Akron-Canton Regional to Louisville Muhammad Ali International CAK → SDF
258 nautical miles (297 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 232°, about 239° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC). Right now CAK is low IFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 knots; SDF is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the whole 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 CAK.
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 08:00–15:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (CLE, CMH, CVG, LOU). 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 17 kt | 0 | 120 kt | 2 h 09 min | 8:10 am EDT (12:10 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | −3 kt | 14 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 06 min | 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 19 kt | −3 kt | 10 °C | 123 kt | 2 h 06 min | 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | −1 kt | 6 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 08 min | 8:09 am EDT (12:09 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | +2 kt | 2 °C | 118 kt | 2 h 11 min | 8:12 am EDT (12:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 24 kt | +3 kt | -1 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 12 min | 8:13 am EDT (12:13 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 27 kt | +4 kt | -4 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 13 min | 8:14 am EDT (12:14 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 29 kt | +4 kt | -7 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 13 min | 8:14 am EDT (12:14 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 33 kt | +8 kt | -20 °C | 112 kt | 2 h 18 min | 8:19 am EDT (12:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 36 kt | +1 kt | -35 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 10 min | 8:11 am EDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 56 kt | +4 kt | -44 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 13 min | 8:14 am EDT (12:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 59 kt | +5 kt | -51 °C | 115 kt | 2 h 15 min | 8:16 am EDT (12:16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | used from 0 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| CMH | used from 50 nm out; 12 nm from the line | 320/12 | 340/26 15° | 340/22 9° | 320/24 3° | 320/32 -7° | 320/36 -20° | 330/42 -35° | 320/59 -44° | 320/57 -50° |
| CVG | used from 149 nm out; 14 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° |
| LOU | used from 198 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 300/16 | 310/19 15° | 310/17 9° | 300/15 4° | 300/26 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 290/30 -34° | 310/49 -42° | 310/58 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAK Akron, OH | departure | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 400 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 400 ft | 1,225 ft | 5:51 am EDT (09:51 UTC) |
| BJJ Wooster, OH | 20 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,600 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 1,600 ft | 1,135 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| VTA Newark, OH | 69 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,300 feet | from the west (260°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | 1,300 ft | 883 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| TZR Columbus, OH | 99 nm out, 1 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 904 ft | 09:55 UTC |
| ILN Wilmington, OH | 139 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | 400 ft | 1,076 ft | 09:54 UTC |
| LUK Cincinnati, OH | 179 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 2.5 mi | 300 ft | 481 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| IMS Madison, IN | 228 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 819 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | VFR Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 4 knots | 6 mi | none | 500 ft | 5:56 am EDT (09:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,225 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SDF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility 3 miles, mist, clear skies marginal VFR
At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, clear skies low IFR
The whole forecast for SDF
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 3 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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 at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for CAK, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 600 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8829 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8587 Youngstown, OH, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 6 nm from the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · today · ZOB
- 6/8029 Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 3 nm from the route, 189 nm along the route · a VIP movement · until 12 October · ZID
Daylight
Sunset at CAK 6:50 pm EDT (22:50 UTC), at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 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: Akron-Canton Regional, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.