Quad Cities International to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International MLI → CVG
304 nautical miles (350 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 116°, about 115° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 1 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 62-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MLI is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots; CVG is low IFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 3 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 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 first 20 nm of 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, fog). Over the last 59 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 MLI.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 25 nm northeast, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 108 nm along the route, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
- B763 at 200 ft, 3 nm southwest, 3:05 am CDT (08:05 UTC): sky obscured, remarks: during the climb. At the destination end, 3 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVG UA /OV CVG270001/TM 0805/FL002/TP B763/SK VV002/RM DURC
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVG
- Where
- 1 nm west (270°) of CVG
- Time
- 08:05 UTC
- Height
- at 200 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- sky obscured from 200 ft
- Remarks
- during the climb
- B752 climbing, 7 nm west, 2:37 am CDT (07:37 UTC): overcast. At the destination end, 7 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 0737/FLDURC/TP B752/SK B001 OVC T015
- Report
- a routine report filed through CVG
- Where
- 5 west cvg
- Time
- 07:37 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B752
- Sky
- B001 overcast T015
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (BRL, JOT, IND, CVG). 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 | 270° at 22 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 2 h 11 min | 6:53 am EDT (10:53 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 2 h 12 min | 6:54 am EDT (10:54 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 12 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 14 min | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | −15 kt | 8 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 15 min | 6:57 am EDT (10:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −16 kt | 5 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 14 min | 6:56 am EDT (10:56 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | −19 kt | 1 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 11 min | 6:53 am EDT (10:53 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 23 kt | −22 kt | -2 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 08 min | 6:50 am EDT (10:50 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 26 kt | −25 kt | -6 °C | 145 kt | 2 h 06 min | 6:48 am EDT (10:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 27 kt | −26 kt | -7 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 05 min | 6:47 am EDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 36 kt | −34 kt | -20 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 58 min | 6:40 am EDT (10:40 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 38 kt | −36 kt | -34 °C | 156 kt | 1 h 57 min | 6:39 am EDT (10:39 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 54 kt | −54 kt | -42 °C | 174 kt | 1 h 45 min | 6:27 am EDT (10:27 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 62 kt | −62 kt | -50 °C | 182 kt | 1 h 40 min | 6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRL | used from 0 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| JOT | used from 49 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| IND | used from 147 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| CVG | used from 245 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 300/19 | 310/23 15° | 320/20 9° | 310/18 3° | 300/26 -6° | 290/36 -19° | 310/32 -34° | 310/53 -43° | 310/61 -51° |
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 (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 2:52 am CDT (07:52 UTC) |
| EZI Kewanee, IL | 29 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 858 ft | ||||
| VYS Peru, IL | 59 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 88 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| DNV Danville, IL | 157 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | no report just now | 696 ft | ||||
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 216 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 796 ft | 08:25 UTC |
| BAK Columbus, IN | 245 nm out, 18 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 01:45 UTC |
| HLB Batesville, IN | 274 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 975 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| CVG Covington, KY | destination | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 896 ft | 3:52 am EDT (07:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 975 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CVG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 100 feet low IFR
The whole forecast for CVG
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ¼ mile, fog, sky obscured at 100 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 3 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 100 feet
- At times between Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) and 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MLI, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at MLI 6:26 pm CDT (23:26 UTC), at CVG 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CVG is before sunrise there (7:45 am EDT (11:45 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, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International.