MC Allen International to Louisville Muhammad Ali International MFE → SDF
959 nautical miles (1,103 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 038°, about 034° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4E). At 120 knots that is 7 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 11-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:53 am EDT (13:53 UTC). Right now MFE is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots; SDF is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) 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: 510 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 last 110 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 MFE.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (BRO, CRP, PSX, HOU, LCH, SHV, JAN, LIT, MEM, BNA, EVV, LOU). 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 | 200° at 11 kt | −11 kt | 131 kt | 7 h 19 min | 9:53 am EDT (13:53 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 210° at 9 kt | −9 kt | 129 kt | 7 h 26 min | 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 9 kt | −9 kt | 15 °C | 129 kt | 7 h 26 min | 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 9 kt | −8 kt | 11 °C | 128 kt | 7 h 30 min | 10:04 am EDT (14:04 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 280° at 8 kt | −5 kt | 8 °C | 125 kt | 7 h 40 min | 10:14 am EDT (14:14 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 290° at 9 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 48 min | 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 290° at 10 kt | −3 kt | 0 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 48 min | 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 11 kt | −3 kt | -4 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 48 min | 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 12 kt | −3 kt | -5 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 48 min | 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 15 kt | −3 kt | -16 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 48 min | 10:22 am EDT (14:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 28 kt | +1 kt | -31 °C | 119 kt | 8 h 04 min | 10:38 am EDT (14:38 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 33 kt | 0 | -40 °C | 120 kt | 8 h | 10:34 am EDT (14:34 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 32 kt | +6 kt | -52 °C | 114 kt | 8 h 25 min | 10:59 am EDT (14:59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRO | used from 0 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 150/22 | 160/18 18° | 160/13 14° | 150/9 10° | 050/5 -3° | L/V -15° | 100/13 -29° | 120/15 -40° | 080/9 -52° |
| CRP | used from 50 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 150/24 | 180/19 19° | 190/13 14° | 200/14 9° | 230/5 -4° | 170/6 -14° | 360/6 -29° | L/V -40° | 350/18 -52° |
| PSX | used from 150 nm out; 17 nm from the line | 160/24 | 160/23 19° | 180/14 15° | 210/11 9° | 240/8 -4° | 250/8 -13° | 320/14 -29° | 300/16 -40° | 340/17 -51° |
| HOU | used from 200 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 160/22 | 150/27 19° | 180/16 14° | 250/7 9° | 270/10 -5° | 270/16 -13° | 310/23 -29° | 310/26 -40° | 330/20 -52° |
| LCH | used from 300 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
| SHV | used from 399 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
| JAN | used from 499 nm out; 95 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° |
| LIT | used from 549 nm out; 90 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° |
| MEM | used from 599 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| BNA | used from 749 nm out; 85 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° |
| EVV | used from 849 nm out; 58 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° |
| LOU | used from 899 nm out; 40 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MFE Mc Allen, TX | departure | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 107 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| HRL Harlingen, TX | 20 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 36 ft | 05:52 UTC |
| RAS Port Aransas, TX | 120 nm out, 14 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,400 feet, scattered clouds at 3,300 feet, scattered clouds at 4,200 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 12 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 5 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| EFD Houston, TX | 260 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (110°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 32 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| JAS Jasper, TX | 359 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 212 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| IER Natchitoches, LA | 429 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 121 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 499 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| GLH Greenville, MS | 579 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 739 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| HVC Hopkinsville, KY | 849 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 2 mi | none | 563 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| JQD Hartford, KY | 889 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 537 ft | ||||
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | VFR Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 6 mi | none | 500 ft | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 563 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SDF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:53 am EDT (13:53 UTC)
Wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for SDF
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MFE, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet
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 MFE 7:07 pm CDT (00:07 UTC), at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 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: MC Allen International, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.