Mbs International to Columbia Regional MBS → COU
464 nautical miles (534 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 235°, about 242° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 6:49 am CDT (11:49 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MBS is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; COU is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 6 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 158 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 MBS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 21 nm southeast, 3:05 am EDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 237 nm along the route, 21 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 36 nm southeast, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 247 nm along the route, 36 nm southeast 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 4 forecast points nearest it (MKG, JOT, SPI, COU). 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 | 250° at 21 kt | +20 kt | 100 kt | 4 h 38 min | 7:18 am CDT (12:18 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 14 °C | 103 kt | 4 h 30 min | 7:10 am CDT (12:10 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | +14 kt | 11 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 23 min | 7:03 am CDT (12:03 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 12 kt | +11 kt | 7 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 15 min | 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 10 kt | +8 kt | 3 °C | 112 kt | 4 h 09 min | 6:49 am CDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 15 kt | +11 kt | -1 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 15 min | 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +13 kt | -4 °C | 107 kt | 4 h 20 min | 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 23 kt | +15 kt | -7 °C | 105 kt | 4 h 25 min | 7:05 am CDT (12:05 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 29 kt | +19 kt | -19 °C | 101 kt | 4 h 36 min | 7:16 am CDT (12:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | +14 kt | -34 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 23 min | 7:03 am CDT (12:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 51 kt | +20 kt | -43 °C | 100 kt | 4 h 38 min | 7:18 am CDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 64 kt | +22 kt | -52 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 44 min | 7:24 am CDT (12:24 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; 75 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 148 nm out; 46 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 296 nm out; 30 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° |
| COU | used from 395 nm out; 44 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBS Saginaw, MI | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 7 mi | none | 668 ft | 2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC) |
| LAN Lansing, MI | 39 nm out, 25 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | none | 860 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | 79 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 2.5 mi | none | 793 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| LWA South Haven, MI | 118 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 665 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| MGC Michigan City, IN | 158 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| GYY Gary/Chicago, IN | 187 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 596 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| DTG Dwight, IL | 237 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 632 ft | ||||
| PIA Peoria, IL | 306 nm out, 12 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| IJX Jacksonville, IL | 355 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 623 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| PPQ Pittsfield, IL | 385 nm out, 6 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 709 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| MYJ Mexico, MO | 434 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 822 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 889 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At COU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:49 am CDT (11:49 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for COU
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MBS, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 12 nm from the route, 444 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at MBS 6:58 pm EDT (22:58 UTC), at COU 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:01 pm CDT (00:01 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at COU is before sunrise there (7:15 am CDT (12:15 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: Mbs International, Columbia Regional.