The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 11:28 pm EDT (03:28 UTC)

Washington Dulles International to Billings Logan International IAD → BIL

1,429 nautical miles (1,644 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 297°, about 307° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 46 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 10:14 am MDT (16:14 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 return flight

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

  • SIGMET E11E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC). Over the first 80 nm of the route.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 120255
    MKCE WST 120255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11E
    VALID UNTIL 0455Z
    NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND DE NJ NY MD CT VA CSTL WTRS
    FROM 20NE JFK-90SE SIE-20NNW ORF-30ENE EKN-10S JST-20NE JFK
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL340.
  • SIGMET 1C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 1199 to 1289 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120255
    MKCC WST 120255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1C
    VALID UNTIL 0455Z
    SD ND MT WY
    FROM 30WSW DIK-50NW DPR-60WNW RAP-50ENE SHR-30WSW DIK
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • 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 first 460 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 160 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 30 to 160 nm out.
  • 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). Near the route, 789 nm along the route.
  • 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 route from 919 to 989 nm out.
  • 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 last 360 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 1259 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 0 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 0 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 IAD.

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 westbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: even thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 15 forecast points nearest it (EKN, AGC, CLE, CMH, FWA, JOT, DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD, ABR, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft240° at 10 kt+8 kt11 °C112 kt12 h 46 min10:14 am MDT (16:14 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 11 kt+10 kt13 °C110 kt12 h 59 min10:27 am MDT (16:27 UTC)
8,500 ft250° at 11 kt+11 kt11 °C109 kt13 h 07 min10:35 am MDT (16:35 UTC)
10,500 ft250° at 13 kt+12 kt7 °C108 kt13 h 14 min10:42 am MDT (16:42 UTC)
12,500 ft250° at 15 kt+14 kt3 °C106 kt13 h 29 min10:57 am MDT (16:57 UTC)
14,500 ft260° at 17 kt+16 kt-1 °C104 kt13 h 44 min11:12 am MDT (17:12 UTC)
16,500 ft260° at 19 kt+19 kt-6 °C101 kt14 h 09 min11:37 am MDT (17:37 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180270° at 20 kt+21 kt-9 °C99 kt14 h 26 min11:54 am MDT (17:54 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240270° at 25 kt+26 kt-21 °C94 kt15 h 12 min12:40 pm MDT (18:40 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300270° at 28 kt+30 kt-35 °C90 kt15 h 53 min1:21 pm MDT (19:21 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340270° at 42 kt+44 kt-42 °C76 kt18 h 48 min4:16 pm MDT (22:16 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390280° at 48 kt+49 kt-49 °C71 kt20 h 08 min5:36 pm MDT (23:36 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
EKNused from 0 nm out; 91 nm from the line330/21 12°330/25 7°350/22 2°330/24 -10°310/27 -21°320/33 -35°290/31 -39°290/34 -47°
AGCused from 100 nm out; 30 nm from the line350/14330/20 11°340/18 8°330/17 3°340/22 -11°340/31 -22°330/33 -36°300/34 -41°300/35 -47°
CLEused from 200 nm out; 51 nm from the line340/7010/16 13°350/18 8°350/20 3°340/31 -10°340/46 -21°340/54 -37°330/62 -44°340/65 -49°
CMHused from 250 nm out; 54 nm from the line330/15340/22 14°340/24 9°340/23 4°340/35 -9°340/49 -20°340/58 -37°330/70 -42°340/55 -47°
FWAused from 300 nm out; 61 nm from the line300/17320/20 16°330/20 10°340/15 3°310/27 -8°320/37 -20°330/52 -36°330/65 -43°330/60 -50°
JOTused from 450 nm out; 65 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°
DBQused from 549 nm out; 73 nm from the line230/33250/30 16°280/15 9°260/15 5°260/21 -7°260/24 -20°250/37 -33°270/42 -43°280/63 -52°
LSEused from 649 nm out; 39 nm from the line230/40240/24 17°240/13 10°250/13 6°280/22 -9°250/28 -21°250/41 -34°260/42 -44°270/62 -53°
MCWused from 699 nm out; 47 nm from the line220/44250/30 17°230/14 12°240/17 6°250/22 -8°270/29 -20°250/34 -34°260/52 -43°260/59 -51°
FSDused from 849 nm out; 58 nm from the line190/9230/30 18°240/23 13°240/20 6°260/22 -9°250/31 -21°250/43 -36°260/49 -43°270/53 -47°
ABRused from 949 nm out; 57 nm from the line070/14250/10 17°270/16 11°260/28 5°260/36 -10°260/41 -22°270/33 -37°260/42 -42°260/50 -48°
PIRused from 1049 nm out; 33 nm from the line170/22 19°190/25 13°210/32 6°240/23 -9°250/32 -21°250/38 -36°260/44 -40°260/52 -47°
RAPused from 1149 nm out; 75 nm from the line180/23 12°200/38 13°210/38 6°220/28 -10°230/34 -21°230/37 -36°250/52 -38°250/59 -46°
MLSused from 1249 nm out; 70 nm from the line150/23 2°190/29 4°210/44 2°220/32 -10°210/36 -21°200/48 -37°230/63 -40°240/71 -47°
BILused from 1349 nm out; 55 nm from the line080/13180/9 -2°210/38 0°220/51 -11°210/46 -22°210/58 -35°230/73 -39°230/72 -45°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
IAD Washington, DC departure no report just now 312 ft
MGW Morgantown, WV 120 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower no report just now 1,243 ft
MFD Mansfield, OH 260 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 1,297 ft
TOL Toledo, OH 330 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 683 ft
UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL 520 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower no report just now 728 ft
MSN Madison, WI 589 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 886 ft
RST Rochester, MN 739 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower no report just now 1,317 ft
TKC Tracy, MN 869 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 1,335 ft
MKA Miller, SD 1019 nm out, 13 nm south of the line no report just now 1,569 ft
BIL Billings, MT destination no report just now 3,662 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:14 am MDT (16:14 UTC)

BIL has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

  • 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 8 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · ZDC
  • 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 4 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
  • 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 190 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
  • 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 23 nm from the route, 190 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB

Daylight

Sunset at IAD 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), at BIL 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 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 Northeast
Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Washington Dulles International, Billings Logan International.