Plan a flight · Mon 10:55 am CDT (15:55 UTC)

Mason City Municipal to Gerald R Ford International MCW → GRR

343 nautical miles (395 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 090° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 56-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:52 pm EDT (17:52 UTC). Right now MCW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots; GRR is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 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: 1 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

No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.

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 MCW.

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

E170 at 28,000 ft, 6 nm south, 8:10 am CDT (13:10 UTC): moderate chop turbulence. At the destination end, 6 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
GRR UA /OV VIO/TM 1310/FL280/TP E170/TB OCNL MOD CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through GRR
Where
over VIO
Time
13:10 UTC
Height
at 28,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
occasional moderate chop
P46T at 31,000 ft, 36 nm south, 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC): light chop turbulence. 39 nm along the route, 36 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ALO UA /OV ALO270005/TM 1337/FL310/TP P46T/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through ALO
Where
5 nm west (270°) of ALO
Time
13:37 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
P46T
Turbulence
intermittent light chop
C510 at 17,000 ft, 6 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 137 nm along the route, 6 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LNR UA /OV LNR/TM 1327/FL170/TP C510/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through LNR
Where
over LNR
Time
13:27 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
C510
Turbulence
none
PC12 at 20,000 ft, 6 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 137 nm along the route, 6 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LNR UA /OV 0WI4/TM 1327/FL200/TP PC12/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through LNR
Where
over 0WI4
Time
13:27 UTC
Height
at 20,000 ft
Aircraft
PC12
Turbulence
none
B39M at 36,000 ft, 48 nm south, 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC): no turbulence. 235 nm along the route, 48 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PWK UA /OV OBK/TM 1318/FL360/TP B39M/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through PWK
Where
over OBK
Time
13:18 UTC
Height
at 36,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
B39M at 34,000 ft, 15 nm south, 9:01 am CDT (14:01 UTC): no turbulence. 294 nm along the route, 15 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BIV UA /OV PMM300030/TM 1401/FL340/TP B39M/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through BIV
Where
30 nm northwest (300°) of PMM
Time
14:01 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
B39M
Turbulence
none
B752 at 32,000 ft, 27 nm south, 8:03 am CDT (13:03 UTC): light chop turbulence. 323 nm along the route, 27 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BIV UA /OV PMM/TM 1303/FL320/TP B752/TB CONS LGT CHOP
```
Report
a routine report filed through BIV
Where
over PMM
Time
13:03 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
B752
Turbulence
continuous light chop

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 14:00–21:00 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 (MCW, LSE, DBQ, GRB, 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 22 kt	−19 kt		139 kt	2 h 28 min	2:23 pm EDT (18:23 UTC)
5,500 ft	240° at 27 kt	−21 kt		141 kt	2 h 26 min	2:21 pm EDT (18:21 UTC)
7,500 ft	240° at 29 kt	−26 kt	14 °C	146 kt	2 h 21 min	2:16 pm EDT (18:16 UTC)
9,500 ft	250° at 31 kt	−30 kt	10 °C	150 kt	2 h 17 min	2:12 pm EDT (18:12 UTC)
11,500 ft	260° at 30 kt	−30 kt	6 °C	150 kt	2 h 17 min	2:12 pm EDT (18:12 UTC)
13,500 ft	270° at 30 kt	−30 kt	2 °C	150 kt	2 h 17 min	2:12 pm EDT (18:12 UTC)
15,500 ft	270° at 31 kt	−31 kt	-3 °C	151 kt	2 h 16 min	2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC)
17,500 ft	270° at 31 kt	−31 kt	-8 °C	151 kt	2 h 16 min	2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	270° at 31 kt	−31 kt	-9 °C	151 kt	2 h 16 min	2:11 pm EDT (18:11 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	270° at 37 kt	−37 kt	-21 °C	157 kt	2 h 11 min	2:06 pm EDT (18:06 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	270° at 42 kt	−42 kt	-36 °C	162 kt	2 h 07 min	2:02 pm EDT (18:02 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	280° at 47 kt	−46 kt	-39 °C	166 kt	2 h 04 min	1:59 pm EDT (17:59 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	290° at 57 kt	−56 kt	-47 °C	176 kt	1 h 57 min	1:52 pm EDT (17:52 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 12:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 18:00 UTC for use 14:00 to 21:00 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
MCW	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	220/19	210/29 20°	230/35 13°	250/35 5°	250/33 -9°	260/44 -21°	260/46 -33°	270/58 -37°	270/59 -46°
LSE	used from 49 nm out; 48 nm from the line	240/16	230/27 20°	250/35 12°	260/28 5°	260/30 -9°	260/37 -21°	260/38 -36°	280/44 -37°	280/52 -47°
DBQ	used from 98 nm out; 44 nm from the line	250/26	240/32 19°	250/35 11°	260/37 5°	270/35 -9°	270/40 -21°	270/43 -35°	280/49 -37°	280/58 -46°
GRB	used from 196 nm out; 87 nm from the line	260/10	240/27 16°	260/31 10°	270/25 5°	280/31 -10°	280/35 -22°	270/46 -37°	290/43 -40°	300/64 -48°
MKG	used from 245 nm out; 43 nm from the line	240/27	240/26 15°	270/27 9°	280/27 5°	280/28 -9°	280/32 -22°	270/41 -38°	290/44 -41°	300/60 -48°

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
MCW Mason City, IA	departure	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 14 knots	10+ mi	none	1,213 ft	9:53 am CDT (14:53 UTC)
CCY Charles City, IA	29 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots, gusting to 18	10+ mi	none	1,125 ft	15:35 UTC
DEH Decorah, IA	69 nm out, 8 nm north of the line	VFR	from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots, gusting to 13	10+ mi	none	1,157 ft	15:35 UTC
OVS Boscobel, WI	118 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 10 knots, gusting to 17	10+ mi	none	672 ft	14:53 UTC
LNR Lone Rock, WI	137 nm out, 6 nm north of the line	VFR	from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	717 ft	14:56 UTC
MSN Madison, WI	176 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 23,000 feet	variable at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	886 ft	15:53 UTC
UES Waukesha, WI	225 nm out, 2 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots, gusting to 15	10+ mi	none	911 ft	15:45 UTC
MKG Muskegon, MI	314 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 12 knots, gusting to 19	10+ mi	25,000 ft	628 ft	14:55 UTC
GRR Grand Rapids, MI	destination	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots	9 mi	25,000 ft	793 ft	10:53 am EDT (14:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,213 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, 1:52 pm EDT (17:52 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for GRR

From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
From Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, mist, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet
30% chance between Mon 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC) and 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, mist, overcast at 3,500 feet (thunderheads)
From Tue 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet

The forecast for MCW, the departure

From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 16, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 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 MCW 6:35 pm CDT (23:35 UTC), at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:33 pm EDT (23:33 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: Mason City Municipal, Gerald R Ford International.