Plan a flight · Sun 10:27 pm CDT (03:27 UTC)

Rochester International to Indianapolis International RST → IND

375 nautical miles (431 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 130°, about 131° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 08 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:35 am EDT (05:35 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RST is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 11 knots; IND 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: 64 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 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 RST.

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

A321 at 32,000 ft, 3 nm west, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 177 nm along the route, 3 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through RPJ
Where
over PLL
Time
01:56 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
pocket continuous light turbulence
B39M at 35,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. 256 nm along the route, 37 nm northeast 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
A21N at 17,000 ft, 45 nm south, 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC): no icing, clear from 17,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: clear since departing KIND southbound. At the destination end, 45 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV IND183045/TM 0128/FL170/TP A21N/SK SKC/IC NEG/RM CLR SINCE DEPARTING KIND SOUTHBOUND
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
45 nm south (183°) of IND
Time
01:28 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Sky
clear
Icing
none
Remarks
clear since departing KIND southbound

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 4 forecast points nearest it (LSE, DBQ, JOT, IND). 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	240° at 26 kt	−10 kt		130 kt	2 h 53 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
5,500 ft	260° at 23 kt	−13 kt		133 kt	2 h 49 min	2:16 am EDT (06:16 UTC)
7,500 ft	270° at 18 kt	−13 kt	13 °C	133 kt	2 h 49 min	2:16 am EDT (06:16 UTC)
9,500 ft	270° at 13 kt	−10 kt	9 °C	130 kt	2 h 53 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
11,500 ft	270° at 11 kt	−8 kt	6 °C	128 kt	2 h 56 min	2:23 am EDT (06:23 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 13 kt	−10 kt	1 °C	130 kt	2 h 53 min	2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC)
15,500 ft	280° at 17 kt	−14 kt	-2 °C	134 kt	2 h 48 min	2:15 am EDT (06:15 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 21 kt	−18 kt	-7 °C	138 kt	2 h 43 min	2:10 am EDT (06:10 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 22 kt	−18 kt	-8 °C	138 kt	2 h 43 min	2:10 am EDT (06:10 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 25 kt	−21 kt	-20 °C	141 kt	2 h 40 min	2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 31 kt	−27 kt	-34 °C	147 kt	2 h 33 min	2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 44 kt	−40 kt	-43 °C	160 kt	2 h 21 min	1:48 am EDT (05:48 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 60 kt	−56 kt	-52 °C	176 kt	2 h 08 min	1:35 am EDT (05:35 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
LSE	used from 0 nm out; 38 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°
DBQ	used from 99 nm out; 18 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°
JOT	used from 197 nm out; 25 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°
IND	used from 296 nm out; 54 nm from the line	290/16	310/20 16°	320/21 10°	330/13 3°	300/25 -7°	320/32 -19°	330/46 -34°	320/61 -43°	320/63 -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
RST Rochester, MN	departure	VFR	from the south (190°) at 11 knots	8 mi	none	1,317 ft	9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC)
FKA Preston, MN	20 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots, gusting to 12	10+ mi	none	1,276 ft	03:15 UTC
PDC Prairie du Chien, WI	79 nm out, 2 nm south of the line	VFR	from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	660 ft	17:15 UTC
DBQ Dubuque, IA	118 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	1,076 ft	02:53 UTC
FEP Freeport, IL	158 nm out, 10 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	859 ft	03:15 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL	177 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	742 ft	02:54 UTC
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL	217 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	712 ft	02:52 UTC
IKK Kankakee, IL	266 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line	VFR	from the south (170°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	629 ft	03:15 UTC
LAF Lafayette, IN	325 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	605 ft	02:54 UTC
CFJ Crawfordsville, IN	345 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	800 ft	03:15 UTC
IND Indianapolis, IN	destination	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	796 ft	10:54 pm EDT (02:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,317 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At IND when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:35 am EDT (05:35 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for IND

From Sun 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist, a few clouds at 700 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet

The forecast for RST, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer 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 RST 6:31 pm CDT (23:31 UTC), at IND 7:10 pm EDT (23:10 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:37 pm EDT (23:37 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IND is before sunrise there (7:52 am EDT (11:52 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, 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: Rochester International, Indianapolis International.