Plan a flight · Sun 9:45 pm CDT (02:45 UTC)

Kansas City International to Gerald R Ford International MCI → GRR

468 nautical miles (538 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 060°, about 058° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 54 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 41-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:39 am EDT (05:39 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MCI is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 knots; GRR 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: 7 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 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 first 40 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 MCI.

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

A320 at 33,000 ft, 40 nm southeast, 7:36 pm CDT (00:36 UTC): moderate turbulence above 33,000 ft, remarks: zob. At the destination end, 40 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
JXN UA /OV JXN280030/TM 0036/FL330/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD 330/RM ZOB
```
Report
a routine report filed through JXN
Where
30 nm west (280°) of JXN
Time
00:36 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
A320
Turbulence
occasional moderate at 33,000 ft
Remarks
zob
A321 at 32,000 ft, 28 nm northwest, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 289 nm along the route, 28 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through RPJ
Where
over PLL
Time
01:56 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
pocket continuous light turbulence
B39M at 35,000 ft, 36 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. 348 nm along the route, 36 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through IKK
Where
over CGT
Time
00:29 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
Remarks
smooth
CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 13 nm southeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. 388 nm along the route, 13 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through BEH
Where
40 nm west (270°) of ELX
Time
00:04 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ7
Turbulence
none
B38M at 31,000 ft, 35 nm southeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 31,000 ft. 448 nm along the route, 35 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
AZO UA /OV AZO/TM 0004/FL310/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 310 BLO
```
Report
a routine report filed through AZO
Where
over AZO
Time
00:04 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
B38M
Turbulence
continuous light chop at 31,000 ft below

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 4 forecast points nearest it (MKC, BRL, 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	240° at 26 kt	−26 kt		146 kt	3 h 12 min	1:57 am EDT (05:57 UTC)
5,500 ft	250° at 24 kt	−24 kt		144 kt	3 h 15 min	2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC)
7,500 ft	260° at 19 kt	−18 kt	13 °C	138 kt	3 h 23 min	2:08 am EDT (06:08 UTC)
9,500 ft	270° at 14 kt	−13 kt	10 °C	133 kt	3 h 31 min	2:16 am EDT (06:16 UTC)
11,500 ft	260° at 11 kt	−10 kt	5 °C	130 kt	3 h 36 min	2:21 am EDT (06:21 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 13 kt	−12 kt	1 °C	132 kt	3 h 33 min	2:18 am EDT (06:18 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 17 kt	−15 kt	-2 °C	135 kt	3 h 28 min	2:13 am EDT (06:13 UTC)
17,500 ft	280° at 22 kt	−18 kt	-6 °C	138 kt	3 h 23 min	2:08 am EDT (06:08 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	280° at 23 kt	−19 kt	-7 °C	139 kt	3 h 22 min	2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	270° at 30 kt	−27 kt	-19 °C	147 kt	3 h 11 min	1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 34 kt	−27 kt	-33 °C	147 kt	3 h 11 min	1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 48 kt	−35 kt	-42 °C	155 kt	3 h 01 min	1:46 am EDT (05:46 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 61 kt	−41 kt	-52 °C	161 kt	2 h 54 min	1:39 am EDT (05:39 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
MKC	used from 0 nm out; 28 nm from the line	220/44	250/28 18°	250/18 13°	240/12 6°	280/24 -6°	240/34 -18°	260/47 -30°	260/51 -40°	270/58 -50°
BRL	used from 100 nm out; 63 nm from the line	230/24	240/29 15°	290/16 10°	280/15 4°	260/23 -7°	260/32 -19°	260/36 -33°	280/48 -41°	280/59 -52°
JOT	used from 249 nm out; 58 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°
MKG	used from 398 nm out; 37 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°

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
MCI Kansas City, MO	departure	VFR	from the south (170°) at 9 knots	10+ mi	none	1,027 ft	8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC)
GPH Mosby, MO	20 nm out, 8 nm south of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	777 ft	02:35 UTC
CHT Chillicothe, MO	60 nm out, 5 nm east of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	783 ft	02:35 UTC
IRK Kirksville, MO	110 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line	reported, no category	from the south (170°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	966 ft	01:55 UTC
FSW Fort Madison, IA	179 nm out, 6 nm south of the line	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	721 ft	02:35 UTC
MLI Moline, IL	229 nm out, 20 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (170°) at 10 knots	10+ mi	none	589 ft	01:52 UTC
EZI Kewanee, IL	249 nm out, 5 nm south of the line	no report just now				858 ft
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL	319 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	712 ft	01:52 UTC
ORD Chicago, IL	348 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	680 ft	01:51 UTC
BEH Benton Harbor, MI	408 nm out, 25 nm southeast of the line	low IFR Weather: fog	calm	0.5 mi	none	649 ft	02:15 UTC
BIV Holland, MI	438 nm out, 4 nm north of the line	marginal VFR Weather: mist	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	5 mi	none	697 ft	01:53 UTC
GRR Grand Rapids, MI	destination	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	793 ft	9:53 pm EDT (01:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,027 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At GRR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:39 am EDT (05:39 UTC)

Wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for GRR

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet

The forecast for MCI, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 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 MCI 6:44 pm CDT (23:44 UTC), at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:33 pm EDT (23:33 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GRR is before sunrise there (7:51 am EDT (11:51 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 upper Mississippi valley · 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: Kansas City International, Gerald R Ford International.