17 am EDT (12:17 UTC)
13,500 ft	260° at 14 kt	−14 kt	1 °C	134 kt	4 h 22 min	8:13 am EDT (12:13 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	−18 kt	-3 °C	138 kt	4 h 15 min	8:06 am EDT (12:06 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 21 kt	−22 kt	-8 °C	142 kt	4 h 08 min	7:59 am EDT (11:59 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 22 kt	−22 kt	-9 °C	142 kt	4 h 08 min	7:59 am EDT (11:59 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	270° at 28 kt	−28 kt	-20 °C	148 kt	3 h 58 min	7:49 am EDT (11:49 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 35 kt	−36 kt	-35 °C	156 kt	3 h 45 min	7:36 am EDT (11:36 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 46 kt	−46 kt	-44 °C	166 kt	3 h 32 min	7:23 am EDT (11:23 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 61 kt	−61 kt	-52 °C	181 kt	3 h 14 min	7:05 am EDT (11:05 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°
MCW	used from 99 nm out; 33 nm from the line	220/44	250/30 17°	230/14 12°	240/17 6°	250/22 -8°	270/29 -20°	250/34 -34°	260/52 -43°	260/59 -51°
LSE	used from 199 nm out; 32 nm from the line	230/40	240/24 17°	240/13 10°	250/13 6°	280/22 -9°	250/28 -21°	250/41 -34°	260/42 -44°	270/62 -53°
DBQ	used from 298 nm out; 79 nm from the line	230/33	250/30 16°	280/15 9°	260/15 5°	260/21 -7°	260/24 -20°	250/37 -33°	270/42 -43°	280/63 -52°
GRB	used from 347 nm out; 79 nm from the line	250/36	270/23 16°	270/14 9°	240/18 4°	280/26 -9°	280/29 -20°	290/42 -36°	290/51 -45°	290/72 -55°
MKG	used from 397 nm out; 38 nm from the line	260/22	290/16 15°	300/11 10°	290/5 3°	300/26 -9°	300/32 -20°	320/48 -36°	320/61 -45°	310/74 -53°

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	from the north (010°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	1,430 ft	1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC)
LYV Luverne, MN	20 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line	VFR	from the north-northeast (020°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	1,435 ft	07:35 UTC
FRM Fairmont, MN	99 nm out, 7 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	1,161 ft	06:56 UTC
SBU Blue Earth, MN	119 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line	no report just now				1,107 ft
CJJ Cresco, IA	199 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				1,279 ft
LNR Lone Rock, WI	288 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	717 ft	06:56 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	328 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	06:53 UTC
MWC Milwaukee, WI	377 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	744 ft	07:35 UTC
MKG Muskegon, MI	457 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower	reported, no category	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	628 ft	06:55 UTC
GRR Grand Rapids, MI	496 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower	IFR Weather: mist	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	2.5 mi	none	793 ft	07:35 UTC
LAN Lansing, MI	536 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	9 mi	none	860 ft	06:53 UTC
PTK Pontiac, MI	destination	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet	from the west (260°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	400 ft	980 ft	3:43 am EDT (07:43 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,435 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At PTK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:05 am EDT (11:05 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet marginal VFR

At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 300 feet low IFR

The whole forecast for PTK

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 300 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 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 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet

The forecast for FSD, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-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 at 7 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-northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 14,000 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 PTK 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at PTK is before sunrise there (7:43 am EDT (11:43 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

Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Oakland County International.