Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field to Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport HSV → MEM
160 nautical miles (184 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 284° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 8:19 pm CDT (01:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now HSV is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots; MEM is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) 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: 493 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 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the first 50 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 HSV.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 at 29,000 ft, 5 nm southwest, 5:15 pm CDT (22:15 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: ZME31. 60 nm along the route, 5 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
MSL UA /OV MSL270020/TM 2215/FL290/TP B763/TB MOD/RM ZME31
- Report
- a routine report filed through MSL
- Where
- 20 nm west (270°) of MSL
- Time
- 22:15 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B763
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- ZME31
- BE40 at 29,000 ft, 4 nm southwest, 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zme. 70 nm along the route, 4 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TUP UA /OV TUP045041/TM 2322/FL290/TP BE40/TB OCNL MOD CHOP 290-260/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through TUP
- Where
- 41 nm northeast (045°) of TUP
- Time
- 23:22 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE40
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate chop from 29,000 ft to 26,000 ft
- Remarks
- zme
- B38M at 35,000 ft, 25 nm north, 4:34 pm CDT (21:34 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 120 nm along the route, 25 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
MKL UA /OV MKL225020/TM 2134/FL350/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through MKL
- Where
- 20 nm southwest (225°) of MKL
- Time
- 21:34 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- Remarks
- zme
- A319 at 39,000 ft, 2 nm south, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the destination end, 2 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through MEM
- Where
- over MEM
- Time
- 23:11 UTC
- Height
- at 39,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- no chop
- Remarks
- smooth
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 2 forecast points nearest it (HSV, MEM). 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 17 kt | +15 kt | 105 kt | 1 h 31 min | 8:19 pm CDT (01:19 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | +19 kt | 15 °C | 101 kt | 1 h 35 min | 8:23 pm CDT (01:23 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | +22 kt | 12 °C | 98 kt | 1 h 38 min | 8:26 pm CDT (01:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 31 kt | +24 kt | 8 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 40 min | 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 33 kt | +25 kt | 4 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 41 min | 8:29 pm CDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 32 kt | +25 kt | 0 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 41 min | 8:29 pm CDT (01:29 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 32 kt | +24 kt | -4 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 40 min | 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 32 kt | +24 kt | -7 °C | 96 kt | 1 h 40 min | 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 31 kt | +22 kt | -18 °C | 98 kt | 1 h 38 min | 8:26 pm CDT (01:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 47 kt | +35 kt | -33 °C | 85 kt | 1 h 53 min | 8:41 pm CDT (01:41 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 55 kt | +35 kt | -41 °C | 85 kt | 1 h 53 min | 8:41 pm CDT (01:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 37 kt | +25 kt | -49 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 41 min | 8:29 pm CDT (01:29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSV | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 290/15 | 330/34 16° | 330/38 11° | 330/40 5° | 320/36 -7° | 320/31 -18° | 320/44 -34° | 330/53 -41° | 330/34 -48° |
| MEM | used from 100 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 240/9 | 280/14 17° | 280/20 12° | 290/25 5° | 320/25 -6° | 330/31 -18° | 320/52 -32° | 330/58 -41° | 320/42 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSV Huntsville, AL | departure | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 5:53 pm CDT (22:53 UTC) |
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | 40 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 550 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| CRX Corinth, MS | 90 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 425 ft | 23:30 UTC |
| FYE Somerville, TN | 130 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 435 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MEM Memphis, TN | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 22,000 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 5:54 pm CDT (22:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 628 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MEM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:19 pm CDT (01:19 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MEM
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for HSV, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 4 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC) and 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the west at 5 knots, 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 HSV 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC), at MEM 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:55 pm CDT (23:55 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MEM is after sunset there (6:30 pm CDT (23:30 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: Huntsville Intl-Carl T Jones Field, Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport.