The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:48 pm EDT (00:48 UTC)

New Castle Airport to Smyrna Airport ILG → MQY

562 nautical miles (647 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 250°, about 260° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ILG is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 14 knots; MQY is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) 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 return flight

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 E16E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 25 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the first 99 nm of the route.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 112355
    MKCE WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 16E
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    NY NJ PA DE MD VA DC WV AND NJ NY CSTL WTRS
    FROM SAX-30SE JFK-10N DCA-60ENE EKN-SAX
    AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 22025KT. TOPS TO FL320.
  • SIGMET E17E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the west at 15 knots, until 9:55 pm EDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 148 to 325 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS31 KKCI 112355
    MKCE WST 112355
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 17E
    VALID UNTIL 0155Z
    PA MD VA NC WV OH KY
    FROM 30WSW EWC-20E RIC-70NNE ILM-70W BKW-10ESE APE-30WSW EWC
    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). Over the first 187 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, at the departure end.
  • AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. 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. Over the route from 59 to 207 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 118 to 483 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 route from 227 to 513 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Near the route, 306 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the last 20 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 ILG.

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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (ACY, RIC, EKN, CRW, TRI, TYS, BNA). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft280° at 16 kt+12 kt12 °C108 kt5 h 12 min1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC)
6,500 ft290° at 16 kt+11 kt12 °C109 kt5 h 09 min12:57 am CDT (05:57 UTC)
8,500 ft300° at 15 kt+8 kt9 °C112 kt5 h 01 min12:49 am CDT (05:49 UTC)
10,500 ft310° at 14 kt+7 kt6 °C113 kt4 h 58 min12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC)
12,500 ft300° at 14 kt+7 kt3 °C113 kt4 h 58 min12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC)
14,500 ft300° at 15 kt+9 kt-1 °C111 kt5 h 04 min12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC)
16,500 ft290° at 17 kt+12 kt-6 °C108 kt5 h 12 min1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180280° at 18 kt+14 kt-9 °C106 kt5 h 18 min1:06 am CDT (06:06 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240260° at 29 kt+27 kt-19 °C93 kt6 h 03 min1:51 am CDT (06:51 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 38 kt+37 kt-32 °C83 kt6 h 46 min2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 41 kt+40 kt-39 °C80 kt7 h 02 min2:50 am CDT (07:50 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390240° at 41 kt+40 kt-48 °C80 kt7 h 02 min2:50 am CDT (07:50 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
ACYused from 0 nm out; 71 nm from the line230/15230/22 15°230/31 11°230/27 6°230/40 -7°230/51 -17°230/71 -31°230/81 -41°230/86 -53°
RICused from 49 nm out; 105 nm from the line190/33200/29 14°210/31 12°210/38 6°230/42 -7°230/68 -16°220/84 -29°220/86 -40°220/81 -52°
EKNused from 99 nm out; 83 nm from the line270/18 13°310/5 7°140/7 3°210/16 -9°220/41 -20°210/57 -32°220/57 -38°230/49 -47°
CRWused from 246 nm out; 34 nm from the line320/16310/16 12°320/12 7°320/12 2°330/15 -11°280/11 -22°230/26 -30°240/33 -37°240/37 -47°
TRIused from 345 nm out; 59 nm from the line310/28 11°320/32 7°330/30 2°300/28 -9°280/34 -21°250/37 -31°240/39 -38°250/35 -48°
TYSused from 394 nm out; 74 nm from the line290/19310/22 11°330/25 7°330/34 3°320/37 -7°300/37 -18°300/37 -34°280/29 -39°270/29 -48°
BNAused from 493 nm out; 49 nm from the line280/13340/34 16°330/38 10°330/44 5°330/39 -8°330/38 -19°320/49 -34°330/53 -40°330/35 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ILG Wilmington, DE departure IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: rain from the north-northeast (030°) at 14 knots 4 mi 500 ft 79 ft 7:51 pm EDT (23:51 UTC)
MTN Baltimore, MD 39 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet calm 7 mi 500 ft 22 ft 23:44 UTC
JYO Leesburg, VA 99 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet Weather: light drizzle from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots 7 mi 500 ft 389 ft 23:35 UTC
FRR Front Royal, VA 128 nm out, 3 nm west of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist from the north-northeast (020°) at 3 knots 5 mi 400 ft 703 ft 23:35 UTC
VBW Bridgewater, VA 177 nm out, 19 nm southeast of the line IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet calm 10+ mi 700 ft 1,165 ft 23:35 UTC
LWB Lewisburg, WV 246 nm out, 21 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
EBD Williamson, WV 325 nm out, 3 nm west of the line no report just now 1,883 ft
PBX Pikeville, KY 355 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: drizzle from the west (270°) at 7 knots 1.75 mi 300 ft 1,464 ft 00:35 UTC
BYL Williamsburg, KY 444 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 700 feet Weather: fog variable at 3 knots 0.5 mi 700 ft 1,177 ft 23:35 UTC
EKQ Monticello, KY 463 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: haze variable at 4 knots 4 mi 600 ft 962 ft 00:21 UTC
SRB Sparta, TN 513 nm out, 19 nm south of the line IFR Sky: overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: mist calm 1.75 mi 1,900 ft 1,025 ft 00:35 UTC
MQY Smyrna, TN destination VFR from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 543 ft 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 2,301 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At MQY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for MQY
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, patches of fog, clear skies
  • From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for ILG, the departure
  • From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
  • From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
  • From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
  • From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest 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

  • 6/8800 Baltimore, MD, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, 49 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZDC
  • 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 8 nm from the route, 79 nm along the route · security · ZDC
  • 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 2 nm from the route, 89 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
  • 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 August · ZME

Daylight

Sunset at ILG 6:28 pm EDT (22:28 UTC), at MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MQY is before sunrise there (6:50 am CDT (11:50 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 Northeast
Radar now, the Northeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the Southeast
Radar now, the Southeast · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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: New Castle Airport, Smyrna Airport.