Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field to Louisville Muhammad Ali International MSN → SDF
340 nautical miles (391 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 150°, about 153° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 59 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 51-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:17 am EDT (14:17 UTC). Right now MSN is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 7 knots; SDF is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) 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 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 87 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 MSN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 40 nm northeast, 5:58 am CDT (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. 19 nm along the route, 40 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
- A21N at 31,000 ft, 13 nm northeast, 5:33 am CDT (10:33 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the climb. 185 nm along the route, 13 nm northeast 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 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 4 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, JOT, IND, 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 | 260° at 22 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 2 h 39 min | 10:57 am EDT (14:57 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | −10 kt | 130 kt | 2 h 37 min | 10:55 am EDT (14:55 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | −8 kt | 12 °C | 128 kt | 2 h 39 min | 10:57 am EDT (14:57 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −7 kt | 8 °C | 127 kt | 2 h 41 min | 10:59 am EDT (14:59 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | −9 kt | 5 °C | 129 kt | 2 h 38 min | 10:56 am EDT (14:56 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 280° at 22 kt | −12 kt | 2 °C | 132 kt | 2 h 35 min | 10:53 am EDT (14:53 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 280° at 24 kt | −15 kt | -3 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 31 min | 10:49 am EDT (14:49 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 280° at 27 kt | −18 kt | -7 °C | 138 kt | 2 h 28 min | 10:46 am EDT (14:46 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 27 kt | −19 kt | -8 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 27 min | 10:45 am EDT (14:45 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 35 kt | −22 kt | -20 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 24 min | 10:42 am EDT (14:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | −20 kt | -35 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 26 min | 10:44 am EDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 52 kt | −39 kt | -42 °C | 159 kt | 2 h 08 min | 10:26 am EDT (14:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 63 kt | −51 kt | -50 °C | 171 kt | 1 h 59 min | 10:17 am EDT (14:17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 49 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| IND | used from 194 nm out; 34 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 292 nm out; 23 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSN Madison, WI | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 24,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 886 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 29 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 20,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 20,000 ft | 807 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 58 nm out, 19 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 107 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| IKK Kankakee, IL | 136 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 629 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 194 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 243 nm out, 20 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 23,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 23,000 ft | 796 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 272 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 845 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| SER Seymour, IN | 301 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 582 ft | ||||
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet Weather: mist | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 6 mi | 25,000 ft | 500 ft | 7:56 am EDT (11:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 886 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, 10:17 am EDT (14:17 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for SDF
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, 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 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Tue 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MSN, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 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: Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.