Pensacola International to Louisville Muhammad Ali International PNS → SDF
468 nautical miles (538 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 008°, about 010° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 11 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 8-knot headwind), arriving about 1:57 am EDT (05:57 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 835 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 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 60 nm along 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 PNS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 26,000 ft, 17 nm west, 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 28,000 ft, remarks: ZTLFD-11. 60 nm along the route, 17 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GZH UA /OV MVC/TM 2319/FL260/TP B737/TB CONS MOD CHOP 260-280/RM ZTLFD-11
- Report
- a routine report filed through GZH
- Where
- over MVC
- Time
- 23:19 UTC
- Height
- at 26,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- continuous moderate chop from 26,000 ft to 28,000 ft
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-11
- A21N at 33,000 ft, 20 nm west, 5:51 pm CDT (22:51 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-11. 90 nm along the route, 20 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
GZH UA /OV MVC360030/TM 2251/FL330/TP A21N/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZTLFD-11
- Report
- a routine report filed through GZH
- Where
- 30 nm north (360°) of MVC
- Time
- 22:51 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZTLFD-11
- T206 at 9,000 ft, 38 nm east, 5:47 pm CDT (22:47 UTC): remarks: ZME60. 309 nm along the route, 38 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
CHA UA /OV CHA340032/TM 2247/FL090/TP T206/SK TOP070/RM ZME60
- Report
- a routine report filed through CHA
- Where
- 32 nm north (340°) of CHA
- Time
- 22:47 UTC
- Height
- at 9,000 ft
- Aircraft
- T206
- Sky
- TOP070
- Remarks
- ZME60
- A319 at 32,000 ft, 42 nm west, 5:56 pm CDT (22:56 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZME62. 348 nm along the route, 42 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
BNA UA /OV BNA315020/TM 2256/FL320/TP A319/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME62
- Report
- a routine report filed through BNA
- Where
- 20 nm northwest (315°) of BNA
- Time
- 22:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZME62
- A319 at 25,000 ft, 7 nm northwest, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): no turbulence. 398 nm along the route, 7 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
IND UA /OV BWG070017/TM 2314/FL250/TP A319/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through IND
- Where
- 17 nm east (070°) of BWG
- Time
- 23:14 UTC
- Height
- at 25,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- none
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 20:00–03:00 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 6 forecast points nearest it (MOB, MGM, BHM, HSV, BNA, 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 | 310° at 16 kt | +8 kt | 112 kt | 4 h 11 min | 1:57 am EDT (05:57 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +21 kt | 99 kt | 4 h 44 min | 2:30 am EDT (06:30 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 31 kt | +25 kt | 14 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 56 min | 2:42 am EDT (06:42 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 33 kt | +26 kt | 10 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 59 min | 2:45 am EDT (06:45 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 35 kt | +26 kt | 7 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 59 min | 2:45 am EDT (06:45 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 34 kt | +25 kt | 3 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 56 min | 2:42 am EDT (06:42 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 33 kt | +24 kt | -2 °C | 96 kt | 4 h 52 min | 2:38 am EDT (06:38 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 32 kt | +23 kt | -6 °C | 97 kt | 4 h 49 min | 2:35 am EDT (06:35 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 32 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 4 h 47 min | 2:33 am EDT (06:33 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 33 kt | +24 kt | -18 °C | 96 kt | 4 h 52 min | 2:38 am EDT (06:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 40 kt | +26 kt | -34 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 59 min | 2:45 am EDT (06:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 44 kt | +33 kt | -41 °C | 87 kt | 5 h 23 min | 3:09 am EDT (07:09 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 34 kt | +26 kt | -48 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 59 min | 2:45 am EDT (06:45 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOB | used from 0 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/18 18° | 330/16 12° | 300/18 7° | 320/17 -6° | 330/27 -17° | 340/52 -33° | 350/53 -43° | 330/38 -50° |
| MGM | used from 50 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 300/16 | 330/30 16° | 330/34 11° | 320/31 7° | 310/28 -7° | 320/29 -17° | 290/25 -34° | 300/28 -41° | 320/28 -50° |
| BHM | used from 149 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 300/16 | 330/32 16° | 320/37 11° | 330/37 6° | 310/33 -7° | 310/30 -18° | 320/40 -34° | 330/43 -41° | 330/30 -49° |
| HSV | used from 199 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 290/15 | 330/34 16° | 330/38 11° | 330/40 5° | 320/36 -7° | 320/31 -18° | 320/44 -34° | 330/53 -41° | 330/34 -48° |
| BNA | used from 299 nm out; 30 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| LOU | used from 398 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PNS Pensacola, FL | departure | no report just now | 120 ft | ||||
| GZH Evergreen, AL | 60 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 259 ft | ||||
| SEM Selma, AL | 110 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 166 ft | ||||
| EET Alabaster, AL | 159 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 585 ft | ||||
| BHM Birmingham, AL | 189 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 650 ft | ||||
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 249 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 628 ft | ||||
| THA Tullahoma, TN | 299 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,084 ft | ||||
| MQY Smyrna, TN | 338 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 543 ft | ||||
| GLW Glasgow, KY | 398 nm out, 1 nm east of the line | no report just now | 716 ft | ||||
| EKX Elizabethtown, KY | 438 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 775 ft | ||||
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | no report just now | 500 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,084 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, 1:57 am EDT (05:57 UTC)
SDF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 PNS 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC), at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SDF is before sunrise there (7:48 am EDT (11:48 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: Pensacola International, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.