Plan a flight · Mon 6:46 am EDT (10:46 UTC)

Manistee County/Blacker to Smyrna Airport MBL → MQY

496 nautical miles (571 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 182°, about 188° magnetic at the departure end (variation 6W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 29-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:06 am CDT (14:06 UTC). Right now MBL is VFR, wind from the east (080°) 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: 13 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 2W: 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 0 nm of the route.
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 last 248 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

A21N at 31,000 ft, 32 nm west, 6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 228 nm along the route, 32 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
LAF UA /OV BVT/TM 1033/FL310/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM DURC
```
Report
a routine report filed through LAF
Where
over BVT
Time
10:33 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Turbulence
none
Remarks
during the climb

Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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, LOU, 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	280° at 19 kt	−2 kt		122 kt	4 h 04 min	9:50 am CDT (14:50 UTC)
6,500 ft	280° at 16 kt	−4 kt	14 °C	124 kt	4 h	9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC)
8,500 ft	280° at 15 kt	−1 kt	10 °C	121 kt	4 h 06 min	9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC)
10,500 ft	270° at 16 kt	−1 kt	6 °C	121 kt	4 h 06 min	9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC)
12,500 ft	280° at 18 kt	−1 kt	3 °C	121 kt	4 h 06 min	9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC)
14,500 ft	280° at 21 kt	−4 kt	-1 °C	124 kt	4 h	9:46 am CDT (14:46 UTC)
16,500 ft	290° at 24 kt	−7 kt	-4 °C	127 kt	3 h 54 min	9:40 am CDT (14:40 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	290° at 27 kt	−9 kt	-7 °C	129 kt	3 h 51 min	9:37 am CDT (14:37 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	280° at 32 kt	−3 kt	-20 °C	123 kt	4 h 02 min	9:48 am CDT (14:48 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	280° at 37 kt	−5 kt	-34 °C	125 kt	3 h 58 min	9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	290° at 46 kt	−18 kt	-43 °C	138 kt	3 h 36 min	9:22 am CDT (14:22 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	300° at 58 kt	−29 kt	-51 °C	149 kt	3 h 20 min	9:06 am CDT (14:06 UTC)

Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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; 42 nm from the line	260/28	260/18 15°	250/16 9°	260/22 4°	280/31 -9°	270/35 -21°	270/44 -35°	270/42 -45°	290/61 -51°
FWA	used from 149 nm out; 58 nm from the line	270/20	300/16 15°	290/14 10°	280/17 3°	290/25 -7°	280/30 -19°	280/34 -35°	290/48 -44°	300/64 -52°
IND	used from 199 nm out; 50 nm from the line	270/22	290/19 15°	270/19 8°	270/18 4°	290/28 -7°	280/35 -20°	270/37 -34°	300/51 -42°	300/61 -51°
LOU	used from 347 nm out; 39 nm from the line	300/16	310/19 15°	310/17 9°	300/15 4°	300/26 -6°	280/34 -19°	290/30 -34°	310/49 -42°	310/58 -51°
BNA	used from 397 nm out; 68 nm from the line	300/20	300/14 15°	300/14 10°	300/13 4°	310/22 -5°	280/24 -18°	310/37 -33°	310/50 -41°	320/49 -51°

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 4 knots	10+ mi	none	621 ft	5:56 am EDT (09:56 UTC)
LDM Ludington, MI	20 nm out, 7 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	646 ft	10:35 UTC
MKG Muskegon, MI	69 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet	from the south (190°) at 8 knots	10+ mi	none	628 ft	09:55 UTC
BEH Benton Harbor, MI	129 nm out, 4 nm west of the line	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	649 ft	09:53 UTC
SBN South Bend, IN	159 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	calm	9 mi	none	798 ft	09:54 UTC
GUS Peru, IN	218 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	810 ft	09:55 UTC
IND Indianapolis, IN	278 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	796 ft	09:54 UTC
BMG Bloomington, IN	308 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	4 mi	none	845 ft	09:53 UTC
TEL Tell City, IN	377 nm out, 11 nm west of the line	no report just now				659 ft
BWG Bowling Green, KY	437 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line	low IFR Weather: mist	calm	0.75 mi	none	547 ft	10:31 UTC
XNX Gallatin, TN	476 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	200 ft	583 ft	10:35 UTC
MQY Smyrna, TN	destination	reported, no category	calm		none	543 ft	5:41 am CDT (10:41 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 MQY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:06 am CDT (14:06 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet VFR

The whole forecast for MQY

From Mon 2:00 am CDT (07:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility ¼ mile, fog, a broken layer at 200 feet
From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet
From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet

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 8 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 MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 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 central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Manistee County/Blacker, Smyrna Airport.