Kansas City International to Salt Lake City International MCI → SLC
797 nautical miles (917 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 282°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 03 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 3:11 am MDT (09:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 2,006 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
- SIGMET 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 488 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO MT WY FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- 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 309 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the last 399 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 389 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 508 to 718 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 508 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 608 to 688 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 179 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 169 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 110 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
Not fetched just now.
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 7 forecast points nearest it (MKC, SLN, GRI, GLD, DEN, RKS, SLC). 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 | 210° at 25 kt | +7 kt | 19 °C | 113 kt | 7 h 03 min | 3:11 am MDT (09:11 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 26 kt | +10 kt | 18 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 15 min | 3:23 am MDT (09:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 210° at 30 kt | +10 kt | 15 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 15 min | 3:23 am MDT (09:23 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 210° at 31 kt | +15 kt | 10 °C | 105 kt | 7 h 35 min | 3:43 am MDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 34 kt | +21 kt | 4 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 03 min | 4:11 am MDT (10:11 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 35 kt | +23 kt | 0 °C | 97 kt | 8 h 13 min | 4:21 am MDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 36 kt | +25 kt | -5 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 23 min | 4:31 am MDT (10:31 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 37 kt | +27 kt | -8 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 34 min | 4:42 am MDT (10:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 40 kt | +26 kt | -20 °C | 94 kt | 8 h 29 min | 4:37 am MDT (10:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 49 kt | +36 kt | -31 °C | 84 kt | 9 h 29 min | 5:37 am MDT (11:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 60 kt | +50 kt | -38 °C | 70 kt | 11 h 23 min | 7:31 am MDT (13:31 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 62 kt | +55 kt | -48 °C | 65 kt | 12 h 16 min | 8:24 am MDT (14:24 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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; 34 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
| SLN | used from 50 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 190/37 | 220/39 20° | 240/31 14° | 250/24 7° | 260/25 -7° | 250/26 -17° | 250/44 -31° | 260/47 -40° | 260/47 -50° |
| GRI | used from 149 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 210/31 19° | 240/21 14° | 240/17 6° | 260/27 -7° | 260/34 -18° | 240/45 -32° | 250/56 -40° | 260/62 -51° | |
| GLD | used from 249 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| DEN | used from 399 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 190/31 16° | 210/32 7° | 240/41 -8° | 230/47 -21° | 240/56 -32° | 250/65 -37° | 250/61 -47° | ||
| RKS | used from 548 nm out; 108 nm from the line | 190/43 | 210/65 3° | 210/57 -9° | 210/56 -21° | 210/47 -33° | 230/63 -37° | 240/77 -46° | ||
| SLC | used from 698 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 280/8 | 210/39 5° | 210/52 -1° | 200/50 -11° | 200/56 -23° | 220/61 -28° | 230/73 -37° | 230/73 -45° |
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 | no report just now | 1,027 ft | ||||
| TOP Topeka, KS | 40 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 881 ft | ||||
| RPB Belleville, KS | 140 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,538 ft | ||||
| TKO Mankato, KS | 169 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,859 ft | ||||
| MCK Mc Cook, NE | 279 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,582 ft | ||||
| RYA Wray, CO | 349 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,677 ft | ||||
| FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO | 478 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 5,020 ft | ||||
| LMO Longmont, CO | 488 nm out, 21 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,055 ft | ||||
| SBS Steamboat Springs, CO | 568 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 6,882 ft | ||||
| VEL Vernal, UT | 688 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,274 ft | ||||
| HCR Heber, UT | 767 nm out, 19 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,636 ft | ||||
| SLC Salt Lake City, UT | destination | no report just now | 4,230 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,882 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SLC when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:11 am MDT (09:11 UTC)
SLC has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 SLC 6:52 pm MDT (00:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm MDT (01:19 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SLC is before sunrise there (7:35 am MDT (13:35 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: Kansas City International, Salt Lake City International.