Blue Grass Airport to Asheville Regional LEX → AVL
185 nautical miles (213 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 147°, about 151° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 05 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:14 am EDT (04:14 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LEX is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots; AVL is VFR, wind from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 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). Over the route from 19 to 127 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 136 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 29 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 LEX.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 21,000 ft, 46 nm west, 9:09 pm EDT (01:09 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. At the departure end, 46 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
SDF UA /OV IIU/TM 0109/FL210/TP B38M/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through SDF
- Where
- over IIU
- Time
- 01:09 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- B712 at 600 ft, 0 nm south, 9:06 pm EDT (01:06 UTC): overcast. At the departure end, 0 nm south 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 35,000 ft, 9 nm northeast, 9:25 pm EDT (01:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 68 nm along the route, 9 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LOZ UA /OV AZQ250025/TM 0125/FL350/TP B737/TB CONS LGT CHOP OCNL MOD CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through LOZ
- Where
- 25 nm west (250°) of AZQ
- Time
- 01:25 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop occasional moderate chop
- A320 descending, 44 nm southwest, 9:52 pm EDT (01:52 UTC): remarks: base 2,100 ft. 127 nm along the route, 44 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV 4 NE TYS/TM 0152/FLDURD/TP A320/RM BASE 021
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- 4 northeast tys
- Time
- 01:52 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Remarks
- base 2,100 ft
- S22T descending, 40 nm northeast, 8:24 pm EDT (00:24 UTC): a broken layer above 2,600 ft, remarks: during the descent runway 23 tri. 136 nm along the route, 40 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TRI UA /OV KTRI050002/TM 0024/FLUNKN/TP S22T/SK BKN026-TOPUNKN/RM DURD RY23 TRI
- Report
- a routine report filed through TRI
- Where
- 2 nm northeast (050°) of KTRI
- Time
- 00:24 UTC
- Height
- height not given
- Aircraft
- S22T
- Sky
- a broken layer from 2,600 ft, tops unknown
- Remarks
- during the descent runway 23 tri
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 3 forecast points nearest it (LOU, TYS, TRI). 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 | 320° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 1 h 20 min | 12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −22 kt | 11 °C | 142 kt | 1 h 18 min | 12:27 am EDT (04:27 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 10 °C | 146 kt | 1 h 16 min | 12:25 am EDT (04:25 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 30 kt | −30 kt | 7 °C | 150 kt | 1 h 14 min | 12:23 am EDT (04:23 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 340° at 31 kt | −31 kt | 4 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 14 min | 12:23 am EDT (04:23 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 340° at 32 kt | −32 kt | 0 °C | 152 kt | 1 h 13 min | 12:22 am EDT (04:22 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -3 °C | 153 kt | 1 h 13 min | 12:22 am EDT (04:22 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 330° at 34 kt | −34 kt | -6 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 12 min | 12:21 am EDT (04:21 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 34 kt | −34 kt | -7 °C | 154 kt | 1 h 12 min | 12:21 am EDT (04:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 36 kt | −36 kt | -19 °C | 156 kt | 1 h 11 min | 12:20 am EDT (04:20 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 45 kt | −45 kt | -34 °C | 165 kt | 1 h 07 min | 12:16 am EDT (04:16 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 52 kt | −52 kt | -39 °C | 172 kt | 1 h 05 min | 12:14 am EDT (04:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 44 kt | −44 kt | -48 °C | 164 kt | 1 h 08 min | 12:17 am EDT (04:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 71 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° |
| TYS | used from 49 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| TRI | used from 97 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEX Lexington, KY | departure | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,800 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | 1,800 ft | 979 ft | 10:54 pm EDT (02:54 UTC) |
| RGA Richmond, KY | 29 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,600 feet | from the west (270°) at 3 knots | 7 mi | 500 ft | 1,002 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| LOZ London, KY | 58 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,212 ft | 20:18 UTC |
| MOR Morristown, TN | 127 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,200 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,200 ft | 1,312 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | destination | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,163 ft | 10:54 pm EDT (02:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AVL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:14 am EDT (04:14 UTC)
Wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 3,500 feet VFR
The whole forecast for AVL
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 17 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for LEX, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the west at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 3 knots, visibility 2 miles, mist, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ¼ mile, fog, overcast at 100 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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 LEX 7:05 pm EDT (23:05 UTC), at AVL 6:59 pm EDT (22:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at AVL is before sunrise there (7:33 am EDT (11:33 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: Blue Grass Airport, Asheville Regional.