Plan a flight · Mon 11:03 am CDT (16:03 UTC)

Topeka Regional to Columbia Regional FOE → COU

161 nautical miles (186 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 092°, about 087° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 69-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC). Right now FOE is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 18 knots, gusting to 26; COU is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 18 knots, gusting to 25. 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 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 whole 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 FOE.

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

P46T at 27,000 ft, 21 nm southwest, 10:38 am CDT (15:38 UTC): light rime icing, -26 °C, remarks: zkcfdc xj. At the departure end, 21 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
EMP UA /OV EMP360030/TM 1538/FL270/TP P46T/TA M26/IC LGT RIME/RM /ZKCFDC XJ
```
Report
a routine report filed through EMP
Where
30 nm north (360°) of EMP
Time
15:38 UTC
Height
at 27,000 ft
Aircraft
P46T
Temperature
−26 °C
Icing
light rime
Remarks
zkcfdc xj
B737 descending, 24 nm north, 9:55 am CDT (14:55 UTC): light turbulence up to 1,500 ft. 47 nm along the route, 24 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MCI UA /OV MCI010002/TM 1455/FLDURD/TP B737/TB LGT TURB 015-SFC
```
Report
a routine report filed through MCI
Where
2 nm north (010°) of MCI
Time
14:55 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light turbulence from 1,500 ft to the surface
B737 at 24,000 ft, 40 nm south, 9:08 am CDT (14:08 UTC): light to moderate turbulence from 22,000 ft to 24,000 ft, remarks: during the descent MHOMS3 zkcfdc xj. 95 nm along the route, 40 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
OJC UA /OV BUM088035/TM 1408/FL240/TP B737/TB LGT-MOD 240-220/RM DURD MHOMS3 /ZKCFDC XJ
```
Report
a routine report filed through OJC
Where
35 nm east (088°) of BUM
Time
14:08 UTC
Height
at 24,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light to moderate from 24,000 ft to 22,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent MHOMS3 zkcfdc xj
PA28 at 3,000 ft, 0 nm south, 10:22 am CDT (15:22 UTC): remarks: wind shear at at 3,000 ft, 8 west of cou put aircraft in 45 degree bank no damage no injuries. At the destination end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
COU UA /OV KCOU/TM 1522/FL030/TP PA28/RM WIND SHEAR AT 030, 8 WEST OF COU. PUT ACFT IN 45 DEGREE BANK. NO DAMAGE NO INJURIES
```
Report
a routine report filed through COU
Where
over KCOU
Time
15:22 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
PA28
Remarks
wind shear at at 3,000 ft, 8 west of cou put aircraft in 45 degree bank no damage no injuries

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 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 2 forecast points nearest it (MKC, 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
3,500 ft	230° at 31 kt	−22 kt		142 kt	1 h 08 min	12:11 pm CDT (17:11 UTC)
5,500 ft	240° at 27 kt	−22 kt		142 kt	1 h 08 min	12:11 pm CDT (17:11 UTC)
7,500 ft	240° at 25 kt	−21 kt	16 °C	141 kt	1 h 09 min	12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC)
9,500 ft	240° at 24 kt	−21 kt	12 °C	141 kt	1 h 09 min	12:12 pm CDT (17:12 UTC)
11,500 ft	250° at 26 kt	−24 kt	7 °C	144 kt	1 h 07 min	12:10 pm CDT (17:10 UTC)
13,500 ft	250° at 27 kt	−25 kt	3 °C	145 kt	1 h 07 min	12:10 pm CDT (17:10 UTC)
15,500 ft	260° at 27 kt	−26 kt	-2 °C	146 kt	1 h 06 min	12:09 pm CDT (17:09 UTC)
17,500 ft	260° at 27 kt	−27 kt	-6 °C	147 kt	1 h 06 min	12:09 pm CDT (17:09 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	260° at 28 kt	−27 kt	-7 °C	147 kt	1 h 06 min	12:09 pm CDT (17:09 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	250° at 41 kt	−39 kt	-20 °C	159 kt	1 h 01 min	12:04 pm CDT (17:04 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 69 kt	−69 kt	-29 °C	189 kt	51 min	11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 71 kt	−70 kt	-36 °C	190 kt	51 min	11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	280° at 58 kt	−57 kt	-49 °C	177 kt	55 min	11:58 am CDT (16:58 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
MKC	used from 0 nm out; 29 nm from the line	220/35	240/30 21°	240/27 13°	240/31 6°	260/31 -7°	250/43 -21°	270/70 -28°	280/72 -36°	280/59 -49°
COU	used from 95 nm out; 43 nm from the line	240/28	240/22 17°	250/18 12°	260/22 6°	270/23 -7°	260/39 -19°	290/70 -30°	290/71 -37°	290/58 -48°

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
FOE Topeka, KS	departure	VFR	from the south (190°) at 18 knots, gusting to 26	10+ mi	none	1,077 ft	10:53 am CDT (15:53 UTC)
IXD Olathe, KS	38 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 17 knots, gusting to 27	10+ mi	none	1,087 ft	15:53 UTC
OJC Olathe, KS	47 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots, gusting to 17	10+ mi	none	1,096 ft	15:53 UTC
RCM Warrensburg, MO	85 nm out, 7 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22	10+ mi	none	797 ft	15:55 UTC
VER Boonville, MO	142 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line	VFR Sky: overcast at 10,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	10,000 ft	715 ft	15:55 UTC
COU Columbia, MO	destination	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 18 knots, gusting to 25	10+ mi	none	889 ft	10:54 am CDT (15:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,096 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, 11:54 am CDT (16:54 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for COU

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for FOE, the departure

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 15,000 feet
From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet

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

6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 19 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 FOE 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC), at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 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 southern Plains · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Topeka Regional, Columbia Regional.