The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 7:41 pm PDT (02:41 UTC)

Portland International to John Glenn Columbus International PDX → CMH

1,763 nautical miles (2,028 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 087°, about 071° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 44-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:26 am EDT (13:26 UTC). Right now PDX is VFR, wind from the east (100°) at 7 knots; CMH is IFR, wind from the northwest (310°) at 6 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 return flight

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

  • SIGMET 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 8:55 pm PDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 647 to 697 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    CO MT WY
    FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 129 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 16,000 ft. Over the route from 80 to 428 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 149 to 637 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 279 to 866 nm out.
  • 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 route from 329 to 966 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 498 to 697 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 538 to 627 nm out.
  • 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 route from 1195 to 1314 nm out.
  • 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 last 70 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 PDX.

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 14 forecast points nearest it (PDX, YKM, LWS, DLN, BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT, FWA, CMH). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft240° at 10 kt−7 kt127 kt13 h 53 min12:34 pm EDT (16:34 UTC)
5,500 ft220° at 8 kt−3 kt12 °C123 kt14 h 20 min1:01 pm EDT (17:01 UTC)
7,500 ft230° at 7 kt−3 kt7 °C123 kt14 h 20 min1:01 pm EDT (17:01 UTC)
9,500 ft230° at 8 kt−5 kt4 °C125 kt14 h 06 min12:47 pm EDT (16:47 UTC)
11,500 ft230° at 13 kt−8 kt1 °C128 kt13 h 46 min12:27 pm EDT (16:27 UTC)
13,500 ft230° at 15 kt−10 kt-3 °C130 kt13 h 34 min12:15 pm EDT (16:15 UTC)
15,500 ft240° at 15 kt−11 kt-6 °C131 kt13 h 27 min12:08 pm EDT (16:08 UTC)
17,500 ft240° at 17 kt−13 kt-11 °C133 kt13 h 15 min11:56 am EDT (15:56 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 17 kt−14 kt-12 °C134 kt13 h 09 min11:50 am EDT (15:50 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240250° at 20 kt−17 kt-23 °C137 kt12 h 52 min11:33 am EDT (15:33 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300250° at 26 kt−23 kt-35 °C143 kt12 h 20 min11:01 am EDT (15:01 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340260° at 38 kt−37 kt-40 °C157 kt11 h 14 min9:55 am EDT (13:55 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 44 kt−44 kt-46 °C164 kt10 h 45 min9:26 am EDT (13:26 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
PDXused from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the lineL/V030/7 1°020/12 -6°020/29 -9°010/69 -16°010/81 -25°360/83 -40°360/67 -46°320/29 -42°
YKMused from 50 nm out; 57 nm from the line070/10040/15 -1°020/27 -8°030/25 -13°020/48 -20°010/83 -27°010/77 -37°010/49 -40°350/14 -41°
LWSused from 149 nm out; 73 nm from the line070/10080/12 -2°030/12 -6°080/7 -10°170/34 -21°160/46 -32°200/33 -35°220/22 -35°230/18 -38°
DLNused from 349 nm out; 53 nm from the line090/6 -6°240/22 -4°210/34 -16°210/62 -25°210/66 -34°210/82 -36°220/77 -42°
BILused from 498 nm out; 72 nm from the line080/13180/9 -2°210/38 0°220/51 -11°210/46 -22°210/58 -35°230/73 -39°230/72 -45°
MLSused from 647 nm out; 84 nm from the line150/23 2°190/29 4°210/44 2°220/32 -10°210/36 -21°200/48 -37°230/63 -40°240/71 -47°
RAPused from 747 nm out; 74 nm from the line180/23 12°200/38 13°210/38 6°220/28 -10°230/34 -21°230/37 -36°250/52 -38°250/59 -46°
PIRused from 896 nm out; 26 nm from the line170/22 19°190/25 13°210/32 6°240/23 -9°250/32 -21°250/38 -36°260/44 -40°260/52 -47°
FSDused from 1046 nm out; 37 nm from the line190/9230/30 18°240/23 13°240/20 6°260/22 -9°250/31 -21°250/43 -36°260/49 -43°270/53 -47°
MCWused from 1195 nm out; 39 nm from the line220/44250/30 17°230/14 12°240/17 6°250/22 -8°270/29 -20°250/34 -34°260/52 -43°260/59 -51°
DBQused from 1295 nm out; 62 nm from the line230/33250/30 16°280/15 9°260/15 5°260/21 -7°260/24 -20°250/37 -33°270/42 -43°280/63 -52°
JOTused from 1444 nm out; 38 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°
FWAused from 1593 nm out; 27 nm from the line300/17320/20 16°330/20 10°340/15 3°310/27 -8°320/37 -20°330/52 -36°330/65 -43°330/60 -50°
CMHused from 1693 nm out; 45 nm from the line330/15340/22 14°340/24 9°340/23 4°340/35 -9°340/49 -20°340/58 -37°330/70 -42°340/55 -47°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
PDX Portland, OR departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 feet, a few clouds at 7,000 feet, a few clouds at 9,000 feet from the east (100°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 30 ft 6:53 pm PDT (01:53 UTC)
PDT Pendleton, OR 159 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR Sky: overcast at 7,000 feet calm 10+ mi 7,000 ft 1,494 ft 01:53 UTC
ALW Walla Walla, WA 179 nm out, 25 nm north of the line, tower VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, overcast at 8,000 feet from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots 10+ mi 8,000 ft 1,194 ft 01:53 UTC
BZN Bozeman, MT 478 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 400 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: light snow, mist calm 1 mi 1,400 ft 4,473 ft 02:22 UTC
RED Red Lodge, MT 558 nm out, 11 nm south of the line no report just now 5,762 ft
EFC Belle Fourche, SD 797 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line no report just now 3,190 ft
PIR Pierre, SD 946 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet from the east-northeast (070°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 1,200 ft 1,744 ft 01:53 UTC
FSD Sioux Falls, SD 1105 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet calm 10+ mi none 1,430 ft 01:56 UTC
DBQ Dubuque, IA 1384 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 1,076 ft 01:53 UTC
LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL 1504 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 679 ft 02:10 UTC
FWA Fort Wayne, IN 1643 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 814 ft 01:54 UTC
CMH Columbus, OH destination IFR Sky: overcast at 800 feet from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots 9 mi 800 ft 815 ft 9:51 pm EDT (01:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,762 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At CMH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:26 am EDT (13:26 UTC)

Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for CMH
  • From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 800 feet
  • From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for PDX, the departure
  • From Sun 5:00 pm PDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
  • From Sun 8:00 pm PDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, 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 PDX 6:30 pm PDT (01:30 UTC), at CMH 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 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 Pacific Northwest
Radar now, the Pacific Northwest · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: Portland International, John Glenn Columbus International.