Lincoln Airport to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International LNK → MSY
725 nautical miles (834 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 152°, about 149° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 44 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 33-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:45 am CDT (07:45 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LNK is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots; MSY is VFR, wind from the south (190°) 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: 2 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 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 first 169 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 LNK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- C750 at 43,000 ft, 41 nm northeast, 7:50 pm CDT (00:50 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence above 43,000 ft, remarks: zme. 407 nm along the route, 41 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LIT UA /OV LIT360025/TM 0050/FL430/TP C750/TB CONS LGT-MOD CHOP 430/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through LIT
- Where
- 25 nm north (360°) of LIT
- Time
- 00:50 UTC
- Height
- at 43,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C750
- Turbulence
- continuous light to moderate chop at 43,000 ft
- Remarks
- zme
- CRJ7 at 36,000 ft, 17 nm southwest, 7:10 pm CDT (00:10 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME20. 417 nm along the route, 17 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
HOT UA /OV HOT/TM 0010/FL360/TP CRJ7/TB NEG/RM ZME20
- Report
- a routine report filed through HOT
- Where
- over HOT
- Time
- 00:10 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME20
- C510 at 41,000 ft, 9 nm west, 9:18 pm CDT (02:18 UTC): no turbulence, clear from 41,000 ft to 60,000 ft. 616 nm along the route, 9 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
HEZ UA /OV HEZ /TM 0218 /FL410 /TP C510 /SK SKC /TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through HEZ
- Where
- over HEZ
- Time
- 02:18 UTC
- Height
- at 41,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C510
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
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 7 forecast points nearest it (OMA, MKC, SGF, FSM, LIT, JAN, MSY). 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 | 220° at 25 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 6 h 32 min | 4:33 am CDT (09:33 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 21 kt | +2 kt | 118 kt | 6 h 09 min | 4:10 am CDT (09:10 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | −1 kt | 15 °C | 121 kt | 6 h | 4:01 am CDT (09:01 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | −2 kt | 11 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 57 min | 3:58 am CDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | −2 kt | 8 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 57 min | 3:58 am CDT (08:58 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 13 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 5 h 54 min | 3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −5 kt | 0 °C | 125 kt | 5 h 48 min | 3:49 am CDT (08:49 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | −7 kt | -4 °C | 127 kt | 5 h 43 min | 3:44 am CDT (08:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 17 kt | −8 kt | -5 °C | 128 kt | 5 h 40 min | 3:41 am CDT (08:41 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 25 kt | −9 kt | -17 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 37 min | 3:38 am CDT (08:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 37 kt | −23 kt | -31 °C | 143 kt | 5 h 04 min | 3:05 am CDT (08:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 41 kt | −28 kt | -40 °C | 148 kt | 4 h 54 min | 2:55 am CDT (07:55 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 42 kt | −33 kt | -51 °C | 153 kt | 4 h 44 min | 2:45 am CDT (07:45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | used from 0 nm out; 56 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 50 nm out; 76 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° |
| SGF | used from 199 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| FSM | used from 298 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| LIT | used from 397 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| JAN | used from 546 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 230/10 | 270/13 18° | 270/11 12° | 310/11 6° | 300/15 -4° | 300/22 -16° | 310/33 -31° | 320/37 -41° | 330/41 -52° |
| MSY | used from 645 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 110/5 | 150/6 19° | L/V 12° | 310/5 7° | 310/13 -4° | 290/20 -16° | 330/36 -31° | 330/37 -41° | 350/43 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNK Lincoln, NE | departure | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC) |
| BIE Beatrice, NE | 30 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,323 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| TOP Topeka, KS | 119 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 881 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| IXD Olathe, KS | 149 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,087 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| JLN Joplin, MO | 248 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 977 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| ROG Rogers, AR | 298 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,358 ft | 02:58 UTC |
| RUE Russellville, AR | 377 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the northeast (040°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 409 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| LLQ Monticello, AR | 496 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 267 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 546 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| HEZ Natchez, MS | 616 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 272 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| HDC Hammond, LA | 695 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 02:55 UTC |
| MSY New Orleans, LA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 3 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,358 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:45 am CDT (07:45 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSY
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for LNK, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 14 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, 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 LNK 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC), at MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm CDT (23:57 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSY is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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: Lincoln Airport, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International.