General Downing - Peoria International to Syracuse Hancock International PIA → SYR
624 nautical miles (718 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 072°, about 074° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 27-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:20 am EDT (12:20 UTC). Right now PIA is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 3 knots; SYR is marginal 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: 2 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, fog). Over the last 416 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 10 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 PIA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 7 nm south, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 79 nm along the route, 7 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
- B738 at 1,700 ft, 21 nm southeast, 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 267 nm along the route, 21 nm southeast 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
- B738 at 1,800 ft, 21 nm southeast, 12:18 am CDT (05:18 UTC): overcast from 1,800 ft to 2,700 ft, remarks: during the climb. 267 nm along the route, 21 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0518/FL018/TP B738/SK OVC018-TOP027/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over KTOL
- Time
- 05:18 UTC
- Height
- at 1,800 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,800 ft, tops 2,700 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- A333 descending, 11 nm north, 12:44 am CDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 297 nm along the route, 11 nm north 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 02:00–09:00 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 (SPI, JOT, FWA, CLE, BUF, SYR). 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 11 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 4 h 50 min | 8:55 am EDT (12:55 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 4 h 57 min | 9:02 am EDT (13:02 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | −5 kt | 11 °C | 125 kt | 5 h | 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | −5 kt | 7 °C | 125 kt | 5 h | 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 12 kt | −4 kt | 4 °C | 124 kt | 5 h 02 min | 9:07 am EDT (13:07 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 15 kt | −6 kt | 0 °C | 126 kt | 4 h 57 min | 9:02 am EDT (13:02 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −9 kt | -4 °C | 129 kt | 4 h 50 min | 8:55 am EDT (12:55 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | −12 kt | -8 °C | 132 kt | 4 h 44 min | 8:49 am EDT (12:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 22 kt | −13 kt | -9 °C | 133 kt | 4 h 42 min | 8:47 am EDT (12:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 30 kt | −16 kt | -21 °C | 136 kt | 4 h 35 min | 8:40 am EDT (12:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 37 kt | −15 kt | -36 °C | 135 kt | 4 h 37 min | 8:42 am EDT (12:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | −26 kt | -43 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 16 min | 8:21 am EDT (12:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 48 kt | −27 kt | -50 °C | 147 kt | 4 h 15 min | 8:20 am EDT (12:20 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPI | used from 0 nm out; 61 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° |
| JOT | used from 50 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| FWA | used from 149 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CLE | used from 297 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| BUF | used from 446 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
| SYR | used from 545 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 280/13 | 350/18 10° | 340/10 6° | 300/15 1° | 280/17 -12° | 270/16 -23° | 280/25 -38° | 250/40 -42° | 240/53 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIA Peoria, IL | departure | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC) |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 30 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 119 nm out, 24 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| EKM Elkhart, IN | 178 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 777 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| ANQ Angola, IN | 218 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | reported, no category | calm | 0.25 mi | none | 995 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| DTW Detroit, MI | 297 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 800 ft | 645 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| DET Detroit, MI | 317 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 624 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| CYQS St Thomas, | 406 nm out, 21 nm north of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| DKK Dunkirk, NY | 475 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 900 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 692 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 505 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,200 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 726 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| IUA Canandaigua, NY | 565 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 8,500 ft | 813 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| SYR Syracuse, NY | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 1,800 ft | 421 ft | 3:54 am EDT (07:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 995 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SYR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:20 am EDT (12:20 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 700 feet IFR
The whole forecast for SYR
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, light drizzle, mist, a broken layer at 400 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 700 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,000 feet
The forecast for PIA, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, 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 PIA 6:23 pm CDT (23:23 UTC), at SYR 6:27 pm EDT (22:27 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:55 pm EDT (22:55 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: General Downing - Peoria International, Syracuse Hancock International.