South Bend International to Alexandria International SBN → AEX
692 nautical miles (796 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 208°, about 213° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 05 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 16-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:07 am CDT (11:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SBN is marginal VFR, wind calm; AEX 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: 1 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 59 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 SBN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- LJ45 at 10,000 ft, 46 nm southeast, 12:31 am EDT (04:31 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14. At the departure end, 46 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
FWA UA /OV OLK/TM 0431/FL100/TP LJ45/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM GROUND FOG AT FWA. FV10SM ON FINAL RY 14
- Report
- a routine report filed through FWA
- Where
- over OLK
- Time
- 04:31 UTC
- Height
- at 10,000 ft
- Aircraft
- LJ45
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- smooth
- Remarks
- ground fog at fwa FV10SM on final runway 14
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 44 nm northwest, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 99 nm along the route, 44 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
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 8 forecast points nearest it (FWA, IND, EVV, CGI, MEM, LIT, JAN, SHV). 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 | 260° at 14 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 6 h 14 min | 7:16 am CDT (12:16 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 15 kt | +6 kt | 15 °C | 114 kt | 6 h 04 min | 7:06 am CDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 280° at 15 kt | +4 kt | 12 °C | 116 kt | 5 h 58 min | 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 290° at 13 kt | +2 kt | 8 °C | 118 kt | 5 h 52 min | 6:54 am CDT (11:54 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 12 kt | −1 kt | 5 °C | 121 kt | 5 h 43 min | 6:45 am CDT (11:45 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | 0 | 1 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 46 min | 6:48 am CDT (11:48 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | 0 | -3 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 46 min | 6:48 am CDT (11:48 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 18 kt | 0 | -6 °C | 120 kt | 5 h 46 min | 6:48 am CDT (11:48 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 23 kt | −2 kt | -18 °C | 122 kt | 5 h 40 min | 6:42 am CDT (11:42 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | −10 kt | -32 °C | 130 kt | 5 h 19 min | 6:21 am CDT (11:21 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 47 kt | −11 kt | -41 °C | 131 kt | 5 h 17 min | 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 48 kt | −16 kt | -51 °C | 136 kt | 5 h 05 min | 6:07 am CDT (11:07 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FWA | used from 0 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| IND | used from 49 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 290/16 | 310/20 16° | 320/21 10° | 330/13 3° | 300/25 -7° | 320/32 -19° | 330/46 -34° | 320/61 -43° | 320/63 -50° |
| EVV | used from 148 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 280/15 | 290/12 17° | 310/16 10° | 320/13 5° | 310/22 -6° | 320/26 -18° | 320/38 -33° | 310/56 -41° | 320/55 -51° |
| CGI | used from 247 nm out; 39 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° |
| MEM | used from 395 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| LIT | used from 494 nm out; 71 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° |
| JAN | used from 543 nm out; 92 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° |
| SHV | used from 593 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 200/18 | 230/24 18° | 230/24 12° | 240/14 8° | 260/12 -4° | 240/11 -15° | 300/31 -29° | 300/32 -40° | 300/36 -52° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBN South Bend, IN | departure | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 798 ft | 1:54 am EDT (05:54 UTC) |
| OXI Knox, IN | 30 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots | 5 mi | none | 685 ft | 05:35 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 79 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 2.5 mi | none | 605 ft | 05:54 UTC |
| FOA Flora, IL | 207 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 472 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| MWA Marion, IL | 267 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 471 ft | 05:55 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 306 nm out, 14 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 20:53 UTC |
| BYH Blytheville, AR | 385 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | no report just now | 254 ft | ||||
| NQA Millington, TN | 415 nm out, 21 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 322 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| GLH Greenville, MS | 543 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MLU Monroe, LA | 612 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 78 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| AEX Alexandria, LA | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 88 ft | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 798 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AEX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:07 am CDT (11:07 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for AEX
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for SBN, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- At times between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 20, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 10,000 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 SBN 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at AEX 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at AEX is before sunrise there (7:10 am CDT (12:10 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: South Bend International, Alexandria International.