George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport to Rickenbacker International IAH → LCK
848 nautical miles (976 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 043°, about 040° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 10-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:08 am EDT (13:08 UTC). Right now IAH is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots; LCK is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 5 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: 3 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 last 279 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 IAH.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- MD83 climbing, 0 nm northeast, 12:04 am CDT (05:04 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 0 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
CMH UA /OV LCK/TM 0504/FLDURC/TP MD83/SK B010 T037
- Report
- a routine report filed through CMH
- Where
- over LCK
- Time
- 05:04 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- MD83
- Sky
- B010 T037
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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (HOU, LCH, SHV, LIT, MEM, BNA, EVV, LOU, CVG, CMH). 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 | 250° at 10 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 6 h 31 min | 9:08 am EDT (13:08 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 270° at 10 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 6 h 41 min | 9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 280° at 12 kt | −6 kt | 14 °C | 126 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | −6 kt | 10 °C | 126 kt | 6 h 44 min | 9:21 am EDT (13:21 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | −2 kt | 7 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 57 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | −1 kt | 3 °C | 121 kt | 7 h | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −2 kt | -1 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 57 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | −2 kt | -5 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 57 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 17 kt | −2 kt | -6 °C | 122 kt | 6 h 57 min | 9:34 am EDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 22 kt | −1 kt | -17 °C | 121 kt | 7 h | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 39 kt | +1 kt | -32 °C | 119 kt | 7 h 08 min | 9:45 am EDT (13:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | −1 kt | -40 °C | 121 kt | 7 h | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 39 kt | +2 kt | -51 °C | 118 kt | 7 h 11 min | 9:48 am EDT (13:48 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOU | used from 0 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -52° |
| LCH | used from 50 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| SHV | used from 100 nm out; 57 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° |
| LIT | used from 249 nm out; 91 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| MEM | used from 349 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| BNA | used from 499 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| EVV | used from 599 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| LOU | used from 649 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| CVG | used from 748 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| CMH | used from 798 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IAH Houston, TX | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 20,000 feet | from the east-southeast (110°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 20,000 ft | 95 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| JAS Jasper, TX | 90 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 229 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GLH Greenville, MS | 309 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| OLV Olive Branch, MS | 409 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 401 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 469 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CKV Clarksville, TN | 559 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | low IFR Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | none | 549 ft | 05:59 UTC |
| EKX Elizabethtown, KY | 658 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 100 ft | 775 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LOU Louisville, KY | 688 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 545 ft | 06:32 UTC |
| ILN Wilmington, OH | 798 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 1,076 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| LCK Columbus, OH | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 743 ft | 1:55 am EDT (05:55 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,076 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LCK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:08 am EDT (13:08 UTC)
Wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for LCK
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,200 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for IAH, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-southeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC) and 5:00 pm CDT (22:00 UTC): light rain showers
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 13 nm from the route, 758 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at IAH 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC), at LCK 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 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: George Bush Intcntl/Houston Airport, Rickenbacker International.