Southwest Florida International to South Bend International RSW → SBN
938 nautical miles (1,080 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 347°, about 351° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 53 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 1-knot headwind), arriving about 5:39 am EDT (09:39 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RSW is VFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 knots; SBN is VFR, wind calm. 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: 118 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 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 459 to 639 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Near the route, 509 nm along the route.
- 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 route from 579 to 689 nm out.
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 RSW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 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 (PIE, JAX, CSG, ATL, TYS, LOU, CVG, IND, FWA). 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 | 310° at 18 kt | +15 kt | 105 kt | 8 h 56 min | 6:42 am EDT (10:42 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | +20 kt | 14 °C | 100 kt | 9 h 23 min | 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +20 kt | 11 °C | 100 kt | 9 h 23 min | 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | +21 kt | 8 °C | 99 kt | 9 h 28 min | 7:14 am EDT (11:14 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | +22 kt | 5 °C | 98 kt | 9 h 34 min | 7:20 am EDT (11:20 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 25 kt | +20 kt | 0 °C | 100 kt | 9 h 23 min | 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 25 kt | +18 kt | -4 °C | 102 kt | 9 h 12 min | 6:58 am EDT (10:58 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 25 kt | +17 kt | -7 °C | 103 kt | 9 h 06 min | 6:52 am EDT (10:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 26 kt | +16 kt | -18 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 01 min | 6:47 am EDT (10:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 280° at 26 kt | +11 kt | -34 °C | 109 kt | 8 h 36 min | 6:22 am EDT (10:22 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 24 kt | +3 kt | -41 °C | 117 kt | 8 h 01 min | 5:47 am EDT (09:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 21 kt | +1 kt | -50 °C | 119 kt | 7 h 53 min | 5:39 am EDT (09:39 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 310/7 | 270/12 17° | 270/14 13° | 260/14 8° | 240/22 -5° | 230/24 -16° | 220/26 -31° | 200/31 -41° | 180/33 -53° |
| JAX | used from 150 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 280/14 | 300/22 16° | 260/27 15° | 260/26 9° | 240/41 -6° | 230/38 -16° | 220/44 -32° | 200/49 -41° | 200/52 -53° |
| CSG | used from 299 nm out; 100 nm from the line | 300/20 | 330/41 15° | 320/42 11° | 320/41 7° | 300/33 -6° | 290/33 -18° | 270/32 -34° | 260/31 -41° | 260/24 -51° |
| ATL | used from 399 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 300/23 | 320/26 14° | 320/34 10° | 320/41 5° | 290/32 -6° | 290/31 -18° | 280/28 -33° | 260/32 -41° | 250/28 -50° |
| TYS | used from 499 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 290/19 | 310/22 11° | 330/25 7° | 330/34 3° | 320/37 -7° | 300/37 -18° | 300/37 -34° | 280/29 -39° | 270/29 -48° |
| LOU | used from 649 nm out; 61 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° |
| CVG | used from 749 nm out; 33 nm from the line | 350/13 | 340/20 13° | 340/22 8° | 350/30 3° | 340/30 -9° | 340/38 -21° | 330/37 -35° | 320/38 -40° | 310/35 -47° |
| IND | used from 799 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
| FWA | used from 849 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 350/9 | 350/24 15° | 360/25 9° | 360/29 4° | 350/31 -10° | 340/39 -22° | 330/40 -37° | 320/38 -43° | 320/48 -48° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSW Fort Myers, FL | departure | VFR | from the north-northeast (030°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 29 ft | 8:53 pm EDT (00:53 UTC) |
| LAL Lakeland, FL | 90 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 141 ft | 00:50 UTC |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 120 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 76 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| LCQ Lake City, FL | 220 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 200 ft | 01:35 UTC |
| EZM Eastman, GA | 349 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 303 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| LZU Lawrenceville, GA | 459 nm out, 9 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,061 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| GVL Gainesville, GA | 479 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,200 feet | from the west (270°) at 8 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 1,276 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 569 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 986 ft | 01:14 UTC |
| LEX Lexington, KY | 709 nm out, 20 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | 800 ft | 979 ft | 00:59 UTC |
| AID Anderson, IN | 839 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 919 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| GUS Peru, IN | 878 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 810 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| SBN South Bend, IN | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 798 ft | 8:54 pm EDT (00:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,276 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SBN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:39 am EDT (09:39 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for SBN
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 11 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for RSW, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 369 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at RSW 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC), at SBN 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SBN is before sunrise there (7:53 am EDT (11:53 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: Southwest Florida International, South Bend International.