Gerald R Ford International to San Antonio International GRR → SAT
1,015 nautical miles (1,168 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 222°, about 228° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 04 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 10:05 am CDT (15:05 UTC). Right now GRR is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots; SAT is marginal VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 9 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: 2 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 119 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
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 3 nm south, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 179 nm along the route, 3 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
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 11 forecast points nearest it (MKG, JOT, SPI, STL, COU, SGF, FSM, SHV, DAL, CLL, SAT). 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 | 230° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 99 kt | 10 h 15 min | 11:16 am CDT (16:16 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +19 kt | 15 °C | 101 kt | 10 h 03 min | 11:04 am CDT (16:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 13 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 46 min | 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +14 kt | 9 °C | 106 kt | 9 h 35 min | 10:36 am CDT (15:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | +12 kt | 6 °C | 108 kt | 9 h 24 min | 10:25 am CDT (15:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 1 °C | 107 kt | 9 h 29 min | 10:30 am CDT (15:30 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +14 kt | -3 °C | 106 kt | 9 h 35 min | 10:36 am CDT (15:36 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 19 kt | +15 kt | -6 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 40 min | 10:41 am CDT (15:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 23 kt | +16 kt | -17 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 46 min | 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 32 kt | +12 kt | -31 °C | 108 kt | 9 h 24 min | 10:25 am CDT (15:25 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 40 kt | +14 kt | -41 °C | 106 kt | 9 h 35 min | 10:36 am CDT (15:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 45 kt | +8 kt | -51 °C | 112 kt | 9 h 04 min | 10:05 am CDT (15:05 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| JOT | used from 50 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| SPI | used from 199 nm out; 43 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 299 nm out; 10 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 398 nm out; 87 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° |
| SGF | used from 448 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| FSM | used from 547 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| SHV | used from 697 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| DAL | used from 746 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
| CLL | used from 846 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 170/22 | 170/26 18° | 200/15 14° | 240/13 8° | 240/15 -5° | 260/17 -13° | 290/27 -29° | 290/22 -40° | 320/30 -51° |
| SAT | used from 945 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 150/26 | 180/18 19° | 180/18 14° | 200/14 9° | 230/16 -6° | 210/9 -13° | 270/8 -29° | 280/6 -39° | 340/19 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | departure | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 4 mi | none | 793 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
| SBN South Bend, IN | 80 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 798 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 109 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 239 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| ALN Alton/St Louis, IL | 318 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| UNO West Plains, MO | 468 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,228 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BPK Mountain Home, AR | 508 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 928 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MEZ Mena, AR | 647 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,079 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| GVT Greenville, TX | 766 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 534 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| CNW Waco, TX | 866 nm out, 13 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 470 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| GTU Georgetown, TX | 935 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 19,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 19,000 ft | 789 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| SAT San Antonio, TX | destination | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,300 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,300 ft | 809 ft | 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,228 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SAT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:05 am CDT (15:05 UTC)
Wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for SAT
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- At times between Tue 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 800 feet
The forecast for GRR, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 5 miles, mist
- 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
- 6/0543 MCGREGOR, TX 19 nm from the route, 896 nm along the route · security · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at SAT 7:05 pm CDT (00:05 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 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: Gerald R Ford International, San Antonio International.