Oakland County International to Joe Foss Field PTK → FSD
586 nautical miles (674 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 287° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 8:20 am CDT (13:20 UTC). Right now PTK is low IFR, wind from the west (260°) at 4 knots; FSD is VFR, wind from the north (010°) at 3 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 119 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 268 to 467 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 PTK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A333 descending, 27 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 27 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 02:00–09:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MKG, GRB, DBQ, LSE, MCW, FSD). 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 24 kt | +21 kt | 99 kt | 5 h 55 min | 8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 5 h 52 min | 8:46 am CDT (13:46 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +14 kt | 12 °C | 106 kt | 5 h 32 min | 8:26 am CDT (13:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 12 kt | +12 kt | 8 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 26 min | 8:20 am CDT (13:20 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +12 kt | 4 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 26 min | 8:20 am CDT (13:20 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | +16 kt | -1 °C | 104 kt | 5 h 38 min | 8:32 am CDT (13:32 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +20 kt | -5 °C | 100 kt | 5 h 52 min | 8:46 am CDT (13:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 22 kt | +23 kt | -9 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 02 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 28 kt | +28 kt | -20 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 22 min | 9:16 am CDT (14:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 35 kt | +36 kt | -35 °C | 84 kt | 6 h 59 min | 9:53 am CDT (14:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 46 kt | +46 kt | -44 °C | 74 kt | 7 h 55 min | 10:49 am CDT (15:49 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 61 kt | +61 kt | -52 °C | 59 kt | 9 h 56 min | 12:50 pm CDT (17:50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| GRB | used from 199 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 250/36 | 270/23 16° | 270/14 9° | 240/18 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/29 -20° | 290/42 -36° | 290/51 -45° | 290/72 -55° |
| DBQ | used from 248 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| LSE | used from 298 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 230/40 | 240/24 17° | 240/13 10° | 250/13 6° | 280/22 -9° | 250/28 -21° | 250/41 -34° | 260/42 -44° | 270/62 -53° |
| MCW | used from 397 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| FSD | used from 496 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PTK Pontiac, MI | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 980 ft | 3:43 am EDT (07:43 UTC) |
| LAN Lansing, MI | 50 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | none | 860 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | 89 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 2.5 mi | none | 793 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 129 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| MWC Milwaukee, WI | 208 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 744 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | 258 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| LNR Lone Rock, WI | 298 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 717 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| CJJ Cresco, IA | 387 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,279 ft | ||||
| SBU Blue Earth, MN | 467 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,107 ft | ||||
| FRM Fairmont, MN | 486 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,161 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| LYV Luverne, MN | 566 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the north-northeast (020°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,435 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | destination | VFR | from the north (010°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 1:56 am CDT (06:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,435 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FSD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:20 am CDT (13:20 UTC)
Wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet VFR
The whole forecast for FSD
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 14,000 feet
The forecast for PTK, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 300 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 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 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 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 PTK 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC), at FSD 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 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: Oakland County International, Joe Foss Field.