Tucson International to Joe Foss Field TUS → FSD
960 nautical miles (1,105 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 040°, about 031° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 64-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:56 am CDT (12:56 UTC). 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
- SIGMET C12C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 25,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am MST (08:55 UTC). Over the route from 376 to 465 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120655 MKCC WST 120655 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 12C VALID UNTIL 0855Z CO NM FROM 40W PUB-30SSE PUB-30W CIM-50WSW ALS-40W PUB DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL250.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 79 to 99 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft, from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 119 to 574 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft, from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 188 to 465 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground), from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 416 to 485 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft, from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 475 to 574 nm out.
- 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 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Over the route from 584 to 871 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC). Near the route, 812 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 TUS.
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (TUS, ABQ, ALS, PUB, GLD, GRI, ONL, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 32 kt | −32 kt | 17 °C | 152 kt | 6 h 19 min | 9:02 am CDT (14:02 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −30 kt | 13 °C | 150 kt | 6 h 24 min | 9:07 am CDT (14:07 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −30 kt | 11 °C | 150 kt | 6 h 24 min | 9:07 am CDT (14:07 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 30 kt | −30 kt | 7 °C | 150 kt | 6 h 24 min | 9:07 am CDT (14:07 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 31 kt | −31 kt | 2 °C | 151 kt | 6 h 21 min | 9:04 am CDT (14:04 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -2 °C | 153 kt | 6 h 16 min | 8:59 am CDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 220° at 35 kt | −35 kt | -7 °C | 155 kt | 6 h 12 min | 8:55 am CDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 220° at 35 kt | −35 kt | -8 °C | 155 kt | 6 h 12 min | 8:55 am CDT (13:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 45 kt | −45 kt | -20 °C | 165 kt | 5 h 49 min | 8:32 am CDT (13:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 66 kt | −64 kt | -29 °C | 184 kt | 5 h 13 min | 7:56 am CDT (12:56 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 67 kt | −64 kt | -36 °C | 184 kt | 5 h 13 min | 7:56 am CDT (12:56 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 60 kt | −57 kt | -47 °C | 177 kt | 5 h 25 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 210/13 13° | 200/35 9° | 210/40 5° | 220/50 -7° | 220/59 -18° | 230/79 -26° | 230/84 -35° | 230/84 -48° | |
| ABQ | used from 148 nm out; 112 nm from the line | 220/27 11° | 210/35 5° | 220/46 -9° | 230/62 -20° | 240/78 -25° | 240/80 -35° | 240/56 -47° | ||
| ALS | used from 346 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| PUB | used from 445 nm out; 21 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| GLD | used from 544 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 742 nm out; 80 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° | |
| ONL | used from 792 nm out; 36 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° | |
| FSD | used from 891 nm out; 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS Tucson, AZ | departure | no report just now | 2,643 ft | ||||
| SAD Safford, AZ | 79 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,178 ft | ||||
| JTC Springerville, AZ | 148 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,055 ft | ||||
| GNT Grants, NM | 238 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,536 ft | ||||
| SKX Taos, NM | 366 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 7,094 ft | ||||
| ALS Alamosa, CO | 406 nm out, 25 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,539 ft | ||||
| PUB Pueblo, CO | 485 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,729 ft | ||||
| SYF St Francis, KS | 634 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,429 ft | ||||
| LBF North Platte, NE | 732 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,777 ft | ||||
| ONL O'Neill, NE | 851 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 2,033 ft | ||||
| YKN Yankton, SD | 911 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,305 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | destination | no report just now | 1,430 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,539 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, 7:56 am CDT (12:56 UTC)
FSD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 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: Tucson International, Joe Foss Field.