The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 3:40 am CDT (08:40 UTC)

Minot International to Detroit Metro Wayne County MOT → DTW

838 nautical miles (964 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 109°, about 103° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 59-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC). Right now MOT is IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 10 knots; DTW is IFR, wind from the west (260°) at 7 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: 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

  • 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 first 289 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 479 to 678 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the last 70 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 MOT.

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

  • B738 at 1,700 ft, 43 nm southwest, 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. At the destination end, 43 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
    Report
    a routine report filed through TOL
    Where
    over KTOL
    Time
    06:20 UTC
    Height
    at 1,700 ft
    Aircraft
    B738
    Sky
    overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
    Remarks
    during the descent
  • A333 descending, 0 nm south, 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 0 nm south of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
    Report
    a routine report filed through DTW
    Where
    over DTW
    Time
    05:44 UTC
    Height
    during the descent
    Aircraft
    A333
    Sky
    tops 2,500 ft

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 9 forecast points nearest it (MOT, GFK, AXN, DLH, MSP, LSE, GRB, MKG, CLE). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft250° at 10 kt−6 kt126 kt6 h 39 min11:19 am EDT (15:19 UTC)
5,500 ft250° at 10 kt−7 kt4 °C127 kt6 h 36 min11:16 am EDT (15:16 UTC)
7,500 ft240° at 14 kt−9 kt11 °C129 kt6 h 30 min11:10 am EDT (15:10 UTC)
9,500 ft240° at 19 kt−12 kt8 °C132 kt6 h 21 min11:01 am EDT (15:01 UTC)
11,500 ft250° at 25 kt−18 kt5 °C138 kt6 h 04 min10:44 am EDT (14:44 UTC)
13,500 ft260° at 28 kt−22 kt1 °C142 kt5 h 54 min10:34 am EDT (14:34 UTC)
15,500 ft260° at 30 kt−26 kt-4 °C146 kt5 h 44 min10:24 am EDT (14:24 UTC)
17,500 ft270° at 32 kt−29 kt-9 °C149 kt5 h 37 min10:17 am EDT (14:17 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180270° at 33 kt−30 kt-10 °C150 kt5 h 35 min10:15 am EDT (14:15 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240270° at 34 kt−30 kt-21 °C150 kt5 h 35 min10:15 am EDT (14:15 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300270° at 35 kt−31 kt-37 °C151 kt5 h 33 min10:13 am EDT (14:13 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340270° at 48 kt−43 kt-43 °C163 kt5 h 08 min9:48 am EDT (13:48 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390280° at 60 kt−59 kt-49 °C179 kt4 h 41 min9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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
MOTused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line120/14 4°190/25 5°220/41 1°240/43 -11°230/39 -22°220/44 -38°240/62 -42°250/73 -48°
GFKused from 100 nm out; 54 nm from the line080/18L/V 11°260/22 7°250/48 3°260/51 -11°250/44 -22°260/34 -38°260/53 -44°270/66 -49°
AXNused from 199 nm out; 70 nm from the line110/6260/10 16°240/17 12°250/20 5°260/29 -10°260/35 -22°260/29 -38°270/48 -41°270/61 -48°
DLHused from 349 nm out; 62 nm from the line090/31250/7 14°250/26 11°250/36 4°280/36 -11°290/35 -22°300/39 -38°280/41 -44°280/66 -49°
MSPused from 399 nm out; 75 nm from the line250/12250/17 17°240/26 12°250/26 5°280/26 -9°280/32 -22°270/37 -38°280/47 -41°280/55 -48°
LSEused from 449 nm out; 82 nm from the line250/25240/21 17°240/28 11°250/28 5°280/24 -10°280/31 -21°260/35 -37°270/45 -43°280/59 -47°
GRBused from 499 nm out; 67 nm from the line250/32250/22 17°240/18 8°280/21 6°280/34 -11°280/35 -21°280/39 -37°270/52 -45°290/60 -49°
MKGused from 648 nm out; 30 nm from the line260/28260/18 15°250/16 9°260/22 4°280/31 -9°270/35 -21°270/44 -35°270/42 -45°290/61 -51°
CLEused from 798 nm out; 103 nm from the line310/7350/20 14°340/16 9°320/21 2°320/32 -8°330/34 -20°330/45 -36°320/60 -45°320/64 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
MOT Minot, ND departure IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet Weather: rain from the north (350°) at 10 knots 7 mi 800 ft 1,715 ft 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC)
RUG Rugby, ND 40 nm out, 25 nm northeast of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet from the northeast (040°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi 900 ft 1,549 ft 06:15 UTC
DVL Devils Lake, ND 90 nm out, 24 nm northeast of the line IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain from the northeast (040°) at 10 knots 10+ mi 500 ft 1,469 ft 07:56 UTC
FAR Fargo, ND 199 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain, mist from the north (010°) at 11 knots 2 mi 300 ft 901 ft 08:20 UTC
BRD Brainerd, MN 309 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line VFR from the northeast (050°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 1,232 ft 07:53 UTC
GTG Grantsburg, WI 379 nm out, 5 nm south of the line no report just now 927 ft
MDZ Medford, WI 489 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 1,478 ft 08:35 UTC
CWA Mosinee, WI 519 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR Sky: a few clouds at 17,000 feet, a broken layer at 22,000 feet, a broken layer at 24,000 feet from the south (170°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 22,000 ft 1,277 ft 08:15 UTC
GRB Green Bay, WI 588 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 695 ft 07:53 UTC
GRR Grand Rapids, MI 738 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower marginal VFR Weather: mist from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots 5 mi none 793 ft 08:01 UTC
LAN Lansing, MI 778 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots 8 mi none 860 ft 07:53 UTC
DTW Detroit, MI destination IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet from the west (260°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 800 ft 645 ft 3:53 am EDT (07:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,715 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At DTW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC)

Wind from the west-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for DTW
  • From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
  • From Mon 4:30 am EDT (08:30 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist, a broken layer at 300 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
The forecast for MOT, the departure
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light rain, mist, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,200 feet
  • From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 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 MOT 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC), at DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 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 northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Minot International, Detroit Metro Wayne County.