The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC)

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International to Garden City Regional CVG → GCK

757 nautical miles (871 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 270°, about 276° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 1:03 pm CDT (18:03 UTC). Right now CVG is low IFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots; GCK is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 17 knots, gusting to 29. 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 return flight

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 first 100 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 last 428 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 CVG.

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

  • B737 at 100 ft, 3 nm southwest, 6:24 am EDT (10:24 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: runway 36R arrival, bases at clear-air turbulence 3 mins. At the departure end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    CVG UA /OV CVG/TM 1024/FL001/TP B737/SK VV001/RM RWY 36R ARRIVAL, BASES AT CAT 3 MINS
    Report
    a routine report filed through CVG
    Where
    over CVG
    Time
    10:24 UTC
    Height
    at 100 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Sky
    sky obscured from 100 ft
    Remarks
    runway 36R arrival, bases at clear-air turbulence 3 mins
  • B739 climbing, 3 nm southwest, 6:19 am EDT (10:19 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    CVG UA /OV 1 W CVG/TM 1019/FLDURC/TP B739/SK TOPS 011
    Report
    a routine report filed through CVG
    Where
    1 west cvg
    Time
    10:19 UTC
    Height
    during the climb
    Aircraft
    B739
    Sky
    tops 1,100 ft
  • B763 at 100 ft, 3 nm southwest, 5:05 am EDT (09:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0905/FL001/TP B763/SK VV001/RM DURC
    Report
    a routine report filed through CVG
    Where
    1 nm west (270°) of CVG
    Time
    09:05 UTC
    Height
    at 100 ft
    Aircraft
    B763
    Sky
    sky obscured from 100 ft
    Remarks
    during the climb
  • B763 at 200 ft, 3 nm southwest, 4:05 am EDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the departure end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
    Report
    a routine report filed through CVG
    Where
    1 nm west (270°) of CVG
    Time
    08:05 UTC
    Height
    at 200 ft
    Aircraft
    B763
    Sky
    sky obscured from 200 ft
    Remarks
    during the climb

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (CVG, IND, EVV, STL, COU, MKC, SLN, GCK). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft250° at 29 kt+28 kt22 °C92 kt8 h 14 min1:56 pm CDT (18:56 UTC)
6,500 ft250° at 22 kt+22 kt17 °C98 kt7 h 43 min1:25 pm CDT (18:25 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 19 kt+18 kt13 °C102 kt7 h 25 min1:07 pm CDT (18:07 UTC)
10,500 ft240° at 18 kt+17 kt9 °C103 kt7 h 21 min1:03 pm CDT (18:03 UTC)
12,500 ft250° at 19 kt+19 kt5 °C101 kt7 h 30 min1:12 pm CDT (18:12 UTC)
14,500 ft250° at 22 kt+22 kt1 °C98 kt7 h 43 min1:25 pm CDT (18:25 UTC)
16,500 ft260° at 26 kt+26 kt-4 °C94 kt8 h 03 min1:45 pm CDT (18:45 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 28 kt+28 kt-7 °C92 kt8 h 14 min1:56 pm CDT (18:56 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240260° at 35 kt+35 kt-20 °C85 kt8 h 54 min2:36 pm CDT (19:36 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300270° at 56 kt+57 kt-31 °C63 kt12 h 01 min5:43 pm CDT (22:43 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340280° at 60 kt+59 kt-39 °C61 kt12 h 25 min6:07 pm CDT (23:07 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390290° at 57 kt+54 kt-49 °C66 kt11 h 28 min5:10 pm CDT (22:10 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th 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; 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
CVGused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line300/19310/23 15°320/20 9°310/18 3°300/26 -6°290/36 -19°310/32 -34°310/53 -43°310/61 -51°
INDused from 50 nm out; 41 nm from the line270/22290/19 15°270/19 8°270/18 4°290/28 -7°280/35 -20°270/37 -34°300/51 -42°300/61 -51°
EVVused from 100 nm out; 59 nm from the line270/25290/17 15°260/10 8°270/16 5°280/29 -6°280/33 -19°290/38 -33°300/53 -41°310/54 -51°
STLused from 199 nm out; 44 nm from the line250/26240/21 15°240/22 11°250/23 6°270/28 -7°260/30 -19°280/52 -31°280/57 -40°300/57 -49°
COUused from 299 nm out; 29 nm from the line250/36260/14 16°250/5 12°260/12 6°260/24 -7°260/35 -19°280/58 -31°280/62 -40°290/60 -49°
MKCused from 398 nm out; 49 nm from the line240/49240/21 20°220/19 13°230/21 6°260/26 -7°250/37 -19°270/66 -31°270/65 -38°280/60 -48°
SLNused from 548 nm out; 44 nm from the line230/49240/41 22°230/26 15°220/21 7°240/38 -8°240/44 -21°260/77 -29°270/70 -36°270/63 -48°
GCKused from 697 nm out; 35 nm from the line240/40 22°240/40 14°240/38 7°230/39 -7°230/45 -20°250/73 -28°260/74 -36°260/64 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
CVG Covington, KY departure low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots 0.06 mi 200 ft 896 ft 6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC)
BAK Columbus, IN 60 nm out, 13 nm north of the line, tower low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog calm 0.25 mi 100 ft 656 ft 10:45 UTC
BMG Bloomington, IN 90 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower marginal VFR Weather: mist calm 4 mi none 845 ft 09:53 UTC
VLA Vandalia, IL 209 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line no report just now 537 ft
ALN Alton/St Louis, IL 249 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 543 ft 10:15 UTC
COU Columbia, MO 348 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 889 ft 09:54 UTC
DMO Sedalia, MO 398 nm out, 2 nm south of the line VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 909 ft 09:53 UTC
IXD Olathe, KS 478 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 1,087 ft 09:53 UTC
EMP Emporia, KS 538 nm out, 9 nm south of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 13 knots, gusting to 21 10+ mi none 1,207 ft 09:53 UTC
HUT Hutchinson, KS 617 nm out, 14 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,542 ft 09:52 UTC
DDC Dodge City, KS 727 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line VFR calm 9 mi none 2,595 ft 09:52 UTC
GCK Garden City, KS destination VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 17 knots, gusting to 29 10+ mi none 2,890 ft 4:54 am CDT (09:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,890 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At GCK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:03 pm CDT (18:03 UTC)

Wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for GCK
  • From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for CVG, the departure
  • From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 100 feet
  • From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 100 feet
  • At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
  • 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

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 departure end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
  • 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 348 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC

Daylight

Sunset at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at GCK 7:08 pm CDT (00:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:34 pm CDT (00:34 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 central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Garden City Regional.