Louis Armstrong New Orleans International to Lincoln Airport MSY → LNK
725 nautical miles (834 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 336°, about 337° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC). Right now MSY is VFR, wind calm; LNK is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 13 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 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 last 278 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 MSY.
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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (MSY, JAN, LIT, FSM, SGF, MKC, OMA). 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 22 kt | −6 kt | 126 kt | 5 h 45 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 19 kt | −1 kt | 16 °C | 121 kt | 6 h | 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +2 kt | 13 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 09 min | 8:03 am CDT (13:03 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | +2 kt | 10 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 09 min | 8:03 am CDT (13:03 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +2 kt | 6 °C | 118 kt | 6 h 09 min | 8:03 am CDT (13:03 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +4 kt | 2 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 15 min | 8:09 am CDT (13:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 16 kt | +6 kt | -2 °C | 114 kt | 6 h 22 min | 8:16 am CDT (13:16 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 17 kt | +7 kt | -5 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 25 min | 8:19 am CDT (13:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 25 kt | +9 kt | -17 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 32 min | 8:26 am CDT (13:26 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 37 kt | +24 kt | -31 °C | 96 kt | 7 h 33 min | 9:27 am CDT (14:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 42 kt | +29 kt | -40 °C | 91 kt | 7 h 58 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 42 kt | +33 kt | -51 °C | 87 kt | 8 h 20 min | 10:14 am CDT (15:14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 110/5 | 150/6 19° | L/V 12° | 310/5 7° | 310/13 -4° | 290/20 -16° | 330/36 -31° | 330/37 -41° | 350/43 -52° |
| JAN | used from 99 nm out; 66 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 199 nm out; 82 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° |
| FSM | used from 347 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| SGF | used from 397 nm out; 57 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 546 nm out; 44 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° |
| OMA | used from 645 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSY New Orleans, LA | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 3 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| HDC Hammond, LA | 30 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 46 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| HEZ Natchez, MS | 109 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 272 ft | 05:56 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 179 nm out, 20 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| LLQ Monticello, AR | 228 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 267 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| RUE Russellville, AR | 347 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 409 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| ROG Rogers, AR | 427 nm out, 12 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,358 ft | 05:58 UTC |
| JLN Joplin, MO | 477 nm out, 8 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 977 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| IXD Olathe, KS | 576 nm out, 21 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,087 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| TOP Topeka, KS | 606 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots, gusting to 20 | 10+ mi | none | 881 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| BIE Beatrice, NE | 695 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 12 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 1,323 ft | 06:35 UTC |
| LNK Lincoln, NE | destination | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,218 ft | 12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,358 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LNK when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC)
Wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for LNK
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 27, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MSY, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 UTC), at LNK 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:19 pm CDT (00:19 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: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Lincoln Airport.