James M Cox Dayton International to Columbia Regional DAY → COU
377 nautical miles (434 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 263°, about 269° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 3:36 am CDT (08:36 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now DAY is marginal VFR, wind from the west (280°) at 4 knots; COU is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 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
- 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 149 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 DAY.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (CVG, IND, SPI, STL, COU). 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 | 270° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 103 kt | 3 h 40 min | 3:50 am CDT (08:50 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 38 min | 3:48 am CDT (08:48 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 11 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 38 min | 3:48 am CDT (08:48 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +12 kt | 7 °C | 108 kt | 3 h 29 min | 3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 3 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 26 min | 3:36 am CDT (08:36 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | +14 kt | 0 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 33 min | 3:43 am CDT (08:43 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 20 kt | +18 kt | -4 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 42 min | 3:52 am CDT (08:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 23 kt | +21 kt | -7 °C | 99 kt | 3 h 48 min | 3:58 am CDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 28 kt | +21 kt | -19 °C | 99 kt | 3 h 48 min | 3:58 am CDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 37 kt | +22 kt | -34 °C | 98 kt | 3 h 51 min | 4:01 am CDT (09:01 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 54 kt | +36 kt | -42 °C | 84 kt | 4 h 29 min | 4:39 am CDT (09:39 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 54 kt | +37 kt | -50 °C | 83 kt | 4 h 33 min | 4:43 am CDT (09:43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVG | used from 0 nm out; 48 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° |
| IND | used from 50 nm out; 22 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° |
| SPI | used from 198 nm out; 45 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° |
| STL | used from 248 nm out; 30 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° |
| COU | used from 347 nm out; 15 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAY Dayton, OH | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | from the west (280°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 1,009 ft | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
| RID Richmond, IN | 30 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: fog | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 0.25 mi | 500 ft | 1,139 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| AID Anderson, IN | 59 nm out, 21 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 919 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 99 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 796 ft | 04:54 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 149 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| MTO Mattoon/Charleston, IL | 188 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 722 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| TAZ Taylorville, IL | 238 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | no report just now | 622 ft | ||||
| ALN Alton/St Louis, IL | 278 nm out, 17 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| STL St Louis, MO | 297 nm out, 22 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 617 ft | 04:51 UTC |
| MYJ Mexico, MO | 357 nm out, 16 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 822 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,139 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:36 am CDT (08:36 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for COU
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 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 southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for DAY, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 600 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the west at 3 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 200 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 17 nm from the route, at the destination end · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at DAY 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC), at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at COU is before sunrise there (7:15 am CDT (12:15 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: James M Cox Dayton International, Columbia Regional.