Manistee County/Blacker to Nashville International MBL → BNA
490 nautical miles (563 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 182°, about 188° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 58 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 45-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:43 am CDT (10:43 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MBL is VFR, wind from the east (080°) at 5 knots; BNA is VFR, wind calm. 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the last 390 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 MBL.
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 02:00–09:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (MKG, FWA, IND, EVV, BNA). 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 | 300° at 17 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 3 h 51 min | 6:36 am CDT (11:36 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | −11 kt | 15 °C | 131 kt | 3 h 44 min | 6:29 am CDT (11:29 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 17 kt | −12 kt | 11 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 43 min | 6:28 am CDT (11:28 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 15 kt | −11 kt | 7 °C | 131 kt | 3 h 44 min | 6:29 am CDT (11:29 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 13 kt | −10 kt | 3 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 46 min | 6:31 am CDT (11:31 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 17 kt | −12 kt | -1 °C | 132 kt | 3 h 43 min | 6:28 am CDT (11:28 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −13 kt | -4 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 41 min | 6:26 am CDT (11:26 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 25 kt | −14 kt | -7 °C | 134 kt | 3 h 39 min | 6:24 am CDT (11:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 30 kt | −21 kt | -19 °C | 141 kt | 3 h 29 min | 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 47 kt | −38 kt | -35 °C | 158 kt | 3 h 06 min | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 61 kt | −45 kt | -43 °C | 165 kt | 2 h 58 min | 5:43 am CDT (10:43 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 61 kt | −45 kt | -51 °C | 165 kt | 2 h 58 min | 5:43 am CDT (10:43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MKG | used from 0 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 150 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| IND | used from 200 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| EVV | used from 350 nm out; 45 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° |
| BNA | used from 400 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MBL Manistee, MI | departure | VFR | from the east (080°) at 5 knots | 7 mi | none | 621 ft | 2:56 am EDT (06:56 UTC) |
| LDM Ludington, MI | 20 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 646 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 70 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| BEH Benton Harbor, MI | 130 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 649 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| SBN South Bend, IN | 150 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 798 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| GUS Peru, IN | 220 nm out, 14 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 810 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 270 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 796 ft | 07:11 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 310 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1.5 mi | 100 ft | 845 ft | 07:40 UTC |
| FRH French Lick, IN | 350 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | IFR | calm | 2.5 mi | none | 792 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| BWG Bowling Green, KY | 440 nm out, 11 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 547 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| XNX Gallatin, TN | 470 nm out, 13 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 583 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| BNA Nashville, TN | destination | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 599 ft | 1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 845 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BNA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:43 am CDT (10:43 UTC)
Wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for BNA
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 2 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 300 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MBL, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, overcast at 24,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 24,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, gusting to 16, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 24,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 19,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 9,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 3 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at MBL 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC), at BNA 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BNA 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
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: Manistee County/Blacker, Nashville International.