Plan a flight · Sun 9:30 pm EDT (01:30 UTC)

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport to Louisville Muhammad Ali International CHO → SDF

344 nautical miles (396 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 273°, about 281° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CHO is marginal VFR, wind calm; SDF is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) 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: 11 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

SIGMET 3E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 10:55 pm EDT (02:55 UTC). Over the first 187 nm of the route.

as issued

WSUS31 KKCI 120055
MKCE WST 120055
CONVECTIVE SIGMET 3E
VALID UNTIL 0255Z
PA MD VA NC WV OH KY
FROM 20NE APE-30SE JST-30SSE DCA-40SW ECG-70NNW HMV-20NE APE
AREA TS MOV FROM 28015KT. TOPS TO FL310.

AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist), from 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC). Over the first 49 nm of the route.
AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft, from 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC). Over the first 49 nm of the route.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist), from 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC). Over the route from 10 to 206 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), from 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC). Over the route from 79 to 275 nm out.

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 CHO.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

E170 at 500 ft, 0 nm southeast, 8:01 pm EDT (00:01 UTC): overcast above 500 ft. At the departure end, 0 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IAD UA /OV CHO/TM 0001/FL005/TP E170/SK OVC005
```
Report
a routine report filed through IAD
Where
over CHO
Time
00:01 UTC
Height
at 500 ft
Aircraft
E170
Sky
overcast from 500 ft
CRJ9 at 15,000 ft, 25 nm south, 8:23 pm EDT (00:23 UTC): no turbulence. 128 nm along the route, 25 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV BKW/TM 0023/FL150/TP CRJ9/TB NEG
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over BKW
Time
00:23 UTC
Height
at 15,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Turbulence
none
E135 descending, 25 nm south, 8:05 pm EDT (00:05 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 128 nm along the route, 25 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CRW UA /OV BKW/TM 0005/FLDURD/TP E135/SK BASES 032
```
Report
a routine report filed through CRW
Where
over BKW
Time
00:05 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
E135
Sky
bases 3,200 ft
CRJ9 climbing, 10 nm north, 8:15 pm EDT (00:15 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 147 nm along the route, 10 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CRW UA /OV CRW/TM 0015/FLDURC/TP CRJ9/SK BASES 014 TOPS 070
```
Report
a routine report filed through CRW
Where
over CRW
Time
00:15 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
bases 1,400 ft tops 7,000 ft
P28A climbing, 21 nm north, 7:15 pm EDT (23:15 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: instrument conditions. 206 nm along the route, 21 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
HTS UA /OV DWU/TM 2315/FLDURC/TP P28A/TB SMOOTH/RM IMC
```
Report
a routine report filed through HTS
Where
over DWU
Time
23:15 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
P28A
Turbulence
smooth
Remarks
instrument conditions
CRJ9 at 28,000 ft, 20 nm north, 6:33 pm EDT (22:33 UTC): light turbulence. 246 nm along the route, 20 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV FGX/TM 2233/FL280/TP CRJ9/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over FGX
Time
22:33 UTC
Height
at 28,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Turbulence
light
B712 at 600 ft, 10 nm southeast, 9:06 pm EDT (01:06 UTC): overcast. 295 nm along the route, 10 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV KLEX/TM 0106/FL006/TP B712/SK OVC B006
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over KLEX
Time
01:06 UTC
Height
at 600 ft
Aircraft
B712
Sky
overcast B006
B737 at 23,000 ft, 49 nm north, 7:51 pm EDT (23:51 UTC): light turbulence. 295 nm along the route, 49 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV CVG/TM 2351/FL230/TP B737/TB LGT
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
over CVG
Time
23:51 UTC
Height
at 23,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
light
CRJ9 descending, 10 nm southeast, 7:43 pm EDT (23:43 UTC): overcast up to 6,200 ft; overcast above 1,800 ft. 295 nm along the route, 10 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LEX UA /OV LEX/TM 2343/FLDURD/TP CRJ9/SK TOPS OVC062 BASES OVC018
```
Report
a routine report filed through LEX
Where
over LEX
Time
23:43 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ9
Sky
tops OVC062 bases OVC018
B739 climbing, 49 nm north, 7:31 pm EDT (23:31 UTC): overcast. 295 nm along the route, 49 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV 5 W CVG/TM 2331/FLDURC/TP B739/SK B026 OVC T036
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
5 west cvg
Time
23:31 UTC
Height
during the climb
Aircraft
B739
Sky
B026 overcast T036
A333 at 4,000 ft, 49 nm north, 6:44 pm EDT (22:44 UTC): overcast. 305 nm along the route, 49 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
CVG UA /OV CVG270010/TM 2244/FL040/TP A333/SK B025 OVC T035
```
Report
a routine report filed through CVG
Where
10 nm west (270°) of CVG
Time
22:44 UTC
Height
at 4,000 ft
Aircraft
A333
Sky
B025 overcast T035

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 (EKN, CRW, 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	310° at 15 kt	+12 kt	13 °C	108 kt	3 h 11 min	12:41 am EDT (04:41 UTC)
6,500 ft	310° at 16 kt	+12 kt	12 °C	108 kt	3 h 11 min	12:41 am EDT (04:41 UTC)
8,500 ft	320° at 14 kt	+8 kt	8 °C	112 kt	3 h 04 min	12:34 am EDT (04:34 UTC)
10,500 ft	330° at 13 kt	+6 kt	5 °C	114 kt	3 h 01 min	12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC)
12,500 ft	340° at 12 kt	+5 kt	2 °C	115 kt	2 h 59 min	12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC)
14,500 ft	330° at 13 kt	+6 kt	-2 °C	114 kt	3 h 01 min	12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC)
16,500 ft	320° at 13 kt	+7 kt	-7 °C	113 kt	3 h 03 min	12:33 am EDT (04:33 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	320° at 14 kt	+9 kt	-10 °C	111 kt	3 h 06 min	12:36 am EDT (04:36 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 16 kt	+16 kt	-21 °C	104 kt	3 h 18 min	12:48 am EDT (04:48 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	240° at 26 kt	+22 kt	-32 °C	98 kt	3 h 31 min	1:01 am EDT (05:01 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	250° at 32 kt	+30 kt	-38 °C	90 kt	3 h 49 min	1:19 am EDT (05:19 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	250° at 32 kt	+31 kt	-47 °C	89 kt	3 h 52 min	1:22 am EDT (05:22 UTC)

Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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
EKN	used from 0 nm out; 61 nm from the line		270/18 13°	310/5 7°	140/7 3°	210/16 -9°	220/41 -20°	210/57 -32°	220/57 -38°	230/49 -47°
CRW	used from 98 nm out; 28 nm from the line	320/16	310/16 12°	320/12 7°	320/12 2°	330/15 -11°	280/11 -22°	230/26 -30°	240/33 -37°	240/37 -47°
CVG	used from 246 nm out; 56 nm from the line	350/13	340/20 13°	340/22 8°	350/30 3°	340/30 -9°	340/38 -21°	330/37 -35°	320/38 -40°	310/35 -47°
LOU	used from 295 nm out; 21 nm from the line	320/15	340/24 14°	330/28 9°	340/34 4°	340/37 -9°	340/42 -20°	320/39 -35°	320/45 -39°	330/40 -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

Airport	Where	Conditions	Wind	Visibility	Ceiling	Elevation	Reported
CHO Charlottesville, VA	departure	marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,100 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet Weather: light rain	calm	9 mi	1,100 ft	640 ft	9:12 pm EDT (01:12 UTC)
SHD Staunton/Waynesboro/Harrisonburg, VA	20 nm out, 7 nm north of the line	marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,600 feet, overcast at 3,400 feet Weather: heavy rain	from the north (360°) at 4 knots	5 mi	1,600 ft	1,201 ft	23:35 UTC
HSP Hot Springs, VA	69 nm out, 14 nm south of the line	reported, no category	from the east-northeast (060°) at 7 knots	0.25 mi	none	3,792 ft	22:15 UTC
LWB Lewisburg, WV	88 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet Weather: light rain	calm	3 mi	1,200 ft	2,301 ft	22:51 UTC
CRW Charleston, WV	147 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet Weather: mist	variable at 6 knots	1 mi	700 ft	947 ft	00:54 UTC
HTS Huntington, WV	196 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower	IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet Weather: mist	from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots	1 mi	700 ft	828 ft	00:51 UTC
SYM Morehead, KY	246 nm out, 3 nm east of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain	variable at 5 knots	1.5 mi	300 ft	1,028 ft	23:22 UTC
LEX Lexington, KY	295 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower	IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet	from the west (270°) at 6 knots	9 mi	800 ft	979 ft	00:59 UTC
FFT Frankfort, KY	305 nm out, 1 nm south of the line	reported, no category	calm		none	812 ft	00:53 UTC
SDF Louisville, KY	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,300 feet	from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	500 ft	8:56 pm EDT (00:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,792 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, 12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC)

Wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for SDF

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
From Sun 8:30 pm EDT (00:30 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, clear skies
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

The forecast for CHO, the departure

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 7 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 600 feet
At times between Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC) and 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, rain showers, overcast at 500 feet
From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility 5 miles, rain showers, mist, a broken layer at 700 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet
From Mon 3:00 am EDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet

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 CHO 6:40 pm EDT (22:40 UTC), at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SDF is before sunrise there (7:48 am EDT (11:48 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 Southeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.