Cheyenne Rgnl/Jerry Olson Field to Louisville Muhammad Ali International CYS → SDF
898 nautical miles (1,033 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 095°, about 085° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 13 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:34 am EDT (11:34 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now CYS is VFR, wind from the west (270°) at 9 knots; SDF is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) 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: 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 TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the first 110 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 60 nm of the route.
- 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 80 to 588 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 90 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 CYS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 9 forecast points nearest it (BFF, GLD, GRI, OMA, MKC, COU, STL, EVV, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 6 h 28 min | 8:49 am EDT (12:49 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −17 kt | 21 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 33 min | 8:54 am EDT (12:54 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 22 kt | −17 kt | 15 °C | 137 kt | 6 h 33 min | 8:54 am EDT (12:54 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −16 kt | 11 °C | 136 kt | 6 h 36 min | 8:57 am EDT (12:57 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −13 kt | 7 °C | 133 kt | 6 h 45 min | 9:06 am EDT (13:06 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −14 kt | 3 °C | 134 kt | 6 h 42 min | 9:03 am EDT (13:03 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −18 kt | -2 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 30 min | 8:51 am EDT (12:51 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 260° at 22 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 6 h 22 min | 8:43 am EDT (12:43 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 23 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 19 min | 8:40 am EDT (12:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 28 kt | −25 kt | -19 °C | 145 kt | 6 h 12 min | 8:33 am EDT (12:33 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 38 kt | −37 kt | -32 °C | 157 kt | 5 h 43 min | 8:04 am EDT (12:04 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 48 kt | −49 kt | -39 °C | 169 kt | 5 h 19 min | 7:40 am EDT (11:40 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 51 kt | −52 kt | -49 °C | 172 kt | 5 h 13 min | 7:34 am EDT (11:34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFF | used from 0 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| GLD | used from 150 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 199 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| OMA | used from 349 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| MKC | used from 449 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| COU | used from 549 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| STL | used from 648 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| EVV | used from 748 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| LOU | used from 848 nm out; 28 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CYS Cheyenne, WY | departure | VFR | from the west (270°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 6,159 ft | 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC) |
| SNY Sidney, NE | 80 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 4,314 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| GGF Grant, NE | 140 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,424 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LXN Lexington, NE | 229 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,412 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| HSI Hastings, NE | 289 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,961 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BIE Beatrice, NE | 369 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 11 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 1,323 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 459 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MBY Moberly, MO | 578 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 866 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| ALN Alton/St Louis, IL | 688 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| OLY Olney-Noble, IL | 778 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 482 ft | 05:50 UTC |
| FRH French Lick, IN | 848 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | IFR Sky: sky obscured at 700 feet | calm | 1.75 mi | 700 ft | 792 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | VFR Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 6 mi | none | 500 ft | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,159 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, 7:34 am EDT (11:34 UTC)
Wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies 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 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, 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 CYS, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 24 nm from the route, 588 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at CYS 6:21 pm MDT (00:21 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
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: Cheyenne Rgnl/Jerry Olson Field, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.