Trenton Mercer Airport to Des Moines International TTN → DSM
857 nautical miles (986 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 293° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC). Right now TTN is VFR, wind from the north (360°) at 12 knots, gusting to 20; DSM is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19. 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). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 80 to 239 nm out.
- 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 route from 149 to 359 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, 149 nm along 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 TTN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 (AVP, PSB, AGC, CLE, FWA, JOT, BRL, DSM). 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 18 kt | +19 kt | 14 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 29 min | 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | +19 kt | 14 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 29 min | 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +20 kt | 11 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 34 min | 6:18 pm CDT (23:18 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 290° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 7 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 39 min | 6:23 pm CDT (23:23 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 3 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 50 min | 6:34 pm CDT (23:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 24 kt | +23 kt | -1 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 50 min | 6:34 pm CDT (23:34 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 25 kt | +24 kt | -5 °C | 96 kt | 8 h 56 min | 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -8 °C | 95 kt | 9 h 01 min | 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 33 kt | +33 kt | -20 °C | 87 kt | 9 h 51 min | 7:35 pm CDT (00:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 40 kt | +40 kt | -35 °C | 80 kt | 10 h 43 min | 8:27 pm CDT (01:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 52 kt | +49 kt | -41 °C | 71 kt | 12 h 04 min | 9:48 pm CDT (02:48 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 55 kt | +50 kt | -48 °C | 70 kt | 12 h 15 min | 9:59 pm CDT (02:59 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVP | used from 0 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 330/21 | 340/24 14° | 350/27 9° | 350/25 3° | 330/29 -8° | 310/31 -20° | 330/41 -36° | 330/57 -46° | 320/55 -51° |
| PSB | used from 100 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 330/23 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/25 3° | 320/24 -8° | 300/29 -20° | 310/39 -36° | 310/52 -46° | 310/56 -50° | |
| AGC | used from 199 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 270/15 | 320/17 14° | 320/22 9° | 340/23 4° | 310/25 -8° | 290/30 -19° | 280/40 -36° | 290/49 -45° | 300/53 -49° |
| CLE | used from 299 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 280/17 | 270/17 14° | 280/22 10° | 290/26 4° | 290/25 -8° | 280/31 -21° | 280/35 -36° | 280/43 -44° | 300/53 -48° |
| FWA | used from 399 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 250/18 | 260/22 15° | 260/27 7° | 290/26 6° | 290/28 -8° | 290/39 -20° | 280/36 -37° | 290/54 -39° | 310/60 -48° |
| JOT | used from 548 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 230/30 | 250/26 16° | 270/27 11° | 280/34 5° | 290/32 -8° | 280/37 -21° | 280/40 -36° | 290/46 -37° | 290/56 -47° |
| BRL | used from 698 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 240/28 | 240/25 18° | 250/26 12° | 260/29 5° | 260/24 -8° | 270/36 -20° | 280/57 -33° | 290/65 -37° | 290/54 -46° |
| DSM | used from 797 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 230/34 | 230/32 20° | 220/33 12° | 240/35 5° | 250/39 -7° | 250/43 -21° | 280/61 -31° | 280/73 -37° | 280/67 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTN Trenton, NJ | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,300 feet, scattered clouds at 3,900 feet | from the north (360°) at 12 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 9:53 am EDT (13:53 UTC) |
| RDG Reading, PA | 50 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,000 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 343 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| UNV State College, PA | 140 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,200 feet, overcast at 2,100 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 1,231 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| BTP Butler, PA | 239 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist | from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots | 2 mi | 500 ft | 1,248 ft | 14:10 UTC |
| CAK Akron, OH | 309 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west (260°) at 5 knots | 8 mi | 600 ft | 1,225 ft | 13:51 UTC |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 419 nm out, 19 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 2 mi | 300 ft | 683 ft | 13:52 UTC |
| FWA Fort Wayne, IN | 478 nm out, 23 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 15,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 8 mi | 25,000 ft | 814 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 578 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 13:50 UTC |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 608 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 13:45 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 717 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 13:52 UTC |
| TNU Newton, IA | 827 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 952 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 20,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,248 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:13 pm CDT (23:13 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DSM
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for TTN, the departure
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 249 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8888 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 14 nm from the route, 269 nm along the route · security · today · ZOB
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, 269 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
Daylight
Sunset at TTN 6:24 pm EDT (22:24 UTC), at DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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: Trenton Mercer Airport, Des Moines International.