Plan a flight · Mon 2:28 am CDT (07:28 UTC)

Columbia Regional to Fort Wayne International COU → FWA

348 nautical miles (401 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 066°, about 066° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 28-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:49 am EDT (09:49 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now COU is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 6 knots; FWA is IFR, wind from the south (180°) at 3 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: 3 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). Over the last 90 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 COU.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

B38M at 29,000 ft, 25 nm north, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 209 nm along the route, 25 nm north 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
B739 at 35,000 ft, 44 nm northwest, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 229 nm along the route, 44 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through TIP
Where
23 nm north (010°) of RBS
Time
07:05 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B739
Turbulence
none
LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 20 nm north, 11:31 pm CDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. At the destination end, 20 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
```
Report
a routine report filed through FWA
Where
over OLK
Time
04:31 UTC
Height
at 10,000 ft
Aircraft
LJ45
Sky
clear
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14

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 (COU, STL, SPI, IND, FWA). 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	250° at 18 kt	−18 kt		138 kt	2 h 31 min	5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC)
5,500 ft	270° at 19 kt	−18 kt		138 kt	2 h 31 min	5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC)
7,500 ft	280° at 19 kt	−17 kt	13 °C	137 kt	2 h 32 min	6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC)
9,500 ft	290° at 18 kt	−14 kt	9 °C	134 kt	2 h 36 min	6:04 am EDT (10:04 UTC)
11,500 ft	290° at 13 kt	−9 kt	5 °C	129 kt	2 h 42 min	6:10 am EDT (10:10 UTC)
13,500 ft	290° at 15 kt	−11 kt	2 °C	131 kt	2 h 39 min	6:07 am EDT (10:07 UTC)
15,500 ft	290° at 18 kt	−15 kt	-2 °C	135 kt	2 h 35 min	6:03 am EDT (10:03 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 22 kt	−18 kt	-6 °C	138 kt	2 h 31 min	5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 23 kt	−19 kt	-7 °C	139 kt	2 h 30 min	5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	290° at 28 kt	−20 kt	-19 °C	140 kt	2 h 29 min	5:57 am EDT (09:57 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	300° at 34 kt	−19 kt	-34 °C	139 kt	2 h 30 min	5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 51 kt	−28 kt	-42 °C	148 kt	2 h 21 min	5:49 am EDT (09:49 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 56 kt	−28 kt	-51 °C	148 kt	2 h 21 min	5:49 am EDT (09:49 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
COU	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	230/31	230/30 15°	260/16 11°	270/14 6°	260/24 -6°	270/27 -18°	270/37 -32°	280/49 -41°	290/56 -51°
STL	used from 50 nm out; 38 nm from the line	250/24	250/24 16°	260/23 9°	270/16 6°	260/25 -6°	270/29 -19°	290/34 -33°	290/48 -41°	290/54 -51°
SPI	used from 100 nm out; 13 nm from the line	220/21	250/23 16°	260/27 9°	270/14 6°	270/23 -7°	270/31 -19°	270/28 -33°	290/48 -42°	300/55 -52°
IND	used from 199 nm out; 74 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°
FWA	used from 299 nm out; 25 nm from the line	300/17	320/20 16°	330/20 10°	340/15 3°	310/27 -8°	320/37 -20°	330/52 -36°	330/65 -43°	330/60 -50°

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
COU Columbia, MO	departure	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	889 ft	1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC)
MYJ Mexico, MO	30 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	822 ft	07:15 UTC
PPQ Pittsfield, IL	80 nm out, 18 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south (180°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	709 ft	07:15 UTC
SPI Springfield, IL	129 nm out, 11 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	597 ft	06:52 UTC
DEC Decatur, IL	169 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	681 ft	06:54 UTC
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL	199 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	754 ft	06:53 UTC
LAF Lafayette, IN	259 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	605 ft	06:54 UTC
GUS Peru, IN	299 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	810 ft	06:55 UTC
IWH Wabash, IN	319 nm out, 3 nm south of the line	no report just now				795 ft
FWA Fort Wayne, IN	destination	IFR Sky: a few clouds at 30,000 feet Weather: mist, shallow fog	from the south (180°) at 3 knots	2.5 mi	none	814 ft	2:54 am EDT (06:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 889 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At FWA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:49 am EDT (09:49 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility 2 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet IFR

At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, a broken layer at 500 feet low IFR

The whole forecast for FWA

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, a few clouds at 1,000 feet
From Mon 3:30 am EDT (07:30 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 2 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,000 feet
At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, a broken layer at 500 feet
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for COU, the departure

From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, at the departure end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC

Daylight

Sunset at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC), at FWA 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:32 pm EDT (23:32 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FWA is before sunrise there (7:48 am EDT (11:48 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Columbia Regional, Fort Wayne International.