Plan a flight · Sun 7:30 pm EDT (23:30 UTC)

Purdue University Airport to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field LAF → MSN

196 nautical miles (225 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 328°, about 329° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 8:10 pm CDT (01:10 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LAF is VFR, wind calm; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 6 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: 6 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 LAF.

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

E170 at 23,000 ft, 25 nm southeast, 7:14 pm EDT (23:14 UTC): light turbulence. At the departure end, 25 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV VHP315020/TM 2314/FL230/TP E170/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
20 nm northwest (315°) of VHP
Time
23:14 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
light
B772 at 34,000 ft, 4 nm northeast, 5:15 pm EDT (21:15 UTC): no turbulence above 34,000 ft. 29 nm along the route, 4 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAF UA /OV BVT340020/TM 2115/FL340/TP B772/TB NEG 340
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAF
Where
20 nm north (340°) of BVT
Time
21:15 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
B772
Turbulence
no at 34,000 ft
A319 at 15,000 ft, 45 nm northeast, 6:08 pm EDT (22:08 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft. 59 nm along the route, 45 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PPO UA /OV PPO/TM 2208/FL150/TP A319/TB NEG/RM DURD 150-130
```
Report
a routine report filed through PPO
Where
over PPO
Time
22:08 UTC
Height
at 15,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
none
Remarks
during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft
E50P at 36,000 ft, 48 nm southwest, 5:25 pm EDT (21:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 69 nm along the route, 48 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PNT UA /OV PNT/TM 2125/FL360/TP E50P/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through PNT
Where
over PNT
Time
21:25 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
E50P
Turbulence
intermittent light chop
C17 at 500 ft, 14 nm southwest, 5:15 pm EDT (21:15 UTC): overcast above 500 ft. 108 nm along the route, 14 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
KADW UA /OV 1L ARR/TM 2115/FL005/TP C17/SK OVC005
```
Report
a routine report filed through KADW
Where
1L arrival
Time
21:15 UTC
Height
at 500 ft
Aircraft
C17
Sky
overcast from 500 ft
B39M at 34,000 ft, 28 nm northeast, 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): light chop turbulence. 127 nm along the route, 28 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ORD UA /OV OBK360015/TM 2100/FL340/TP B39M/TB CONS LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ORD
Where
15 nm north (360°) of OBK
Time
21:00 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
continuous light chop
B738 at 36,000 ft, 38 nm northeast, 6:11 pm EDT (22:11 UTC): no turbulence. 166 nm along the route, 38 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 2211/FL360/TP B738/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through UES
Where
over BAE
Time
22:11 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B738
Turbulence
none
B737 at 32,000 ft, 13 nm northeast, 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 UTC): light clear-air turbulence. 186 nm along the route, 13 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UES UA /OV BAE270030/TM 2242/FL320/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CAT
```
Report
a routine report filed through UES
Where
30 nm west (270°) of BAE
Time
22:42 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
occasional light clear-air turbulence

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 2 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

Height	Average wind	Head- or tailwind	Temperature	Ground speed	Time en route	Arrival
4,500 ft	250° at 13 kt	+2 kt		118 kt	1 h 40 min	8:10 pm CDT (01:10 UTC)
6,500 ft	270° at 14 kt	+8 kt	15 °C	112 kt	1 h 45 min	8:15 pm CDT (01:15 UTC)
8,500 ft	280° at 17 kt	+12 kt	11 °C	108 kt	1 h 49 min	8:19 pm CDT (01:19 UTC)
10,500 ft	290° at 17 kt	+15 kt	7 °C	105 kt	1 h 52 min	8:22 pm CDT (01:22 UTC)
12,500 ft	310° at 17 kt	+16 kt	3 °C	104 kt	1 h 53 min	8:23 pm CDT (01:23 UTC)
14,500 ft	300° at 17 kt	+15 kt	-1 °C	105 kt	1 h 52 min	8:22 pm CDT (01:22 UTC)
16,500 ft	300° at 16 kt	+14 kt	-6 °C	106 kt	1 h 51 min	8:21 pm CDT (01:21 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 16 kt	+14 kt	-9 °C	106 kt	1 h 51 min	8:21 pm CDT (01:21 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 29 kt	+29 kt	-20 °C	91 kt	2 h 09 min	8:39 pm CDT (01:39 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 47 kt	+47 kt	-36 °C	73 kt	2 h 41 min	9:11 pm CDT (02:11 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 54 kt	+53 kt	-45 °C	67 kt	2 h 56 min	9:26 pm CDT (02:26 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 67 kt	+66 kt	-50 °C	54 kt	3 h 38 min	10:08 pm CDT (03:08 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
JOT	used from 0 nm out; 63 nm from the line	230/11	290/12 16°	300/19 10°	320/19 4°	300/17 -9°	330/31 -20°	320/49 -37°	320/53 -45°	320/67 -49°
DBQ	used from 147 nm out; 78 nm from the line	220/23	240/22 16°	240/24 10°	260/18 5°	270/16 -8°	290/27 -19°	310/42 -35°	320/55 -44°	300/71 -52°

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
LAF Lafayette, IN	departure	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	605 ft	6:54 pm EDT (22:54 UTC)
RZL Rensselaer, IN	29 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	698 ft	23:15 UTC
LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL	88 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	679 ft	22:45 UTC
DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL	108 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	758 ft	22:52 UTC
JVL Janesville, WI	166 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	807 ft	22:45 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	5:53 pm CDT (22:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 886 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:10 pm CDT (01:10 UTC)

Wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MSN

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for LAF, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 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 LAF 7:14 pm EDT (23:14 UTC), at MSN 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm CDT (23:50 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSN is after sunset there (6:21 pm CDT (23:21 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 · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Purdue University Airport, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.