Lincoln Airport to Purdue University Airport LNK → LAF
448 nautical miles (516 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 087° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 38 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 50-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LNK is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 10 knots; LAF is VFR, wind calm. 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: 4 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 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 first 159 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 LNK.
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, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): light turbulence. At the destination 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
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (OMA, DSM, BRL, SPI, JOT, IND). 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 | 210° at 20 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 3 h 28 min | 1:22 am EDT (05:22 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 14 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 15 min | 1:09 am EDT (05:09 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 9 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 15 min | 1:09 am EDT (05:09 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 16 kt | −17 kt | 6 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 16 kt | −16 kt | 2 °C | 136 kt | 3 h 18 min | 1:12 am EDT (05:12 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 17 kt | −17 kt | -3 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 280° at 17 kt | −17 kt | -7 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 17 kt | −17 kt | -8 °C | 137 kt | 3 h 16 min | 1:10 am EDT (05:10 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 21 kt | −20 kt | -19 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 12 min | 1:06 am EDT (05:06 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 33 kt | −28 kt | -34 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 02 min | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 42 kt | −38 kt | -42 °C | 158 kt | 2 h 50 min | 12:44 am EDT (04:44 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 57 kt | −50 kt | -51 °C | 170 kt | 2 h 38 min | 12:32 am EDT (04:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | used from 0 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| DSM | used from 100 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| BRL | used from 199 nm out; 32 nm from the line | 200/20 | 250/21 16° | 240/22 10° | 260/20 5° | 270/16 -7° | 290/22 -18° | 320/41 -34° | 320/56 -43° | 310/68 -53° |
| SPI | used from 299 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| JOT | used from 349 nm out; 61 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° |
| IND | used from 398 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNK Lincoln, NE | departure | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC) |
| PMV Plattsmouth, NE | 40 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,204 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| SDA Shenandoah, IA | 60 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 9 mi | none | 971 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| CRZ Corning, IA | 90 nm out, 10 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,274 ft | ||||
| TVK Centerville, IA | 179 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,023 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| FFL Fairfield, IA | 219 nm out, 19 nm north of the line | reported, no category | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 800 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| FSW Fort Madison, IA | 249 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 721 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| CTK Canton, IL | 309 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 683 ft | ||||
| PIA Peoria, IL | 319 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| TIP Rantoul, IL | 398 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 737 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| DNV Danville, IL | 418 nm out, 16 nm south of the line | no report just now | 696 ft | ||||
| LAF Lafayette, IN | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 8:54 pm EDT (00:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,274 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LAF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for LAF
- 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
The forecast for LNK, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, 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 LNK 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC), at LAF 7:12 pm EDT (23:12 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:40 pm EDT (23:40 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LAF is before sunrise there (7:55 am EDT (11:55 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: Lincoln Airport, Purdue University Airport.