Blue Grass Airport to Des Moines International LEX → DSM
467 nautical miles (538 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 300°, about 304° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 4:37 am CDT (09:37 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LEX is IFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots; DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 10 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: 3 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 149 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 last 119 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 LEX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- UAL2499 at 28,000 ft, 43 nm northeast, 10:15 pm EDT (02:15 UTC): light chop turbulence. 388 nm along the route, 43 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ARP UAL2499 4138N 09137W 0215 F280 TB INTMT LGT CHOP IC
- Report
- a routine report filed through ARP
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 5 forecast points nearest it (LOU, IND, SPI, BRL, DSM). 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 | 260° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 104 kt | 4 h 29 min | 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | +19 kt | 15 °C | 101 kt | 4 h 37 min | 4:50 am CDT (09:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | +19 kt | 11 °C | 101 kt | 4 h 37 min | 4:50 am CDT (09:50 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 7 °C | 104 kt | 4 h 29 min | 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +14 kt | 3 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 24 min | 4:37 am CDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 0 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 32 min | 4:45 am CDT (09:45 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 20 kt | +20 kt | -4 °C | 100 kt | 4 h 40 min | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 22 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 46 min | 4:59 am CDT (09:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 28 kt | +29 kt | -19 °C | 91 kt | 5 h 08 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 35 kt | +35 kt | -33 °C | 85 kt | 5 h 30 min | 5:43 am CDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 50 kt | +51 kt | -42 °C | 69 kt | 6 h 46 min | 6:59 am CDT (11:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 51 kt | +52 kt | -51 °C | 68 kt | 6 h 52 min | 7:05 am CDT (12:05 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| IND | used from 99 nm out; 51 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° |
| SPI | used from 199 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| BRL | used from 298 nm out; 22 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° |
| DSM | used from 398 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEX Lexington, KY | departure | IFR Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 1.25 mi | none | 979 ft | 12:54 am EDT (04:54 UTC) |
| FFT Frankfort, KY | 20 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | reported, no category | calm | none | 812 ft | 04:53 UTC | |
| LOU Louisville, KY | 50 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 545 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 119 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 845 ft | 05:07 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 149 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 229 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Weather: haze | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 6 mi | none | 681 ft | 04:54 UTC |
| SPI Springfield, IL | 258 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 597 ft | 04:52 UTC |
| MQB Macomb, IL | 318 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 705 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| FSW Fort Madison, IA | 348 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 721 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| OTM Ottumwa, IA | 408 nm out, 1 nm south of the line | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| OXV Knoxville, IA | 437 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 928 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 979 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:37 am CDT (09:37 UTC)
Wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DSM
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for LEX, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility 1 mile, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 3 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, overcast at 100 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 LEX 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC), at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DSM is before sunrise there (7:23 am CDT (12:23 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: Blue Grass Airport, Des Moines International.