South Bend International to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International SBN → BHM
489 nautical miles (563 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 183°, about 188° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 53 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 50-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SBN is VFR, wind calm; BHM 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: 3 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), from 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC). Over the first 429 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
Not fetched just now.
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 6 forecast points nearest it (FWA, IND, LOU, BNA, HSV, BHM). 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 | 320° at 19 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 3 h 39 min | 6:24 am CDT (11:24 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −18 kt | 15 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 33 min | 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −20 kt | 11 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 30 min | 6:15 am CDT (11:15 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −20 kt | 7 °C | 140 kt | 3 h 30 min | 6:15 am CDT (11:15 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 21 kt | −19 kt | 3 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 31 min | 6:16 am CDT (11:16 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 22 kt | −19 kt | -1 °C | 139 kt | 3 h 31 min | 6:16 am CDT (11:16 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −18 kt | -4 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 33 min | 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 25 kt | −18 kt | -7 °C | 138 kt | 3 h 33 min | 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 32 kt | −28 kt | -18 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 18 min | 6:03 am CDT (11:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 52 kt | −43 kt | -33 °C | 163 kt | 3 h | 5:45 am CDT (10:45 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 62 kt | −50 kt | -42 °C | 170 kt | 2 h 53 min | 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 48 kt | −41 kt | -50 °C | 161 kt | 3 h 02 min | 5:47 am CDT (10:47 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; 55 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 50 nm out; 45 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° |
| LOU | used from 150 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 310/18 | 340/28 16° | 340/29 10° | 350/27 3° | 330/27 -7° | 340/39 -19° | 330/58 -33° | 330/67 -41° | 330/40 -49° |
| BNA | used from 250 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| HSV | used from 400 nm out; 4 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BHM | used from 449 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
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 | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 798 ft | 2:54 am EDT (06:54 UTC) |
| RCR Rochester, IN | 40 nm out, 8 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 789 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| GUS Peru, IN | 60 nm out, 11 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 810 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 120 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 796 ft | 07:11 UTC |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 150 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: mist | calm | 1.5 mi | 100 ft | 845 ft | 07:40 UTC |
| TEL Tell City, IN | 220 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | no report just now | 659 ft | ||||
| BWG Bowling Green, KY | 290 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 547 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BNA Nashville, TN | 340 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 599 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| LUG Lewisburg, TN | 370 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 718 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| HSV Huntsville, AL | 429 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the east (090°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| CMD Cullman, AL | 449 nm out, 7 nm west of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 969 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| BHM Birmingham, AL | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 650 ft | 1:53 am CDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 969 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BHM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:38 am CDT (10:38 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist marginal VFR
The whole forecast for BHM
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, mist
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 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
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 4 nm from the route, 320 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at SBN 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at BHM 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BHM is before sunrise there (6:49 am CDT (11:49 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, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International.