The Eastern Iowa Airport to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International CID → CVG
364 nautical miles (419 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 116°, about 114° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 02 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 59-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:43 am EDT (08:43 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CID is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 6 knots; CVG 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: 174 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 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). Over the first 49 nm of the route.
- 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 128 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 CID.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 3 nm northeast, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 177 nm along the route, 3 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
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 5 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, BRL, JOT, IND, CVG). 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 | 260° at 19 kt | −15 kt | 135 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:23 am EDT (09:23 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 2 h 37 min | 5:18 am EDT (09:18 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 12 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 38 min | 5:19 am EDT (09:19 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 9 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 42 min | 5:23 am EDT (09:23 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 300° at 11 kt | −11 kt | 5 °C | 131 kt | 2 h 47 min | 5:28 am EDT (09:28 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | −13 kt | 1 °C | 133 kt | 2 h 44 min | 5:25 am EDT (09:25 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 290° at 17 kt | −17 kt | -2 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 39 min | 5:20 am EDT (09:20 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 21 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 35 min | 5:16 am EDT (09:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 34 min | 5:15 am EDT (09:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 27 kt | −28 kt | -19 °C | 148 kt | 2 h 28 min | 5:09 am EDT (09:09 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 34 kt | −34 kt | -34 °C | 154 kt | 2 h 22 min | 5:03 am EDT (09:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 51 kt | −51 kt | -43 °C | 171 kt | 2 h 08 min | 4:49 am EDT (08:49 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 59 kt | −59 kt | -51 °C | 179 kt | 2 h 02 min | 4:43 am EDT (08:43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 48 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° |
| BRL | used from 49 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| JOT | used from 98 nm out; 59 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 197 nm out; 57 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° |
| CVG | used from 344 nm out; 10 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | departure | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 9:52 pm CDT (02:52 UTC) |
| MUT Muscatine, IA | 39 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 547 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 59 nm out, 1 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| EZI Kewanee, IL | 88 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 147 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| TIP Rantoul, IL | 187 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 737 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 236 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 06:33 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 275 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 8 mi | none | 796 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| BAK Columbus, IN | 305 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 01:45 UTC |
| HLB Batesville, IN | 334 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 975 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| CVG Covington, KY | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 6 mi | none | 896 ft | 2:30 am EDT (06:30 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 975 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CVG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:43 am EDT (08:43 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility 1 mile, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet IFR
The whole forecast for CVG
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 1 mile, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for CID, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at CID 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC), at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CVG is before sunrise there (7:45 am EDT (11:45 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: The Eastern Iowa Airport, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International.