MC Ghee Tyson Airport to Gerald R Ford International TYS → GRR
430 nautical miles (495 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 351°, about 357° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 10 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 17-knot headwind), arriving about 5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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 whole route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 68 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 TYS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B738 descending, 0 nm west, 11:15 pm EDT (03:15 UTC): remarks: multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft. At the departure end, 0 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0315/FLDURD/TP B738/RM MULTIPLE LAYERS FROM 052-047 OVC AT 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 03:15 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- multiple layers from from 5,200 ft to 4,700 ft overcast at at 2,300 ft
- A319 descending, 0 nm west, 10:52 pm EDT (02:52 UTC): remarks: tops 6,800 ft bases 2,300 ft. At the departure end, 0 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV KTYS/TM 0252/FLDURD/TP A319/RM TOPS 068 BASES 023
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- over KTYS
- Time
- 02:52 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A319
- Remarks
- tops 6,800 ft bases 2,300 ft
- LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 16 nm west, 12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. 333 nm along the route, 16 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
- Report
- a routine report filed through FWA
- Where
- over OLK
- Time
- 04:31 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- LJ45
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- smooth
- Remarks
- ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14
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 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 5 forecast points nearest it (TYS, LOU, CVG, FWA, MKG). 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 | 320° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 103 kt | 4 h 10 min | 5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 340° at 23 kt | +22 kt | 14 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 23 min | 6:11 am EDT (10:11 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 11 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 32 min | 6:20 am EDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | +24 kt | 6 °C | 96 kt | 4 h 29 min | 6:17 am EDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 2 °C | 97 kt | 4 h 26 min | 6:14 am EDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | +24 kt | -1 °C | 96 kt | 4 h 29 min | 6:17 am EDT (10:17 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | +25 kt | -5 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 32 min | 6:20 am EDT (10:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 29 kt | +26 kt | -8 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 34 min | 6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 38 kt | +35 kt | -20 °C | 85 kt | 5 h 04 min | 6:52 am EDT (10:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 53 kt | +50 kt | -35 °C | 70 kt | 6 h 09 min | 7:57 am EDT (11:57 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 64 kt | +59 kt | -41 °C | 61 kt | 7 h 03 min | 8:51 am EDT (12:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 50 kt | +45 kt | -49 °C | 75 kt | 5 h 44 min | 7:32 am EDT (11:32 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYS | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| LOU | used from 98 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| CVG | used from 147 nm out; 26 nm from the line | 320/18 | 350/32 16° | 350/35 10° | 350/30 3° | 330/30 -7° | 340/44 -20° | 340/58 -35° | 330/72 -41° | 320/36 -49° |
| FWA | used from 245 nm out; 47 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° |
| MKG | used from 391 nm out; 50 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TYS Knoxville, TN | departure | no report just now | 986 ft | ||||
| JAU Jacksboro, TN | 29 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,179 ft | ||||
| BYL Williamsburg, KY | 59 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,177 ft | ||||
| RGA Richmond, KY | 108 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 1,002 ft | ||||
| LEX Lexington, KY | 137 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 979 ft | ||||
| CVG Covington, KY | 196 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 896 ft | ||||
| OXD Oxford, OH | 225 nm out, 1 nm west of the line | no report just now | 1,040 ft | ||||
| MIE Muncie, IN | 274 nm out, 22 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 937 ft | ||||
| FWA Fort Wayne, IN | 313 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 814 ft | ||||
| ANQ Angola, IN | 352 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 995 ft | ||||
| BTL Battle Creek, MI | 391 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 951 ft | ||||
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | destination | no report just now | 793 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,179 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GRR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:58 am EDT (09:58 UTC)
GRR has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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, 196 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at TYS 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC), at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:33 pm EDT (23:33 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GRR is before sunrise there (7:51 am EDT (11:51 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: MC Ghee Tyson Airport, Gerald R Ford International.