Plan a flight · Sun 7:57 pm CDT (00:57 UTC)

Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field to Charlotte/Douglas International MSN → CLT

615 nautical miles (708 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 138°, about 141° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 38-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:51 am EDT (04:51 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 knots; CLT is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 9 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: 1,991 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 route from 357 to 496 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 426 to 555 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 506 to 595 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 MSN.

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

A321 at 30,000 ft, 18 nm west, 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC): moderate turbulence. 466 nm along the route, 18 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV AZQ170020/TM 2345/FL300/TP A321/TB MOD
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
20 nm south (170°) of AZQ
Time
23:45 UTC
Height
at 30,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
moderate
PA46 at 23,000 ft, 7 nm northeast, 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 22,000 ft to 23,000 ft, remarks: ZTLFD-44. 526 nm along the route, 7 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TRI UA /OV HMV090010/TM 2328/FL230/TP PA46/TB LGT- MOD CHOP 230-220/RM ZTLFD-44
```
Report
a routine report filed through TRI
Where
10 nm east (090°) of HMV
Time
23:28 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
PA46
Turbulence
light moderate chop from 23,000 ft to 22,000 ft
Remarks
ZTLFD-44
B737 at 32,000 ft, 12 nm northeast, 5:42 pm CDT (22:42 UTC): light clear-air turbulence. At the departure end, 12 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
E295 at 37,000 ft, 34 nm northeast, 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. 30 nm along the route, 34 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 0053/FL370/TP E295/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through UES
Where
over BAE
Time
00:53 UTC
Height
at 37,000 ft
Aircraft
E295
Turbulence
occasional light chop
B738 at 36,000 ft, 34 nm northeast, 5:11 pm CDT (22:11 UTC): no turbulence. 30 nm along the route, 34 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
CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. 109 nm along the route, 37 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through BEH
Where
40 nm west (270°) of ELX
Time
00:04 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
none
B39M at 35,000 ft, 7 nm west, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. 129 nm along the route, 7 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through IKK
Where
over CGT
Time
00:29 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
smooth
A319 at 15,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 5:08 pm CDT (22:08 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft. 149 nm along the route, 25 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
E170 at 23,000 ft, 32 nm southwest, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): light turbulence. 218 nm along the route, 32 nm southwest 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
E145 climbing, 49 nm northeast, 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 297 nm along the route, 49 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CMH UA /OV DAY/TM 2351/FLDURC/TP E145/SK B005 T035
```
Report
a routine report filed through CMH
Where
over DAY
Time
23:51 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
E145
Sky
B005 T035
B744 climbing, 4 nm northeast, 7:02 pm CDT (00:02 UTC): light turbulence, overcast. 317 nm along the route, 4 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 10 N CVG/TM 0002/FLDURC/TP B744/SK B022 OVC T036/TB LT TB SFC-036
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
10 north cvg
Time
00:02 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B744
Sky
B022 overcast T036
Turbulence
lt turbulence from the surface to 3,600 ft
B739 climbing, 7 nm south, 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC): overcast. 317 nm along the route, 7 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 2331/FLDURC/TP B739/SK B026 OVC T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
5 west cvg
Time
23:31 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B739
Sky
B026 overcast T036
A333 at 4,000 ft, 10 nm southwest, 5:44 pm CDT (22:44 UTC): overcast. 317 nm along the route, 10 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270010/TM 2244/FL040/TP A333/SK B025 OVC T035
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
10 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
22:44 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
A333
Sky
B025 overcast T035
B737 at 23,000 ft, 3 nm northwest, 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC): light turbulence. 327 nm along the route, 3 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV CVG/TM 2351/FL230/TP B737/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over CVG
Time
23:51 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light

5 more routine reports are on the map.

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 (DBQ, JOT, IND, CVG, TRI, GSP). 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	290° at 9 kt	−7 kt		127 kt	4 h 51 min	1:48 am EDT (05:48 UTC)
5,500 ft	310° at 19 kt	−19 kt	11 °C	139 kt	4 h 25 min	1:22 am EDT (05:22 UTC)
7,500 ft	320° at 22 kt	−22 kt	11 °C	142 kt	4 h 20 min	1:17 am EDT (05:17 UTC)
9,500 ft	320° at 24 kt	−24 kt	8 °C	144 kt	4 h 16 min	1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC)
11,500 ft	330° at 24 kt	−24 kt	4 °C	144 kt	4 h 16 min	1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC)
13,500 ft	330° at 24 kt	−24 kt	0 °C	144 kt	4 h 16 min	1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC)
15,500 ft	320° at 24 kt	−24 kt	-4 °C	144 kt	4 h 16 min	1:13 am EDT (05:13 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 23 kt	−23 kt	-8 °C	143 kt	4 h 18 min	1:15 am EDT (05:15 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 23 kt	−23 kt	-9 °C	143 kt	4 h 18 min	1:15 am EDT (05:15 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	310° at 30 kt	−30 kt	-20 °C	150 kt	4 h 06 min	1:03 am EDT (05:03 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 34 kt	−32 kt	-34 °C	152 kt	4 h 03 min	1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	300° at 36 kt	−32 kt	-41 °C	152 kt	4 h 03 min	1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 42 kt	−38 kt	-48 °C	158 kt	3 h 54 min	12:51 am EDT (04:51 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
DBQ	used from 0 nm out; 81 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°
JOT	used from 50 nm out; 42 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 198 nm out; 38 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°
CVG	used from 297 nm out; 2 nm from the line	350/13	340/20 13°	340/22 8°	350/30 3°	340/30 -9°	340/38 -21°	330/37 -35°	320/38 -40°	310/35 -47°
TRI	used from 397 nm out; 91 nm from the line		310/28 11°	320/32 7°	330/30 2°	300/28 -9°	280/34 -21°	250/37 -31°	240/39 -38°	250/35 -48°
GSP	used from 595 nm out; 62 nm from the line	300/22	310/22 11°	300/22 7°	290/28 5°	270/36 -5°	250/42 -18°	230/54 -31°	230/59 -40°	230/65 -50°

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
MSN Madison, WI	departure	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)
JVL Janesville, WI	30 nm out, 11 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	00:45 UTC
MDW Chicago, IL	109 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	619 ft	00:53 UTC
GYY Gary/Chicago, IN	129 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	calm	8 mi	none	596 ft	00:50 UTC
GUS Peru, IN	208 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	810 ft	00:55 UTC
AID Anderson, IN	248 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	919 ft	23:35 UTC
CVG Covington, KY	327 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,700 feet	from the north-northwest (340°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	1,700 ft	896 ft	00:52 UTC
SYM Morehead, KY	397 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain	variable at 5 knots	1.5 mi	300 ft	1,028 ft	23:22 UTC
LNP Wise, VA	486 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: light rain	from the west (270°) at 6 knots	3 mi	400 ft	2,684 ft	23:35 UTC
TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN	516 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 1,800 feet, a broken layer at 2,400 feet Weather: light rain, mist	from the west-southwest (250°) at 11 knots	5 mi	1,800 ft	1,518 ft	00:53 UTC
HKY Hickory, NC	575 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	1,189 ft	00:53 UTC
CLT Charlotte, NC	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 feet, a few clouds at 6,000 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	747 ft	8:52 pm EDT (00:52 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,684 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:51 am EDT (04:51 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CLT

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 23,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for MSN, the departure

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

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

6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 327 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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 upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Southeast · 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: Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field, Charlotte/Douglas International.