Great Falls International to Quad Cities International GTF → MLI
961 nautical miles (1,106 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 104°, about 091° magnetic at the departure end (variation 13E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC). Right now GTF is IFR, wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots; MLI is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 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 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 644 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 218 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 10 to 109 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 238 to 307 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 327 nm along the route.
- 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 last 277 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 GTF.
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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (GTF, BIL, MLS, DIK, PIR, ABR, FSD, MCW, DSM, DBQ, BRL). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | −10 kt | 7 °C | 130 kt | 7 h 24 min | 12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −10 kt | 11 °C | 130 kt | 7 h 24 min | 12:26 pm CDT (17:26 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | −11 kt | 6 °C | 131 kt | 7 h 20 min | 12:22 pm CDT (17:22 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −13 kt | 3 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 14 min | 12:16 pm CDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −13 kt | -1 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 14 min | 12:16 pm CDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | −13 kt | -5 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 14 min | 12:16 pm CDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −13 kt | -10 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 14 min | 12:16 pm CDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 27 kt | −13 kt | -10 °C | 133 kt | 7 h 14 min | 12:16 pm CDT (17:16 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 36 kt | −17 kt | -23 °C | 137 kt | 7 h 01 min | 12:03 pm CDT (17:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 41 kt | −25 kt | -35 °C | 145 kt | 6 h 38 min | 11:40 am CDT (16:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 50 kt | −34 kt | -38 °C | 154 kt | 6 h 14 min | 11:16 am CDT (16:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 60 kt | −47 kt | -46 °C | 167 kt | 5 h 45 min | 10:47 am CDT (15:47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTF | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | L/V | L/V -7° | 240/8 -8° | 240/30 -14° | 240/40 -28° | 210/52 -38° | 210/76 -38° | 220/72 -43° | |
| BIL | used from 99 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 300/14 | 270/19 -2° | 260/26 -2° | 220/28 -13° | 210/51 -25° | 220/56 -33° | 220/61 -39° | 220/72 -45° | |
| MLS | used from 149 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 290/17 -1° | 250/18 0° | 230/25 0° | 220/31 -11° | 220/32 -24° | 220/50 -32° | 220/60 -38° | 230/71 -46° | |
| DIK | used from 297 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 190/12 5° | 230/29 7° | 220/33 1° | 220/43 -11° | 210/47 -23° | 220/53 -33° | 240/56 -40° | 250/72 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 396 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 230/15 15° | 220/22 14° | 220/24 6° | 200/32 -10° | 210/48 -22° | 240/45 -33° | 240/43 -37° | 250/55 -46° | |
| ABR | used from 545 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 080/12 | 210/12 17° | 220/22 12° | 230/26 5° | 220/28 -10° | 230/41 -21° | 250/36 -36° | 260/47 -39° | 260/63 -47° |
| FSD | used from 594 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 210/20 | 230/23 21° | 220/25 14° | 230/30 5° | 230/26 -9° | 240/30 -21° | 270/33 -36° | 260/47 -37° | 270/58 -47° |
| MCW | used from 743 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 250/36 | 250/24 19° | 240/26 11° | 250/30 5° | 270/22 -9° | 260/30 -21° | 260/31 -36° | 280/53 -38° | 280/66 -48° |
| DSM | used from 842 nm out; 71 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° |
| DBQ | used from 891 nm out; 47 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° |
| BRL | used from 941 nm out; 49 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTF Great Falls, MT | departure | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet Weather: light snow, mist | from the north-northwest (330°) at 4 knots | 2 mi | 900 ft | 3,680 ft | 3:53 am MDT (09:53 UTC) |
| LWT Lewistown, MT | 79 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,170 ft | ||||
| MLS Miles City, MT | 238 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north (360°) at 8 knots | 2.5 mi | 500 ft | 2,634 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| BHK Baker, MT | 297 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: light rain | from the east (080°) at 7 knots | 9 mi | 500 ft | 2,980 ft | 09:51 UTC |
| MKA Miller, SD | 545 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,569 ft | ||||
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 654 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| EGQ Emmetsburg, IA | 753 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,206 ft | ||||
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 852 nm out, 18 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 901 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 4:52 am CDT (09:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,170 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MLI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:47 am CDT (15:47 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MLI
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for GTF, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 12 knots, visibility 3 miles, light snow, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC) and 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow
- From Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- At times between Mon 3:00 am MDT (09:00 UTC) and 5:00 am MDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light snow, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,000 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 GTF 6:41 pm MDT (00:41 UTC), at MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 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: Great Falls International, Quad Cities International.