Middle Georgia Regional to Sioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day Field MCN → SUX
839 nautical miles (966 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 318°, about 324° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 14-knot headwind), arriving about 9:18 am CDT (14:18 UTC). Right now MCN is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 4 knots; SUX is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 4 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Near the route, 100 nm along 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). Over the route from 140 to 260 nm out.
- 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 last 260 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 MCN.
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (ATL, HSV, BNA, CGI, STL, COU, DSM, OMA). 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 | 270° at 21 kt | +14 kt | 106 kt | 7 h 55 min | 9:18 am CDT (14:18 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 15 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 09 min | 9:32 am CDT (14:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 12 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 14 min | 9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | +17 kt | 8 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 09 min | 9:32 am CDT (14:32 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 5 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 04 min | 9:27 am CDT (14:27 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 1 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 14 min | 9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 21 kt | +20 kt | -3 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 23 min | 9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 23 kt | +21 kt | -7 °C | 99 kt | 8 h 28 min | 9:51 am CDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 27 kt | +24 kt | -18 °C | 96 kt | 8 h 44 min | 10:07 am CDT (15:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 38 kt | +38 kt | -33 °C | 82 kt | 10 h 14 min | 11:37 am CDT (16:37 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 47 kt | +46 kt | -41 °C | 74 kt | 11 h 20 min | 12:43 pm CDT (17:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 45 kt | +45 kt | -50 °C | 75 kt | 11 h 11 min | 12:34 pm CDT (17:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL | used from 0 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 320/30 | 330/37 16° | 340/44 11° | 330/35 7° | 310/33 -6° | 300/38 -18° | 330/58 -33° | 330/48 -40° | 320/34 -49° |
| HSV | used from 150 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BNA | used from 200 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| CGI | used from 300 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| STL | used from 450 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| COU | used from 549 nm out; 42 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° |
| DSM | used from 649 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 749 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCN Macon, GA | departure | VFR | from the west (270°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 354 ft | 1:53 am EDT (05:53 UTC) |
| ATL Atlanta, GA | 70 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,026 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| RYY Atlanta, GA | 90 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,040 ft | 05:50 UTC |
| LUG Lewisburg, TN | 230 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 718 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| CEY Murray, KY | 330 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 577 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| PAH Paducah, KY | 360 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 410 ft | 00:00 UTC |
| SUS St Louis, MO | 500 nm out, 8 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 463 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| MYJ Mexico, MO | 559 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 822 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| IRK Kirksville, MO | 619 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line | reported, no category | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| CSQ Creston, IA | 719 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,299 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MEY Mapleton, IA | 809 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,116 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | destination | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,098 ft | 12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,299 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SUX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:18 am CDT (14:18 UTC)
Wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SUX
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MCN, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 15 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 20 nm from the route, 569 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at MCN 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC), at SUX 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:16 pm CDT (00:16 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: Middle Georgia Regional, Sioux Gateway/Brig General Bud Day Field.