Plan a flight · Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC)

Gerald R Ford International to Charleston Afb/Intl Airport GRR → CHS

653 nautical miles (751 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 155°, about 161° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:56 am EDT (12:56 UTC). Right now GRR is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots; CHS is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 6 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, fog). Over the route from 10 to 455 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 307 to 445 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 386 to 485 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 396 to 475 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the last 40 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 GRR.

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

B738 at 1,700 ft, 37 nm east, 2:20 am EDT (06:20 UTC): overcast from 1,700 ft to 2,000 ft, remarks: during the descent. 99 nm along the route, 37 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
TOL UA /OV KTOL/TM 0620/FL017/TP B738/SK OVC017-TOP020/RM DURD
```
Report
a routine report filed through TOL
Where
over KTOL
Time
06:20 UTC
Height
at 1,700 ft
Aircraft
B738
Sky
overcast from 1,700 ft, tops 2,000 ft
Remarks
during the descent
A21N at 33,000 ft, 5 nm southwest, 4:07 am EDT (08:07 UTC): light chop turbulence. 168 nm along the route, 5 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DAY UA /OV ROD/TM 0807/FL330/TP A21N/TB OCNL LT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through DAY
Where
over ROD
Time
08:07 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
occasional lt chop

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 (MKG, FWA, CMH, CRW, TRI, GSP, CAE, CHS). 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	320° at 17 kt	−16 kt		136 kt	4 h 48 min	9:48 am EDT (13:48 UTC)
5,500 ft	330° at 19 kt	−19 kt	11 °C	139 kt	4 h 42 min	9:42 am EDT (13:42 UTC)
7,500 ft	330° at 21 kt	−21 kt	11 °C	141 kt	4 h 38 min	9:38 am EDT (13:38 UTC)
9,500 ft	330° at 23 kt	−23 kt	8 °C	143 kt	4 h 34 min	9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC)
11,500 ft	330° at 25 kt	−25 kt	5 °C	145 kt	4 h 30 min	9:30 am EDT (13:30 UTC)
13,500 ft	320° at 27 kt	−27 kt	2 °C	147 kt	4 h 27 min	9:27 am EDT (13:27 UTC)
15,500 ft	320° at 30 kt	−29 kt	-2 °C	149 kt	4 h 23 min	9:23 am EDT (13:23 UTC)
17,500 ft	320° at 32 kt	−31 kt	-6 °C	151 kt	4 h 19 min	9:19 am EDT (13:19 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 33 kt	−32 kt	-7 °C	152 kt	4 h 18 min	9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 34 kt	−33 kt	-19 °C	153 kt	4 h 16 min	9:16 am EDT (13:16 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 41 kt	−40 kt	-33 °C	160 kt	4 h 05 min	9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 47 kt	−46 kt	-42 °C	166 kt	3 h 56 min	8:56 am EDT (12:56 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 43 kt	−39 kt	-50 °C	159 kt	4 h 06 min	9:06 am EDT (13:06 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
MKG	used from 0 nm out; 58 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°
FWA	used from 49 nm out; 50 nm from the line	270/20	300/16 15°	290/14 10°	280/17 3°	290/25 -7°	280/30 -19°	280/34 -35°	290/48 -44°	300/64 -52°
CMH	used from 148 nm out; 50 nm from the line	320/12	340/26 15°	340/22 9°	320/24 3°	320/32 -7°	320/36 -20°	330/42 -35°	320/59 -44°	320/57 -50°
CRW	used from 247 nm out; 72 nm from the line	320/17	340/23 12°	340/32 8°	340/35 4°	330/40 -7°	340/45 -20°	340/57 -34°	340/64 -42°	320/38 -50°
TRI	used from 346 nm out; 47 nm from the line		340/25 11°	350/37 9°	350/34 6°	340/39 -7°	340/43 -19°	340/55 -32°	330/58 -42°	320/37 -50°
GSP	used from 445 nm out; 63 nm from the line	340/30	360/24 13°	350/29 10°	340/33 6°	340/40 -7°	350/44 -19°	340/59 -31°	350/55 -41°	300/29 -50°
CAE	used from 544 nm out; 27 nm from the line	340/17	330/15 12°	320/22 9°	320/31 5°	330/35 -7°	320/33 -19°	340/40 -32°	350/43 -39°	320/35 -49°
CHS	used from 593 nm out; 35 nm from the line	330/14	300/17 14°	320/21 9°	310/26 6°	310/32 -6°	280/34 -19°	260/37 -32°	280/30 -39°	310/30 -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
GRR Grand Rapids, MI	departure	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots	5 mi	none	793 ft	4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC)
BTL Battle Creek, MI	40 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet Weather: mist	from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots	6 mi	none	951 ft	08:53 UTC
DFI Defiance, OH	109 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog	from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots	0.25 mi	200 ft	706 ft	08:53 UTC
DAY Dayton, OH	188 nm out, 22 nm west of the line, tower	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist	from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots	3 mi	200 ft	1,009 ft	08:56 UTC
ILN Wilmington, OH	218 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet	from the west-northwest (290°) at 4 knots	9 mi	600 ft	1,076 ft	08:54 UTC
HTS Huntington, WV	307 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet	from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	1,600 ft	828 ft	08:51 UTC
SJS Prestonsburg, KY	336 nm out, 6 nm west of the line	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet	from the north-northwest (330°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	1,000 ft	1,221 ft	08:35 UTC
VJI Abingdon, VA	406 nm out, 4 nm west of the line	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 7 knots	9 mi	700 ft	2,087 ft	08:55 UTC
HKY Hickory, NC	465 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	1,189 ft	08:53 UTC
LKR Lancaster, SC	534 nm out, 4 nm east of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	485 ft	08:35 UTC
MKS Moncks Corner, SC	633 nm out, 8 nm east of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	74 ft	08:35 UTC
CHS Charleston, SC	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 20,000 feet	from the west (260°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	46 ft	4:56 am EDT (08:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,087 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CHS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:56 am EDT (12:56 UTC)

Wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for CHS

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for GRR, the departure

From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog
From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC) and 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, mist, overcast at 3,500 feet (thunderheads)

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 GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at CHS 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 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

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

Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Southeast · 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: Gerald R Ford International, Charleston Afb/Intl Airport.