Rapid City Regional to Pryor Field Regional RAP → DCU
934 nautical miles (1,075 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 122°, about 114° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:45 am CDT (08:45 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RAP is low IFR, wind from the east (100°) at 4 knots; DCU is 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 40 to 70 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 60 nm along 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 268 to 487 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 RAP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 32,000 ft, 31 nm northeast, 7:29 pm MDT (01:29 UTC): light to moderate clear-air turbulence, remarks: zdvwc. 79 nm along the route, 31 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
RAP UA /OV RAP084081/TM 0129/FL320/TP B763/TB OCNL LGT-MOD CAT/RM ZDVWC
- Report
- a routine report filed through RAP
- Where
- 81 nm east (084°) of RAP
- Time
- 01:29 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Turbulence
- occasional light to moderate clear-air turbulence
- Remarks
- zdvwc
- BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 15 nm southwest, 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 795 nm along the route, 15 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
- Report
- a routine report filed through DYR
- Where
- over DYR
- Time
- 00:13 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BCS3
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME33
- B38M at 25,000 ft, 14 nm northeast, 6:12 pm MDT (00:12 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME26. 825 nm along the route, 14 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MKL UA /OV MKL045035/TM 0012/FL250/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME26
- Report
- a routine report filed through MKL
- Where
- 35 nm northeast (045°) of MKL
- Time
- 00:12 UTC
- Height
- at 25,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- Remarks
- ZME26
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 10 forecast points nearest it (RAP, PIR, ONL, GRI, OMA, MKC, COU, CGI, MEM, HSV). 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 | 230° at 27 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 7 h 18 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −6 kt | 17 °C | 126 kt | 7 h 25 min | 5:30 am CDT (10:30 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −8 kt | 14 °C | 128 kt | 7 h 18 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −9 kt | 11 °C | 129 kt | 7 h 14 min | 5:19 am CDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −8 kt | 7 °C | 128 kt | 7 h 18 min | 5:23 am CDT (10:23 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −9 kt | 3 °C | 129 kt | 7 h 14 min | 5:19 am CDT (10:19 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | −12 kt | -2 °C | 132 kt | 7 h 05 min | 5:10 am CDT (10:10 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | −14 kt | -6 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 58 min | 5:03 am CDT (10:03 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 20 kt | −15 kt | -7 °C | 135 kt | 6 h 55 min | 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 26 kt | −18 kt | -19 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 46 min | 4:51 am CDT (09:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | −30 kt | -33 °C | 150 kt | 6 h 14 min | 4:19 am CDT (09:19 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 47 kt | −42 kt | -40 °C | 162 kt | 5 h 46 min | 3:51 am CDT (08:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 49 kt | −45 kt | -49 °C | 165 kt | 5 h 40 min | 3:45 am CDT (08:45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| PIR | used from 99 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| ONL | used from 149 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 248 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| OMA | used from 298 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| MKC | used from 397 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| COU | used from 546 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| CGI | used from 646 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| MEM | used from 795 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| HSV | used from 845 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP Rapid City, SD | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the east (100°) at 4 knots | 2 mi | 300 ft | 3,203 ft | 8:52 pm MDT (02:52 UTC) |
| ANW Ainsworth, NE | 159 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,588 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| BVN Albion, NE | 258 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,806 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 338 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 447 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 467 nm out, 23 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| JEF Jefferson City, MO | 586 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 549 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| DXE Dexter, MO | 735 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 304 ft | ||||
| MKL Jackson, TN | 825 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| PVE Lexington-Parsons, TN | 845 nm out, 6 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 487 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| DCU Decatur, AL | destination | VFR | calm | 8 mi | none | 592 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DCU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:45 am CDT (08:45 UTC)
DCU has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for RAP, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 600 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 3 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 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 RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at DCU 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DCU is before sunrise there (6:50 am CDT (11:50 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: Rapid City Regional, Pryor Field Regional.