Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field to Sheridan County MSN → SHR
767 nautical miles (883 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 283°, about 286° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 27 min at the quickest height in today's winds (18,000 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 1:43 pm MDT (19:43 UTC). Right now MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 7 knots; SHR is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (310°) 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: 1 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 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 130 nm along the route.
- 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 last 488 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the last 50 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 MSN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 46 nm east, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 46 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL). 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 | 240° at 21 kt | +18 kt | 13 °C | 102 kt | 7 h 31 min | 1:47 pm MDT (19:47 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +18 kt | 16 °C | 102 kt | 7 h 31 min | 1:47 pm MDT (19:47 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 24 kt | +19 kt | 12 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 36 min | 1:52 pm MDT (19:52 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +20 kt | 8 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 40 min | 1:56 pm MDT (19:56 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +20 kt | 3 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 40 min | 1:56 pm MDT (19:56 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +19 kt | -2 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 36 min | 1:52 pm MDT (19:52 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +18 kt | -6 °C | 102 kt | 7 h 31 min | 1:47 pm MDT (19:47 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 25 kt | +17 kt | -10 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 27 min | 1:43 pm MDT (19:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 33 kt | +23 kt | -22 °C | 97 kt | 7 h 54 min | 2:10 pm MDT (20:10 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 38 kt | +33 kt | -34 °C | 87 kt | 8 h 49 min | 3:05 pm MDT (21:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 45 kt | +41 kt | -38 °C | 79 kt | 9 h 43 min | 3:59 pm MDT (21:59 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 55 kt | +53 kt | -47 °C | 67 kt | 11 h 27 min | 5:43 pm MDT (23:43 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
| 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; 62 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| LSE | used from 50 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 250/25 | 240/21 17° | 240/28 11° | 250/28 5° | 280/24 -10° | 280/31 -21° | 260/35 -37° | 270/45 -43° | 280/59 -47° |
| MCW | used from 149 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| FSD | used from 249 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| PIR | used from 399 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| RAP | used from 548 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 250/28 16° | 260/31 10° | 240/25 4° | 210/35 -10° | 200/45 -23° | 230/47 -31° | 230/47 -36° | 230/51 -46° | |
| MLS | used from 698 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| BIL | used from 747 nm out; 98 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° |
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 Sky: a broken layer at 24,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 886 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
| LNR Lone Rock, WI | 40 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the east-northeast (060°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 717 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| RST Rochester, MN | 140 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 8 mi | none | 1,317 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| AUM Austin, MN | 159 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,233 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| MWM Windom, MN | 259 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 1,410 ft | 11:21 UTC |
| PQN Pipestone, MN | 309 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (050°) at 7 knots | 4 mi | 100 ft | 1,736 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| HON Huron, SD | 389 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the north (360°) at 8 knots | 2 mi | 200 ft | 1,288 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| PIR Pierre, SD | 478 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots | 3 mi | 400 ft | 1,744 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| EFC Belle Fourche, SD | 638 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 3,190 ft | ||||
| GCC Gillette, WY | 707 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 900 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 16 knots, gusting to 21 | 5 mi | 600 ft | 4,365 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| SHR Sheridan, WY | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 4,021 ft | 5:53 am MDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,365 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SHR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:43 pm MDT (19:43 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for SHR
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light drizzle, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Tue 4:00 am MDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 600 feet
The forecast for MSN, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at SHR 6:27 pm MDT (00:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:56 pm MDT (00:56 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: Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field, Sheridan County.