The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 11:30 pm EDT (03:30 UTC)

Indianapolis International to Tucson International IND → TUS

1,277 nautical miles (1,470 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 257°, about 262° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 22-knot headwind), arriving about 9:32 am MST (16:32 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: 7 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 3C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 30 knots, until 12:55 am EDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 918 to 988 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120255
    MKCC WST 120255
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 3C
    VALID UNTIL 0455Z
    TX NM
    FROM 50SE CIM-70WNW MRF-30W ELP-10W FTI-50SE CIM
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22030KT. 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 40 nm of the route.
  • 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 529 to 579 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 908 to 1118 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the route from 978 to 1128 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 IND.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • A21N at 17,000 ft, 44 nm south, 9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC): no icing, clear from 17,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: clear since departing KIND southbound. At the departure end, 44 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    IND UA /OV IND183045/TM 0128/FL170/TP A21N/SK SKC/IC NEG/RM CLR SINCE DEPARTING KIND SOUTHBOUND
    Report
    a routine report filed through IND
    Where
    45 nm south (183°) of IND
    Time
    01:28 UTC
    Height
    at 17,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A21N
    Sky
    clear
    Icing
    none
    Remarks
    clear since departing KIND southbound
  • B738 at 36,000 ft, 14 nm north, 11:11 pm EDT (03:11 UTC): -40 °C, wind 245° at 69 knots, remarks: produced by skypath. 938 nm along the route, 14 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    SXU UA /OV ACH146017 /TM 0311 /FL360 /TP B738 /TA M40 /WV 24569KT /RM PRODUCED BY SKYPATH
    Report
    a routine report filed through SXU
    Where
    17 nm southeast (146°) of ACH
    Time
    03:11 UTC
    Height
    at 36,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B738
    Temperature
    −40 °C
    Wind
    from 245° at 69 knots
    Remarks
    produced by skypath

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 12 forecast points nearest it (IND, SPI, STL, COU, SGF, ICT, GAG, AMA, TCC, ABQ, ELP, TUS). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft220° at 28 kt+26 kt16 °C94 kt13 h 35 min10:05 am MST (17:05 UTC)
6,500 ft230° at 27 kt+25 kt15 °C95 kt13 h 27 min9:57 am MST (16:57 UTC)
8,500 ft230° at 24 kt+23 kt12 °C97 kt13 h 10 min9:40 am MST (16:40 UTC)
10,500 ft230° at 22 kt+22 kt9 °C98 kt13 h 02 min9:32 am MST (16:32 UTC)
12,500 ft230° at 22 kt+22 kt5 °C98 kt13 h 02 min9:32 am MST (16:32 UTC)
14,500 ft230° at 24 kt+24 kt1 °C96 kt13 h 18 min9:48 am MST (16:48 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 27 kt+27 kt-3 °C93 kt13 h 44 min10:14 am MST (17:14 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 28 kt+28 kt-7 °C92 kt13 h 53 min10:23 am MST (17:23 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 37 kt+37 kt-18 °C83 kt15 h 23 min11:53 am MST (18:53 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 54 kt+55 kt-29 °C65 kt19 h 39 min4:09 pm MST (23:09 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 56 kt+56 kt-38 °C64 kt19 h 57 min4:27 pm MST (23:27 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390270° at 50 kt+49 kt-49 °C71 kt17 h 59 min2:29 pm MST (21:29 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
INDused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line290/16310/20 16°320/21 10°330/13 3°300/25 -7°320/32 -19°330/46 -34°320/61 -43°320/63 -50°
SPIused from 100 nm out; 52 nm from the line220/21250/23 16°260/27 9°270/14 6°270/23 -7°270/31 -19°270/28 -33°290/48 -42°300/55 -52°
STLused from 150 nm out; 25 nm from the line250/24250/24 16°260/23 9°270/16 6°260/25 -6°270/29 -19°290/34 -33°290/48 -41°290/54 -51°
COUused from 249 nm out; 20 nm from the line230/31230/30 15°260/16 11°270/14 6°260/24 -6°270/27 -18°270/37 -32°280/49 -41°290/56 -51°
SGFused from 349 nm out; 56 nm from the line230/33230/28 15°250/20 13°240/18 7°250/20 -6°250/24 -17°280/42 -31°280/49 -40°290/46 -51°
ICTused from 449 nm out; 69 nm from the line200/48230/39 19°240/24 14°240/20 8°240/22 -6°250/31 -18°250/61 -29°260/58 -38°270/54 -49°
GAGused from 599 nm out; 46 nm from the line220/40 19°230/28 14°240/23 8°230/21 -6°240/31 -19°250/66 -29°260/58 -38°260/47 -49°
AMAused from 748 nm out; 30 nm from the line210/38230/29 14°240/29 7°220/27 -5°240/37 -18°240/66 -28°250/59 -37°260/47 -49°
TCCused from 798 nm out; 44 nm from the line210/42230/33 14°230/32 6°220/35 -6°230/49 -19°240/72 -27°250/62 -36°250/52 -48°
ABQused from 948 nm out; 68 nm from the line220/27 11°210/35 5°220/46 -9°230/62 -20°240/78 -25°240/80 -35°240/56 -47°
ELPused from 1098 nm out; 129 nm from the line290/17210/11 13°200/18 5°220/46 -6°230/64 -14°230/63 -27°240/55 -37°240/44 -48°
TUSused from 1148 nm out; 105 nm from the line210/13 13°200/35 9°210/40 5°220/50 -7°220/59 -18°230/79 -26°230/84 -35°230/84 -48°

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
IND Indianapolis, IN departure no report just now 796 ft
HUF Terre Haute, IN 50 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 589 ft
ALN Alton/St Louis, IL 180 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 543 ft
JEF Jefferson City, MO 279 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower no report just now 549 ft
CNU Chanute, KS 449 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line no report just now 1,002 ft
AVK Alva, OK 609 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line no report just now 1,476 ft
WWR Woodward, OK 659 nm out, 4 nm east of the line no report just now 2,189 ft
TCC Tucumcari, NM 868 nm out, 6 nm north of the line no report just now 4,064 ft
SXU Santa Rosa, NM 918 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line no report just now 4,791 ft
ONM Socorro, NM 1048 nm out, 11 nm north of the line no report just now 4,875 ft
CFT Clifton/Morenci, AZ 1177 nm out, 5 nm north of the line no report just now 3,797 ft
TUS Tucson, AZ destination no report just now 2,643 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 4,875 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At TUS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:32 am MST (16:32 UTC)

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

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

  • 6/8722 ALAMOGORDO, NM, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Local on the route, 998 nm along the route · security · starts tomorrow · ZAB

Daylight

Sunset at IND 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC), at TUS 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:19 pm MST (01:19 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 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 now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · 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: Indianapolis International, Tucson International.