Muskegon County to Raleigh-Durham International MKG → RDU
557 nautical miles (641 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 139°, about 143° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 21 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:30 am EDT (10:30 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RDU is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 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: 3 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 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 20 to 457 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 328 to 477 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 408 to 537 nm out.
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 MKG.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MKG, FWA, CMH, CRW, ROA, RDU). 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 | 300° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 4 h | 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | −21 kt | 141 kt | 3 h 57 min | 7:06 am EDT (11:06 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −21 kt | 11 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 57 min | 7:06 am EDT (11:06 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −21 kt | 8 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 57 min | 7:06 am EDT (11:06 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 4 °C | 138 kt | 4 h 02 min | 7:11 am EDT (11:11 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 0 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 59 min | 7:08 am EDT (11:08 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −24 kt | -3 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 52 min | 7:01 am EDT (11:01 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 28 kt | −27 kt | -7 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 47 min | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -8 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 46 min | 6:55 am EDT (10:55 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 34 kt | −33 kt | -20 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 38 min | 6:47 am EDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 40 kt | −39 kt | -35 °C | 159 kt | 3 h 30 min | 6:39 am EDT (10:39 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | −46 kt | -41 °C | 166 kt | 3 h 21 min | 6:30 am EDT (10:30 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 46 kt | −45 kt | -49 °C | 165 kt | 3 h 23 min | 6:32 am EDT (10:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 25 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° |
| FWA | used from 99 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CMH | used from 199 nm out; 19 nm from the line | 330/15 | 340/22 14° | 340/24 9° | 340/23 4° | 340/35 -9° | 340/49 -20° | 340/58 -37° | 330/70 -42° | 340/55 -47° |
| CRW | used from 298 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 330/20 | 330/23 11° | 340/25 8° | 340/21 2° | 340/33 -9° | 340/41 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/44 -39° | 320/43 -47° |
| ROA | used from 398 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 310/29 | 330/31 13° | 340/28 7° | 330/25 3° | 310/32 -8° | 300/32 -22° | 290/32 -31° | 270/35 -38° | 270/32 -47° |
| RDU | used from 497 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG Muskegon, MI | departure | reported, no category | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 2:55 am EDT (06:55 UTC) |
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | 30 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | none | 793 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BTL Battle Creek, MI | 70 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | none | 951 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| TOL Toledo, OH | 139 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 683 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| DLZ Delaware, OH | 219 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 500 ft | 945 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| CMH Columbus, OH | 239 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 815 ft | 06:51 UTC |
| PKB Parkersburg, WV | 318 nm out, 24 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 858 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| CRW Charleston, WV | 358 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain, mist | variable at 4 knots | 1 mi | 600 ft | 947 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| LWB Lewisburg, WV | 418 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,900 ft | 2,301 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| ROA Roanoke, VA | 457 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,200 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet | from the west (270°) at 15 knots, gusting to 25 | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 1,175 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| DAN Danville, VA | 507 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR Sky: overcast at 9,500 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 571 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,200 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 435 ft | 2:51 am EDT (06:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,301 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RDU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:30 am EDT (10:30 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet and more above VFR
The whole forecast for RDU
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet, a broken layer at 4,000 feet and more above
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 4,500 feet
- At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm EDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, a broken layer at 3,000 feet
- From Mon 5:30 pm EDT (21:30 UTC): wind from the northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MKG, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-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 at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 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 10:00 pm EDT (02:00 UTC) and 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light thunderstorms with rain, mist, overcast at 3,500 feet (thunderheads)
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 MKG 7:07 pm EDT (23:07 UTC), at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RDU is before sunrise there (7:19 am EDT (11:19 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: Muskegon County, Raleigh-Durham International.