Joe Foss Field to Raleigh-Durham International FSD → RDU
946 nautical miles (1,089 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 113°, about 108° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 42 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:32 am EDT (11:32 UTC). 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 70 to 299 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). Over the route from 478 to 847 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 717 to 857 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 797 to 927 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 867 nm along 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
Not fetched just now.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (FSD, MCW, DBQ, BRL, JOT, IND, CVG, CRW, ROA, RDU). 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 | 270° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 6 h 57 min | 8:47 am EDT (12:47 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 6 h 45 min | 8:35 am EDT (12:35 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | −19 kt | 12 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 48 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | −17 kt | 9 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 54 min | 8:44 am EDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 5 °C | 135 kt | 7 h | 8:50 am EDT (12:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | −17 kt | 1 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 54 min | 8:44 am EDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | −19 kt | -3 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 48 min | 8:38 am EDT (12:38 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 40 min | 8:30 am EDT (12:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 23 kt | −23 kt | -8 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 37 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 27 kt | −28 kt | -20 °C | 148 kt | 6 h 24 min | 8:14 am EDT (12:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 32 kt | −32 kt | -34 °C | 152 kt | 6 h 13 min | 8:03 am EDT (12:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 45 kt | −45 kt | -41 °C | 165 kt | 5 h 44 min | 7:34 am EDT (11:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 46 kt | −46 kt | -49 °C | 166 kt | 5 h 42 min | 7:32 am EDT (11:32 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 100 nm out; 44 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° |
| DBQ | used from 199 nm out; 67 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° |
| BRL | used from 299 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| JOT | used from 349 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| IND | used from 448 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| CVG | used from 548 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| CRW | used from 697 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| ROA | used from 797 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| RDU | used from 897 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -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 | no report just now | 1,430 ft | ||||
| SPW Spencer, IA | 70 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,338 ft | ||||
| IFA Iowa Falls, IA | 169 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,137 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 249 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| MLI Moline, IL | 309 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 399 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 871 ft | ||||
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 518 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 796 ft | ||||
| CVG Covington, KY | 608 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 896 ft | ||||
| HTS Huntington, WV | 717 nm out, 25 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 828 ft | ||||
| BLF Bluefield, WV | 807 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | no report just now | 2,856 ft | ||||
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 897 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 925 ft | ||||
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | destination | no report just now | 435 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,856 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RDU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:32 am EDT (11:32 UTC)
RDU has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 2 nm from the route, 608 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC), at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 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, Raleigh-Durham International.