Garden City Regional to General Mitchell International GCK → MKE
658 nautical miles (757 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 059°, about 054° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 46 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 55-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:56 am CDT (15:56 UTC). Right now GCK is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 20 knots, gusting to 31; MKE is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 8 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 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 first 509 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 GCK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- CRJ7 at 28,000 ft, 37 nm southeast, 6:25 am CDT (11:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: zkc fd dl. 50 nm along the route, 37 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DDC UA /OV DDC090024/TM 1125/FL280/TP CRJ7/TB LGT/RM ZKC FD DL
- Report
- a routine report filed through DDC
- Where
- 24 nm east (090°) of DDC
- Time
- 11:25 UTC
- Height
- at 28,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Turbulence
- light
- Remarks
- zkc fd dl
- PC12 at 22,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): light rime icing, -9 °C, remarks: no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj. 199 nm along the route, 32 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MHK UA /OV MHK/TM 1200/FL220/TP PC12/TA M09/IC LGT RIME/RM NEG ICING AT FL200 /ZKCFDC XJ
- Report
- a routine report filed through MHK
- Where
- over MHK
- Time
- 12:00 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Temperature
- −9 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 16 nm northwest, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 16 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (GCK, SLN, OMA, DSM, BRL, DBQ, JOT, MKG). 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 | 240° at 38 kt | −38 kt | 158 kt | 4 h 10 min | 11:20 am CDT (16:20 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 32 kt | −32 kt | 22 °C | 152 kt | 4 h 20 min | 11:30 am CDT (16:30 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 16 °C | 148 kt | 4 h 27 min | 11:37 am CDT (16:37 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 11 °C | 145 kt | 4 h 32 min | 11:42 am CDT (16:42 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 6 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 30 min | 11:40 am CDT (16:40 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −27 kt | 2 °C | 147 kt | 4 h 29 min | 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 28 kt | −28 kt | -3 °C | 148 kt | 4 h 27 min | 11:37 am CDT (16:37 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 30 kt | −30 kt | -7 °C | 150 kt | 4 h 23 min | 11:33 am CDT (16:33 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 30 kt | −30 kt | -8 °C | 150 kt | 4 h 23 min | 11:33 am CDT (16:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 39 kt | −39 kt | -21 °C | 159 kt | 4 h 08 min | 11:18 am CDT (16:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 56 kt | −54 kt | -32 °C | 174 kt | 3 h 47 min | 10:57 am CDT (15:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 62 kt | −55 kt | -38 °C | 175 kt | 3 h 46 min | 10:56 am CDT (15:56 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 62 kt | −52 kt | -48 °C | 172 kt | 3 h 50 min | 11:00 am CDT (16:00 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCK | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 240/40 22° | 240/40 14° | 240/38 7° | 230/39 -7° | 230/45 -20° | 250/73 -28° | 260/74 -36° | 260/64 -49° | |
| SLN | used from 100 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 230/49 | 240/41 22° | 230/26 15° | 220/21 7° | 240/38 -8° | 240/44 -21° | 260/77 -29° | 270/70 -36° | 270/63 -48° |
| OMA | used from 249 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| DSM | used from 349 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| BRL | used from 449 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| DBQ | used from 499 nm out; 22 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 598 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| MKG | used from 648 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GCK Garden City, KS | departure | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 20 knots, gusting to 31 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 6:54 am CDT (11:54 UTC) |
| RSL Russell, KS | 110 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 1,863 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| CYW Clay Center, KS | 189 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,208 ft | ||||
| MYZ Marysville, KS | 219 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,283 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| FNB Falls City, NE | 269 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 983 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| CNC Chariton, IA | 389 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 1,050 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| OXV Knoxville, IA | 409 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 12,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 10 knots, gusting to 15 | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 928 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 479 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 11:52 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 588 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 608 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 20,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 20,000 ft | 807 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 23,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 728 ft | 6:52 am CDT (11:52 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 MKE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:56 am CDT (15:56 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MKE
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for GCK, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 29, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 18 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 GCK 7:08 pm CDT (00:08 UTC), at MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Garden City Regional, General Mitchell International.