Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field TCL → MSN
601 nautical miles (692 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 353°, about 353° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 2-knot headwind), arriving about 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC). Right now TCL is marginal VFR, wind calm; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 7 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: 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 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist, fog). Over the first 39 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 TCL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 36,000 ft, 4 nm east, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 266 nm along the route, 4 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVV UA /OV PXV225030/TM 1114/FL360/TP B737/TB NEG/RM ZME33
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVV
- Where
- 30 nm southwest (225°) of PXV
- Time
- 11:14 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME33
- E550 at 8,700 ft, 40 nm east, 5:30 am CDT (10:30 UTC): clear from 8,700 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: visual conditions clear during the climb. 286 nm along the route, 40 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVV UA /OV EVV/TM 1030/FL087/TP E550/SK SKC/RM VMC CLR DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVV
- Where
- over EVV
- Time
- 10:30 UTC
- Height
- at 8,700 ft
- Aircraft
- E550
- Sky
- clear
- Remarks
- visual conditions clear during the climb
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 46 nm east, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination 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 (BHM, HSV, BNA, CGI, EVV, SPI, JOT, DBQ). 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 | 270° at 19 kt | +3 kt | 117 kt | 5 h 08 min | 12:08 pm CDT (17:08 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | +3 kt | 14 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 08 min | 12:08 pm CDT (17:08 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 14 kt | +2 kt | 11 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 06 min | 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | +3 kt | 7 °C | 117 kt | 5 h 08 min | 12:08 pm CDT (17:08 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 280° at 17 kt | +5 kt | 4 °C | 115 kt | 5 h 14 min | 12:14 pm CDT (17:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | +7 kt | 0 °C | 113 kt | 5 h 19 min | 12:19 pm CDT (17:19 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | +9 kt | -4 °C | 111 kt | 5 h 25 min | 12:25 pm CDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 24 kt | +11 kt | -7 °C | 109 kt | 5 h 31 min | 12:31 pm CDT (17:31 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 28 kt | +10 kt | -19 °C | 110 kt | 5 h 28 min | 12:28 pm CDT (17:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 38 kt | +18 kt | -33 °C | 102 kt | 5 h 54 min | 12:54 pm CDT (17:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 50 kt | +28 kt | -41 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 32 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 52 kt | +36 kt | -50 °C | 84 kt | 7 h 09 min | 2:09 pm CDT (19:09 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHM | used from 0 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
| HSV | used from 49 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| BNA | used from 148 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| CGI | used from 197 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| EVV | used from 246 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| SPI | used from 345 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 260/28 | 250/22 15° | 250/14 9° | 260/20 6° | 280/27 -7° | 280/34 -19° | 280/48 -32° | 280/59 -41° | 300/60 -49° |
| JOT | used from 443 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| DBQ | used from 542 nm out; 67 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | departure | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 169 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
| HAB Hamilton, AL | 59 nm out, 13 nm west of the line | no report just now | 436 ft | ||||
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | 89 nm out, 12 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 550 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| PVE Lexington-Parsons, TN | 148 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | VFR | calm | 8 mi | none | 487 ft | 11:35 UTC |
| CEY Murray, KY | 207 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 577 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| GDA Marion, KY | 246 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 652 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| FWC Fairfield, IL | 315 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 404 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 443 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| RPJ Rochelle, IL | 522 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 780 ft | 11:35 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 542 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | 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) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 886 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:06 pm CDT (17:06 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSN
- 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
The forecast for TCL, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 6 miles, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) and 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 TCL 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 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: Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.