Chippewa County International to Quad Cities International CIU → MLI
389 nautical miles (448 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 224°, about 231° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 18-knot headwind), arriving about 2:10 pm CDT (19:10 UTC). Right now CIU is low IFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots; MLI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 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: 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
- SIGMET E45E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the west at 45 knots, until 12:55 pm EDT (16:55 UTC). Near the route, at the departure end.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 121455 MKCE WST 121455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 45E VALID UNTIL 1655Z MI LS FROM 80NNE SAW-10ESE SSM-30N SAW-80NNE SAW AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 27045KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing from 12,000 ft to 24,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
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 CIU.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- C25A at 16,000 ft, 16 nm southeast, 10:51 am EDT (14:51 UTC): no icing up to 16,000 ft. 60 nm along the route, 16 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVX UA /OV CVX/TM 1451/FL160/TP C25A/IC NEG BLO 160
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVX
- Where
- over CVX
- Time
- 14:51 UTC
- Height
- at 16,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C25A
- Icing
- no below 16,000 ft
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 4 forecast points nearest it (TVC, GRB, 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 | 250° at 24 kt | +22 kt | 98 kt | 3 h 58 min | 2:19 pm CDT (19:19 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | +27 kt | 15 °C | 93 kt | 4 h 11 min | 2:32 pm CDT (19:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 32 kt | +26 kt | 11 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 08 min | 2:29 pm CDT (19:29 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 31 kt | +23 kt | 7 °C | 97 kt | 4 h 01 min | 2:22 pm CDT (19:22 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 30 kt | +19 kt | 4 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 51 min | 2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 32 kt | +19 kt | -1 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 51 min | 2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 33 kt | +19 kt | -6 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 51 min | 2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 34 kt | +19 kt | -10 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 51 min | 2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 37 kt | +21 kt | -22 °C | 99 kt | 3 h 56 min | 2:17 pm CDT (19:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 46 kt | +30 kt | -36 °C | 90 kt | 4 h 19 min | 2:40 pm CDT (19:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 46 kt | +19 kt | -40 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 51 min | 2:12 pm CDT (19:12 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 59 kt | +18 kt | -48 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 49 min | 2:10 pm CDT (19:10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TVC | used from 0 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 260/18 | 250/30 15° | 260/34 8° | 280/29 5° | 280/36 -10° | 280/37 -22° | 270/50 -37° | 290/46 -42° | 300/60 -49° |
| GRB | used from 150 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 260/10 | 240/27 16° | 260/31 10° | 270/25 5° | 280/31 -10° | 280/35 -22° | 270/46 -37° | 290/43 -40° | 300/64 -48° |
| JOT | used from 249 nm out; 88 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° |
| DBQ | used from 299 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/32 19° | 250/35 11° | 260/37 5° | 270/35 -9° | 270/40 -21° | 270/43 -35° | 280/49 -37° | 280/58 -46° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIU Sault Ste Marie, MI | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the northeast (050°) at 11 knots | 1 mi | 200 ft | 799 ft | 10:56 am EDT (14:56 UTC) |
| MCD Mackinac Island, MI | 20 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | from the east (090°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 741 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| SJX Beaver Island, MI | 60 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 669 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| FKS Frankfort, MI | 120 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line | VFR | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 633 ft | 15:15 UTC |
| SBM Sheboygan, WI | 209 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 755 ft | 14:53 UTC |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 249 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 14:45 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 289 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 23,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 807 ft | 14:45 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 309 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 14:54 UTC |
| CWI Clinton, IA | 369 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 707 ft | 14:56 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 911 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MLI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:10 pm CDT (19:10 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MLI
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for CIU, the departure
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): overcast at 200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, gusting to 13, visibility 6 miles, light drizzle, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 12 knots, visibility 4 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
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 CIU 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC), at MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 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: Chippewa County International, Quad Cities International.