Lincoln Airport to Mbs International LNK → MBS
586 nautical miles (674 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 070°, about 067° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 54-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:23 am EDT (12:23 UTC). Right now LNK is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 11 knots; MBS is marginal VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 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 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 first 328 nm of the route.
- 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 last 20 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 LNK.
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 5 forecast points nearest it (OMA, DSM, DBQ, JOT, MKG). 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 32 kt | −32 kt | 152 kt | 3 h 51 min | 8:52 am EDT (12:52 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 4 h 02 min | 9:03 am EDT (13:03 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −21 kt | 14 °C | 141 kt | 4 h 09 min | 9:10 am EDT (13:10 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | −21 kt | 9 °C | 141 kt | 4 h 09 min | 9:10 am EDT (13:10 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 5 °C | 144 kt | 4 h 04 min | 9:05 am EDT (13:05 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 1 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 01 min | 9:02 am EDT (13:02 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 27 kt | −27 kt | -4 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 59 min | 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -8 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 59 min | 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -9 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 59 min | 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 37 kt | −36 kt | -21 °C | 156 kt | 3 h 45 min | 8:46 am EDT (12:46 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 44 kt | −43 kt | -35 °C | 163 kt | 3 h 36 min | 8:37 am EDT (12:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 51 kt | −49 kt | -41 °C | 169 kt | 3 h 28 min | 8:29 am EDT (12:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 62 kt | −54 kt | -49 °C | 174 kt | 3 h 22 min | 8:23 am EDT (12:23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| DSM | used from 99 nm out; 23 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 199 nm out; 64 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° |
| JOT | used from 348 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| MKG | used from 397 nm out; 67 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNK Lincoln, NE | departure | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 3:54 am CDT (08:54 UTC) |
| OMA Omaha, NE | 50 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 984 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| AIO Atlantic, IA | 79 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots, gusting to 12 | 10+ mi | none | 1,164 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 149 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| TZT Belle Plaine, IA | 209 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 771 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 288 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| EFT Monroe, WI | 338 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,085 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 357 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 807 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | 417 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 19,000 feet, overcast at 24,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 728 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 487 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| AMN Alma, MI | 556 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 8 mi | none | 754 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| MBS Saginaw, MI | destination | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 5 mi | none | 668 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,218 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MBS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:23 am EDT (12:23 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MBS
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) and 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 5 miles, mist, a broken layer at 500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, 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 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
The forecast for LNK, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 LNK 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC), at MBS 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:27 pm EDT (23:27 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: Lincoln Airport, Mbs International.