Quad Cities International to Chippewa County International MLI → CIU
389 nautical miles (448 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 040°, about 039° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 35 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 31-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:14 pm EDT (17:14 UTC). Right now MLI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots; CIU is low IFR, wind from the east-northeast (060°) 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
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 30 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing from 12,000 ft to 24,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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 MLI.
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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, GRB, TVC). 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 | 250° at 19 kt | −16 kt | 136 kt | 2 h 52 min | 1:31 pm EDT (17:31 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 2 h 41 min | 1:20 pm EDT (17:20 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 31 kt | −27 kt | 13 °C | 147 kt | 2 h 39 min | 1:18 pm EDT (17:18 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 32 kt | −26 kt | 9 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 40 min | 1:19 pm EDT (17:19 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 270° at 30 kt | −21 kt | 6 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 46 min | 1:25 pm EDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 270° at 30 kt | −19 kt | 1 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 48 min | 1:27 pm EDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 32 kt | −19 kt | -4 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 48 min | 1:27 pm EDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 280° at 33 kt | −19 kt | -9 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 48 min | 1:27 pm EDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 34 kt | −19 kt | -10 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 48 min | 1:27 pm EDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 37 kt | −21 kt | -22 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 46 min | 1:25 pm EDT (17:25 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 47 kt | −31 kt | -36 °C | 151 kt | 2 h 35 min | 1:14 pm EDT (17:14 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 45 kt | −19 kt | -40 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 48 min | 1:27 pm EDT (17:27 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 60 kt | −17 kt | -48 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 50 min | 1:29 pm EDT (17:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 46 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 100 nm out; 91 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° |
| TVC | used from 249 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 260/18 | 250/30 15° | 260/34 8° | 280/29 5° | 280/36 -10° | 280/37 -22° | 270/50 -37° | 290/46 -42° | 300/60 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLI Moline, IL | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
| CWI Clinton, IA | 20 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 707 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 80 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 100 nm out, 5 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 |
| UES Waukesha, WI | 140 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 911 ft | 13:45 UTC |
| SBM Sheboygan, WI | 179 nm out, 4 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 755 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| FKS Frankfort, MI | 269 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 633 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| SJX Beaver Island, MI | 329 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet | from the west (270°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 669 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| MCD Mackinac Island, MI | 369 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,600 feet, a broken layer at 2,200 feet | from the east (080°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 2,200 ft | 741 ft | 14:35 UTC |
| CIU Sault Ste Marie, MI | destination | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots | 1.75 mi | 200 ft | 799 ft | 10:31 am EDT (14:31 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 911 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CIU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:14 pm EDT (17:14 UTC)
Wind from the east at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): overcast at 200 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for CIU
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- At times between Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) and 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): overcast at 200 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, gusting to 13, visibility 6 miles, light drizzle, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the east at 12 knots, visibility 4 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
The forecast for MLI, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Tue 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC), at CIU 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:27 pm EDT (23:27 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: Quad Cities International, Chippewa County International.