General Mitchell International to Waterloo Regional MKE → ALO
200 nautical miles (230 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 265°, about 269° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 27-knot headwind), arriving about 11:20 am CDT (16:20 UTC). Right now MKE is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots; ALO is VFR, wind from the south (170°) 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
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 MKE.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 36,000 ft, 43 nm south, 8:18 am CDT (13:18 UTC): no turbulence. 10 nm along the route, 43 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
- C510 at 17,000 ft, 26 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 100 nm along the route, 26 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, 26 nm north, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): no turbulence. 100 nm along the route, 26 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
- B752 at 34,000 ft, 7 nm south, 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC): light chop turbulence. 140 nm along the route, 7 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DBQ UA /OV DBQ300020/TM 1223/FL340/TP B752/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through DBQ
- Where
- 20 nm northwest (300°) of DBQ
- Time
- 12:23 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B752
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 34 nm south, 7:25 am CDT (12:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 180 nm along the route, 34 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
CID UA /OV CID360010/TM 1225/FL320/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP CONS LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through CID
- Where
- 10 nm north (360°) of CID
- Time
- 12:25 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- intermittent light chop continuous light chop
- P46T at 31,000 ft, 5 nm west, 8:37 am CDT (13:37 UTC): light chop turbulence. At the destination end, 5 nm west 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
- B38M at 32,000 ft, 50 nm west, 6:35 am CDT (11:35 UTC): light chop turbulence above 32,000 ft. At the destination end, 50 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
FOD UA /OV FOD075035/TM 1135/FL320/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 320/INTMT LGT CHOP 340
- Report
- a routine report filed through FOD
- Where
- 35 nm east (075°) of FOD
- Time
- 11:35 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop 320/INTMT light chop at 34,000 ft
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 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 2 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ). 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 | 240° at 29 kt | +27 kt | 93 kt | 2 h 09 min | 11:20 am CDT (16:20 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 31 kt | +29 kt | 17 °C | 91 kt | 2 h 12 min | 11:23 am CDT (16:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 32 kt | +32 kt | 12 °C | 88 kt | 2 h 16 min | 11:27 am CDT (16:27 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 34 kt | +34 kt | 8 °C | 86 kt | 2 h 20 min | 11:31 am CDT (16:31 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 36 kt | +36 kt | 4 °C | 84 kt | 2 h 23 min | 11:34 am CDT (16:34 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 35 kt | +35 kt | -1 °C | 85 kt | 2 h 21 min | 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -6 °C | 86 kt | 2 h 20 min | 11:31 am CDT (16:31 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 34 kt | +33 kt | -9 °C | 87 kt | 2 h 18 min | 11:29 am CDT (16:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 39 kt | +39 kt | -21 °C | 81 kt | 2 h 28 min | 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 42 kt | +42 kt | -35 °C | 78 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:45 am CDT (16:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 48 kt | +46 kt | -37 °C | 74 kt | 2 h 42 min | 11:53 am CDT (16:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 57 kt | +54 kt | -46 °C | 66 kt | 3 h 02 min | 12:13 pm CDT (17:13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 84 nm from the line | 230/30 | 250/26 16° | 270/27 11° | 280/34 5° | 290/32 -8° | 280/37 -21° | 280/40 -36° | 290/46 -37° | 290/56 -47° |
| DBQ | used from 50 nm out; 55 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKE Milwaukee, WI | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 728 ft | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
| BUU Burlington, WI | 20 nm out, 14 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 780 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 50 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 23,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 807 ft | 13:45 UTC |
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 130 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| OLZ Oelwein, IA | 180 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | destination | VFR | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,076 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ALO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:20 am CDT (16:20 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ALO
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
The forecast for MKE, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few 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 MKE 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at ALO 6:32 pm CDT (23:32 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 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: General Mitchell International, Waterloo Regional.