Plan a flight · Mon 6:43 am EDT (10:43 UTC)

Wilmington International to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International ILM → CVG

434 nautical miles (499 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 313°, about 323° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 23-knot headwind), arriving about 11:11 am EDT (15:11 UTC). Right now ILM is IFR, wind from the west (260°) at 8 knots; CVG is low IFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 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: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the first 20 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 route from 118 to 187 nm out.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 168 to 247 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 177 to 237 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 197 to 335 nm out.
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 217 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 ILM.

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

E170 at 100 ft, 45 nm southwest, 6:11 am EDT (10:11 UTC): remarks: in the clouds on rotation. 394 nm along the route, 45 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX/TM 1011/FL001/TP E170/SK VV001-TOP013/RM IN THE CLOUDS ON ROTATION
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over LEX
Time
10:11 UTC
Height
at 100 ft
Aircraft
E170
Sky
sky obscured from 100 ft, tops 1,300 ft
Remarks
in the clouds on rotation
CRJ7 at 5,000 ft, 41 nm southwest, 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC): scattered clouds above 10,000 ft, remarks: during the climb. 394 nm along the route, 41 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV HYK330010/TM 0937/FL050/TP CRJ7/SK SCT001/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
10 nm northwest (330°) of HYK
Time
09:37 UTC
Height
at 5,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Sky
scattered clouds from 100 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B737 at 100 ft, 3 nm southwest, 6:24 am EDT (10:24 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: runway 36R arrival, bases at clear-air turbulence 3 mins. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG/TM 1024/FL001/TP B737/SK VV001/RM RWY 36R ARRIVAL, BASES AT CAT 3 MINS
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
over CVG
Time
10:24 UTC
Height
at 100 ft
Aircraft
B737
Sky
sky obscured from 100 ft
Remarks
runway 36R arrival, bases at clear-air turbulence 3 mins
B739 climbing, 3 nm southwest, 6:19 am EDT (10:19 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 1 W CVG/TM 1019/FLDURC/TP B739/SK TOPS 011
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 west cvg
Time
10:19 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B739
Sky
tops 1,100 ft
B763 at 100 ft, 3 nm southwest, 5:05 am EDT (09:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0905/FL001/TP B763/SK VV001/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
09:05 UTC
Height
at 100 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 100 ft
Remarks
during the climb
B763 at 200 ft, 3 nm southwest, 4:05 am EDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
1 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
08:05 UTC
Height
at 200 ft
Aircraft
B763
Sky
sky obscured from 200 ft
Remarks
during the climb

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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (ILM, RDU, ROA, TRI, CRW, CVG). 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	330° at 23 kt	+23 kt	11 °C	97 kt	4 h 28 min	11:11 am EDT (15:11 UTC)
6,500 ft	330° at 24 kt	+23 kt	12 °C	97 kt	4 h 28 min	11:11 am EDT (15:11 UTC)
8,500 ft	330° at 26 kt	+24 kt	9 °C	96 kt	4 h 31 min	11:14 am EDT (15:14 UTC)
10,500 ft	330° at 26 kt	+25 kt	6 °C	95 kt	4 h 34 min	11:17 am EDT (15:17 UTC)
12,500 ft	330° at 27 kt	+26 kt	3 °C	94 kt	4 h 37 min	11:20 am EDT (15:20 UTC)
14,500 ft	330° at 30 kt	+29 kt	-1 °C	91 kt	4 h 46 min	11:29 am EDT (15:29 UTC)
16,500 ft	320° at 32 kt	+32 kt	-4 °C	88 kt	4 h 56 min	11:39 am EDT (15:39 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 34 kt	+34 kt	-7 °C	86 kt	5 h 03 min	11:46 am EDT (15:46 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 36 kt	+35 kt	-19 °C	85 kt	5 h 06 min	11:49 am EDT (15:49 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 39 kt	+39 kt	-33 °C	81 kt	5 h 21 min	12:04 pm EDT (16:04 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 46 kt	+46 kt	-41 °C	74 kt	5 h 52 min	12:35 pm EDT (16:35 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 42 kt	+42 kt	-49 °C	78 kt	5 h 34 min	12:17 pm EDT (16:17 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
ILM	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	300/18	300/22 13°	300/21 8°	290/28 4°	280/38 -7°	270/40 -18°	250/49 -32°	250/50 -40°	270/33 -50°
RDU	used from 49 nm out; 47 nm from the line	330/30	340/24 12°	330/26 7°	320/30 3°	330/39 -8°	310/30 -20°	300/33 -33°	310/34 -39°	310/41 -47°
ROA	used from 148 nm out; 71 nm from the line	310/32	340/32 14°	350/25 9°	340/24 3°	340/42 -8°	340/52 -20°	350/62 -34°	350/64 -39°	310/44 -48°
TRI	used from 197 nm out; 58 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°
CRW	used from 296 nm out; 66 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°
CVG	used from 345 nm out; 64 nm from the line	300/19	310/23 15°	320/20 9°	310/18 3°	300/26 -6°	290/36 -19°	310/32 -34°	310/53 -43°	310/61 -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
ILM Wilmington, NC	departure	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet	from the west (260°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	800 ft	31 ft	5:53 am EDT (09:53 UTC)
EYF Elizabethtown, NC	39 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 500 feet	from the west-southwest (250°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	131 ft	10:35 UTC
FAY Fayetteville, NC	69 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (250°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	189 ft	09:53 UTC
VUJ Albemarle, NC	128 nm out, 25 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (250°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	609 ft	10:35 UTC
INT Winston Salem, NC	158 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	969 ft	09:54 UTC
ZEF Elkin, NC	187 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line	no report just now				1,067 ft
MKJ Marion/Wytheville, VA	227 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,000 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet	from the west (270°) at 11 knots, gusting to 18	10+ mi	1,500 ft	2,558 ft	10:35 UTC
PBX Pikeville, KY	296 nm out, 7 nm west of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist	calm	1 mi	300 ft	1,464 ft	10:35 UTC
SJS Prestonsburg, KY	306 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line	reported, no category	calm	5 mi	none	1,221 ft	10:35 UTC
FGX Flemingsburg, KY	385 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist	from the west (270°) at 5 knots	1.5 mi	200 ft	913 ft	10:35 UTC
GEO Georgetown, OH	394 nm out, 16 nm northeast of the line	no report just now				957 ft
CVG Covington, KY	destination	low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog	from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots	0.06 mi	200 ft	896 ft	6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,558 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CVG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:11 am EDT (15:11 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CVG

From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 100 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 100 feet
At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
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-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet

The forecast for ILM, the departure

From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 900 feet
At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): a broken layer at 700 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet
From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it

6/8508 Johnsontown, NC 2 nm from the route, 39 nm along the route · security · ZDC
6/8713 Maxton, NC, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID

Daylight

Sunset at ILM 6:41 pm EDT (22:41 UTC), at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 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 Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Wilmington International, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International.