Plan a flight · Mon 9:39 am CDT (14:39 UTC)

Joe Foss Field to Richmond International FSD → RIC

955 nautical miles (1,099 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 106°, about 101° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 54-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:08 pm EDT (20:08 UTC). Right now FSD is VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 4 knots; RIC is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 18 knots, gusting to 28. 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 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 30 nm of the route.
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 597 to 826 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 736 to 836 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 806 to 906 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

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 32,000 ft, 20 nm south, 6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC): light chop turbulence. 60 nm along the route, 20 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FOD UA /OV FOD285060/TM 1145/FL320/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP OCNL MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through FOD
Where
60 nm west (285°) of FOD
Time
11:45 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous light chop occasional moderate chop
BE36 at 6,000 ft, 33 nm north, 8:12 am CDT (13:12 UTC): no turbulence. 100 nm along the route, 33 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FRM UA /OV FRM/TM 1312/FL060/TP BE36/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through FRM
Where
over FRM
Time
13:12 UTC
Height
at 6,000 ft
Aircraft
BE36
Turbulence
none
P46T at 31,000 ft, 5 nm southwest, 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC): light chop turbulence. 199 nm along the route, 5 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALO UA /OV ALO270005/TM 1337/FL310/TP P46T/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALO
Where
5 nm west (270°) of ALO
Time
13:37 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
P46T
Turbulence
intermittent light chop
A321 at 32,000 ft, 22 nm southwest, 7:25 am CDT (12:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 239 nm along the route, 22 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CID UA /OV CID360010/TM 1225/FL320/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP CONS LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through CID
Where
10 nm north (360°) of CID
Time
12:25 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
intermittent light chop continuous light chop
B752 at 34,000 ft, 19 nm north, 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC): light chop turbulence. 259 nm along the route, 19 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DBQ UA /OV DBQ300020/TM 1223/FL340/TP B752/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through DBQ
Where
20 nm northwest (300°) of DBQ
Time
12:23 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
B752
Turbulence
occasional light chop
B39M at 36,000 ft, 48 nm northeast, 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC): no turbulence. 388 nm along the route, 48 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PWK UA /OV OBK/TM 1318/FL360/TP B39M/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through PWK
Where
over OBK
Time
13:18 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
B738 at 26,000 ft, 49 nm north, 7:21 am CDT (12:21 UTC): no turbulence from 25,000 ft to 26,000 ft. 508 nm along the route, 49 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GSH UA /OV GSH090020/TM 1221/FL260/TP B738/TB NEG 260-250
```
Report
a routine report filed through GSH
Where
20 nm east (090°) of GSH
Time
12:21 UTC
Height
at 26,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Turbulence
no from 26,000 ft to 25,000 ft
A320 at 30,000 ft, 36 nm north, 6:49 am CDT (11:49 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: during the descent FL300-260 FL250 better. 518 nm along the route, 36 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ASW UA /OV OLK/TM 1149/FL300/TP A320/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM DURD FL300-260 FL250 BETTER
```
Report
a routine report filed through ASW
Where
over OLK
Time
11:49 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
during the descent FL300-260 FL250 better
A320 at 3,000 ft, 16 nm south, 8:35 am CDT (13:35 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 597 nm along the route, 16 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CMH UA /OV DAY/TM 1335/FL030/TP A320/SK BUNKN-TOP013
```
Report
a routine report filed through CMH
Where
over DAY
Time
13:35 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
A320
Sky
BUNKN-TOP013
E75L at 26,000 ft, 17 nm southwest, 8:19 am CDT (13:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 26,000 ft, no icing up to 26,000 ft. 597 nm along the route, 17 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DAY UA /OV DQN180005/TM 1319/FL260/TP E75L/TB NEG BLO 260/IC NEG BLO 260
```
Report
a routine report filed through DAY
Where
5 nm south (180°) of DQN
Time
13:19 UTC
Height
at 26,000 ft
Aircraft
E75L
Turbulence
no below 26,000 ft
Icing
no below 26,000 ft
CRJ9 climbing, 16 nm south, 7:46 am CDT (12:46 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 597 nm along the route, 16 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DAY UA /OV DAY/TM 1246/FLDURC/TP CRJ9/SK T014
```
Report
a routine report filed through DAY
Where
over DAY
Time
12:46 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
T014
CRJ9 at 1,800 ft, 16 nm south, 7:45 am CDT (12:45 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 597 nm along the route, 16 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CMH UA /OV DAY/TM 1245/FL018/TP CRJ9/SK T014
```
Report
a routine report filed through CMH
Where
over DAY
Time
12:45 UTC
Height
at 1,800 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
T014
E75L at 32,000 ft, 10 nm northeast, 7:21 am CDT (12:21 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 597 nm along the route, 10 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DAY UA /OV ROD/TM 1221/FL320/TP E75L/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through DAY
Where
over ROD
Time
12:21 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
E75L
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
during the climb

16 more routine reports are on the map.

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 9 forecast points nearest it (FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT, FWA, CMH, CRW, EKN, RIC). 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	250° at 17 kt	−14 kt		134 kt	7 h 08 min	5:47 pm EDT (21:47 UTC)
5,500 ft	260° at 18 kt	−16 kt	15 °C	136 kt	7 h 01 min	5:40 pm EDT (21:40 UTC)
7,500 ft	260° at 20 kt	−18 kt	13 °C	138 kt	6 h 55 min	5:34 pm EDT (21:34 UTC)
9,500 ft	270° at 22 kt	−21 kt	10 °C	141 kt	6 h 46 min	5:25 pm EDT (21:25 UTC)
11,500 ft	280° at 24 kt	−24 kt	6 °C	144 kt	6 h 38 min	5:17 pm EDT (21:17 UTC)
13,500 ft	280° at 25 kt	−26 kt	2 °C	146 kt	6 h 32 min	5:11 pm EDT (21:11 UTC)
15,500 ft	280° at 27 kt	−27 kt	-2 °C	147 kt	6 h 30 min	5:09 pm EDT (21:09 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 28 kt	−29 kt	-7 °C	149 kt	6 h 25 min	5:04 pm EDT (21:04 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 29 kt	−29 kt	-8 °C	149 kt	6 h 25 min	5:04 pm EDT (21:04 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 36 kt	−36 kt	-20 °C	156 kt	6 h 07 min	4:46 pm EDT (20:46 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 40 kt	−39 kt	-35 °C	159 kt	6 h	4:39 pm EDT (20:39 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 49 kt	−50 kt	-39 °C	170 kt	5 h 37 min	4:16 pm EDT (20:16 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 53 kt	−54 kt	-48 °C	174 kt	5 h 29 min	4:08 pm EDT (20:08 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; 25 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°
MCW	used from 100 nm out; 32 nm from the line	220/19	210/29 20°	230/35 13°	250/35 5°	250/33 -9°	260/44 -21°	260/46 -33°	270/58 -37°	270/59 -46°
DBQ	used from 199 nm out; 52 nm from the line	250/26	240/32 19°	250/35 11°	260/37 5°	270/35 -9°	270/40 -21°	270/43 -35°	280/49 -37°	280/58 -46°
JOT	used from 348 nm out; 26 nm from the line	230/30	250/26 16°	270/27 11°	280/34 5°	290/32 -8°	280/37 -21°	280/40 -36°	290/46 -37°	290/56 -47°
FWA	used from 448 nm out; 68 nm from the line	250/18	260/22 15°	260/27 7°	290/26 6°	290/28 -8°	290/39 -20°	280/36 -37°	290/54 -39°	310/60 -48°
CMH	used from 597 nm out; 37 nm from the line	270/15	280/20 14°	280/21 9°	290/26 4°	290/29 -7°	290/38 -20°	280/44 -35°	280/48 -42°	310/61 -48°
CRW	used from 697 nm out; 55 nm from the line	270/8	320/23 15°	320/22 10°	330/25 5°	300/30 -6°	290/34 -19°	280/37 -35°	290/48 -42°	310/58 -50°
EKN	used from 746 nm out; 43 nm from the line		320/20 15°	340/24 10°	340/25 4°	310/28 -7°	290/32 -19°	290/36 -36°	300/49 -43°	310/48 -50°
RIC	used from 896 nm out; 35 nm from the line	350/24	350/28 14°	340/25 8°	340/26 5°	340/40 -6°	340/44 -19°	340/48 -33°	330/45 -42°	310/38 -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: 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)
EGQ Emmetsburg, IA	90 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line	no report just now				1,206 ft
AXA Algona, IA	109 nm out, 3 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,216 ft	14:15 UTC
ALO Waterloo, IA	199 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	873 ft	13:54 UTC
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL	378 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots	9 mi	none	712 ft	13:52 UTC
LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL	398 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	679 ft	13:45 UTC
GUS Peru, IN	508 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	810 ft	13:55 UTC
LCK Columbus, OH	657 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	800 ft	743 ft	13:55 UTC
PKB Parkersburg, WV	736 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet	from the west (280°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	1,800 ft	858 ft	13:53 UTC
EKN Elkins, WV	806 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,400 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet	calm	9 mi	1,400 ft	1,987 ft	14:19 UTC
CHO Charlottesville, VA	886 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	640 ft	13:53 UTC
RIC Richmond, VA	destination	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,500 feet	from the north-northwest (340°) at 18 knots, gusting to 28	10+ mi	none	167 ft	9:54 am EDT (13:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,987 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RIC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:08 pm EDT (20:08 UTC)

Wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for RIC

From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet
At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): a broken layer at 4,000 feet
From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

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 RIC 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 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, Richmond International.