Flight planning: Crystal Airport MIC / KMIC
What a pilot looks at before a flight from or to Crystal Airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in plain English: right now VFR: good flying weather, Wind calm. The warnings, reports and winds below come from the government's aviation weather service and the restrictions from the FAA, refreshed every few minutes. For planning, not a briefing: the legal preflight briefing comes from Flight Service (1-800-WX-BRIEF) or the FAA's own tools.
the observation as issued, and in English
METAR KMIC 230753Z AUTO 00000KT 7SM CLR 11/10 A3013 RMK AO2 SLP203 T01060100
- METAR
- a routine hourly observation
- KMIC
- the station, KMIC
- 230753Z
- observed 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC)
- AUTO
- fully automated report, nobody checked it
- 00000KT
- wind calm
- 7SM
- visibility 7 miles
- CLR
- clear skies
- 11/10
- temperature 11 °C (52 °F), dew point 10 °C (50 °F)
- A3013
- altimeter setting 30.13 inches of mercury
- RMK
- remarks follow
- AO2
- automated station with a precipitation sensor
- SLP203
- sea-level pressure 1020.3 hPa
- T01060100
- temperature 10.6 °C (51 °F), dew point 10 °C (50 °F)
Field conditions now density altitude and the wind on each runway, from the latest observation
Field conditions now: elevation 869 ft, altimeter 30.13, 51°F (11°C; standard would be 14°C). Pressure altitude 650 ft. Density altitude 300 ft. The aircraft performs as if the field were at 300 feet: below the field (600 feet lower).
| Runway | Length | Surface | Use end | Wind on it | Room for your book distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14/32 | 3,751 ft | asphalt | either | calm | |
| 06L/24R | 2,500 ft | asphalt | either | calm | |
| 06R/24L | 1,669 ft | grass | either | calm |
Wind calm.
Pressure altitude is the field elevation corrected for today's altimeter setting; density altitude adds the effect of temperature. The aircraft's manual turns these into takeoff and landing distances, climb and fuel burn. Observation KMIC, 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC).
Warnings in force SIGMETs and AIRMETs whose area covers this field
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 25,000 ft to 34,000 ft.
Turbulence AIRMET in force: moderate turbulence from 25,000 ft to 34,000 ft. No pilot has reported turbulence within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours. The government's turbulence forecast map ↗
Icing No icing warning in force over this field. No pilot has reported icing within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours. The freezing level is about 12,000 ft (from the winds-aloft temperatures), so icing is possible in cloud above that. The government's icing forecast map ↗
A SIGMET warns of weather hazardous to all aircraft (thunderstorms, severe turbulence or icing, volcanic ash); an AIRMET of weather that matters to small aircraft and to flying without instruments (moderate turbulence or icing, low cloud, strong surface wind, mountains hidden in cloud). An area is counted when it covers this field's position.
Pilot reports within 100 nautical miles, last three hours, nearest first
Not fetched just now.
What pilots in the air told air traffic control or Flight Service: turbulence, icing, cloud tops and bases, temperature, wind, and whatever they remarked on (wind shear on final, a smooth ride). An urgent report is one of severe turbulence or icing, wind shear, or similar. Open "as filed, and in English" for the coded report and its translation line by line.
Winds and temperatures aloft forecast point MSP, 12 nm southeast of the field · for use 08:00–15:00 UTC
| Height | Wind from | Speed | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 ft | 190° (south) | 21 knots | |
| 6,000 ft | 180° (south) | 15 knots | 11 °C |
| 9,000 ft | 190° (south) | 6 knots | 7 °C |
| 12,000 ft | 270° (west) | 8 knots | 0 °C |
| 18,000 ft | 280° (west) | 21 knots | -12 °C |
| 24,000 ft | 290° (west) | 41 knots | -21 °C |
| 30,000 ft | 300° (northwest) | 42 knots | -38 °C |
| 34,000 ft | 300° (northwest) | 55 knots | -47 °C |
| 39,000 ft | 310° (northwest) | 51 knots | -54 °C |
Based on data from the 23rd at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 23rd 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; the lowest rows are left out where the ground is already that high.
Temporary flight restrictions within 50 nautical miles, from the FAA's list
No temporary flight restriction within 50 nautical miles right now.
Each restriction opens the FAA's own page with the exact area, heights and times.
Notices to air missions closed runways and taxiways, lights and aids out of service, procedures not authorized, obstructions, airspace
4 in force now.
Procedures and charts 1
- Obstacle departure procedure Crystal, Minneapolis, MN. takeoff minimums and (obstacle) departure procedures amendment 4... takeoff minimums: runway 6L: standard with minimum Climb of 201 FT/NM to 3000. all other data Remains as published. from Wed 22 Apr, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC) until Sat 22 Apr 2028, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC) (estimated) until Sat 22 Apr 2028, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC), estimated · MIC 6/5029
as issued
!FDC 6/5029 MIC ODP CRYSTAL, MINNEAPOLIS, MN. TAKEOFF MINIMUMS AND (OBSTACLE) DEPARTURE PROCEDURES AMDT 4... TAKEOFF MINIMUMS: RWY 6L: STANDARD WITH MINIMUM CLIMB OF 201 FT/NM TO 3000. ALL OTHER DATA REMAINS AS PUBLISHED. 2604221114-2804221114EST
Obstructions 2
- Obstruction crane (ASN Unknown) 45°03′N 93°03′W (0.4 nautical miles southwest approach end runway 32) Unknown (126 ft above ground level) flagged and lighted until Fri 30 Oct, 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) · MIC 10/010
as issued
!MIC 10/010 MIC OBST CRANE (ASN UNKNOWN) 450318N0930318W (0.4NM SW APCH END RWY 32) UNKNOWN (126FT AGL) FLAGGED AND LGTD 2610191345-2610302359
- Obstruction crane (ASN Unknown) 45°03′N 93°22′W (0.7 nautical miles southwest approach end runway 06L) Unknown (195 ft above ground level) flagged daily 7:00 am CDT to 6:59 pm CDT until Fri 19 Mar, 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) · Daily:1200-2359~DLY 7:00 am CDT to 6:59 pm CDT · MIC 10/004
as issued
!MIC 10/004 MIC OBST CRANE (ASN UNKNOWN) 450318N0932212W (0.7NM SW APCH END RWY 06L) UNKNOWN (195FT AGL) FLAGGED DLY 1200-2359 2610151200-2703192359
Airspace 1
- Airspace unmanned aircraft (drones) within an area defined as.5 nautical miles radius of 45°08′N 93°23′W (4.3 nautical miles NNW MIC) the surface-700 ft above ground level daily SR-SS until Thu 31 Dec, 4:41 pm CST (22:41 UTC) · Daily:SR-SS~DLY SR-SS · MIC 03/028
as issued
!MIC 03/028 MIC AIRSPACE UAS WI AN AREA DEFINED AS .5NM RADIUS OF 450808N0932343W (4.3NM NNW MIC) SFC-700FT AGL DLY SR-SS 2603121232-2612312241
From the FAA's notice service (NOTAMs), the site's copy refreshed every few minutes; last checked a minute ago. The FAA has so far issued eFlight its test feed, which misses some notices (checked against the FAA's own search on 12 October: about a third missing at Santa Barbara and Burbank, none at Atlanta or Las Vegas); the request for the full feed is with the FAA. Times are local to the field. This is for planning; the legal briefing comes from Flight Service or the FAA's own tools.
Radar and forecast charts government pictures, the latest each time the page loads
The radar pictures come from the National Weather Service (the nearest radar, then the region); the aviation forecast charts from the Aviation Weather Center's Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (clouds and visibility; surface wind, weather and thunderstorms with the AIRMET boxes); the surface analysis and the 12- and 24-hour forecast charts from the Weather Prediction Center. They are public-domain government images shown as they are published. The turbulence and icing forecasts are drawn live on the Aviation Weather Center's site: turbulence ↗ · icing ↗.
Sources: the Aviation Weather Center's data service (SIGMETs, AIRMETs, graphical AIRMETs, pilot reports, winds and temperatures aloft), the National Weather Service radar, the Weather Prediction Center's charts, and the FAA's temporary flight restriction list and shapes. Fetched when the page is viewed and kept a few minutes. Back to Crystal Airport, where the current observation and the forecast for the field are.