Smyrna Airport to Centennial Airport MQY → APA
894 nautical miles (1,029 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 289°, about 291° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 36 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 16-knot headwind), arriving about 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC). Right now APA is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 9 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- 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 route from 348 to 795 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 89 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 89 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 MQY.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A320 descending, 16 nm north, 10:19 pm CDT (03:19 UTC): no turbulence up to 10,000 ft. At the destination end, 16 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN/TM 0319/FLDURD/TP A320/TB NEG BLO 100
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- over DEN
- Time
- 03:19 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- no below 10,000 ft
- E170 at 22,500 ft, 41 nm southwest, 12:06 am CDT (05:06 UTC): light to moderate turbulence up to 23,000 ft, remarks: during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13. At the destination end, 41 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN216057/TM 0506/FL225/TP E170/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD BLO 230/RM DURD TBARR STAR. ZDVWC-13
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 57 nm southwest (216°) of DEN
- Time
- 05:06 UTC
- Height
- at 22,500 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate below 23,000 ft
- Remarks
- during the descent tbarr star ZDVWC-13
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 9 forecast points nearest it (BNA, CGI, SGF, MKC, ICT, SLN, GCK, GLD, DEN). 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 | 230° at 31 kt | +19 kt | 21 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 51 min | 8:56 am MDT (14:56 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +20 kt | 16 °C | 100 kt | 8 h 56 min | 9:01 am MDT (15:01 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 22 kt | +18 kt | 13 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 46 min | 8:51 am MDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 10 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 41 min | 8:46 am MDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 6 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 36 min | 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +17 kt | 1 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 41 min | 8:46 am MDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | +18 kt | -3 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 46 min | 8:51 am MDT (14:51 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 21 kt | +19 kt | -6 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 51 min | 8:56 am MDT (14:56 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 26 kt | +23 kt | -19 °C | 97 kt | 9 h 13 min | 9:18 am MDT (15:18 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 44 kt | +43 kt | -31 °C | 77 kt | 11 h 37 min | 11:42 am MDT (17:42 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 51 kt | +50 kt | -39 °C | 70 kt | 12 h 46 min | 12:51 pm MDT (18:51 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 45 kt | +46 kt | -49 °C | 74 kt | 12 h 05 min | 12:10 pm MDT (18:10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA | used from 0 nm out; 16 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° |
| CGI | used from 99 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| SGF | used from 248 nm out; 70 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° |
| MKC | used from 397 nm out; 67 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° |
| ICT | used from 447 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 200/48 | 230/39 19° | 240/24 14° | 240/20 8° | 240/22 -6° | 250/31 -18° | 250/61 -29° | 260/58 -38° | 270/54 -49° |
| SLN | used from 497 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 210/53 | 230/41 20° | 240/26 14° | 230/16 8° | 240/25 -7° | 240/35 -19° | 250/61 -30° | 260/65 -38° | 260/56 -49° |
| GCK | used from 646 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 220/48 21° | 230/37 14° | 250/30 8° | 230/37 -6° | 240/37 -20° | 240/69 -28° | 250/67 -37° | 260/58 -48° | |
| GLD | used from 695 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| DEN | used from 795 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MQY Smyrna, TN | departure | reported, no category | calm | 200 ft | 543 ft | 12:56 am CDT (05:56 UTC) | |
| JWN Nashville, TN | 20 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 501 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 159 nm out, 23 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 20:53 UTC |
| PYN Piedmont, MO | 209 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 466 ft | ||||
| TBN Fort Leonard Wood, MO | 288 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,159 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| NVD Nevada, MO | 387 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 892 ft | ||||
| EMP Emporia, KS | 487 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 25 | 10+ mi | none | 1,207 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| SLN Salina, KS | 556 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 16 knots, gusting to 32 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| OEL Oakley, KS | 705 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 3,045 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| ITR Burlington, CO | 775 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,218 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LIC Limon, CO | 834 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots, gusting to 21 | 10+ mi | none | 5,374 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| APA Denver, CO | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,884 ft | 11:53 pm MDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,884 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At APA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:41 am MDT (14:41 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for APA
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 14,000 feet, scattered clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 22,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am MDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MQY, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 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 16 nm from the route, at the departure end · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at APA 6:23 pm MDT (00:23 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:50 pm MDT (00:50 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: Smyrna Airport, Centennial Airport.