Louisville Muhammad Ali International to The Eastern Iowa Airport SDF → CID
354 nautical miles (407 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 311°, about 316° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind calm; CID is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 6 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: 489 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 108 nm of the route.
- 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 49 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 SDF.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 38 nm northeast, 12:52 am EDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 177 nm along the route, 38 nm northeast 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 5 forecast points nearest it (LOU, IND, SPI, BRL, DBQ). 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 18 kt | +12 kt | 108 kt | 3 h 17 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 15 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 24 min | 5:28 am CDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 11 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 28 min | 5:32 am CDT (10:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 7 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 24 min | 5:28 am CDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +14 kt | 3 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 20 min | 5:24 am CDT (10:24 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 17 kt | +16 kt | 0 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 24 min | 5:28 am CDT (10:28 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 20 kt | +18 kt | -4 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 28 min | 5:32 am CDT (10:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 22 kt | +20 kt | -7 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 32 min | 5:36 am CDT (10:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 28 kt | +27 kt | -19 °C | 93 kt | 3 h 48 min | 5:52 am CDT (10:52 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 33 kt | +33 kt | -33 °C | 87 kt | 4 h 04 min | 6:08 am CDT (11:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 51 kt | +51 kt | -42 °C | 69 kt | 5 h 08 min | 7:12 am CDT (12:12 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 54 kt | +54 kt | -51 °C | 66 kt | 5 h 22 min | 7:26 am CDT (12:26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOU | used from 0 nm out; 25 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° |
| IND | used from 49 nm out; 54 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° |
| SPI | used from 147 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| BRL | used from 245 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| DBQ | used from 344 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDF Louisville, KY | departure | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 500 ft | 2:56 am EDT (06:56 UTC) |
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 69 nm out, 17 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | 200 ft | 845 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 108 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 589 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 167 nm out, 10 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 206 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | 236 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 295 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| MUT Muscatine, IA | 314 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | reported, no category | calm | 10+ mi | none | 547 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 9:52 pm CDT (02:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 871 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CID when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC)
Wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CID
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for SDF, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- At times between Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC) and 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): visibility ½ mile, fog, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 3 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 SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at CID 6:30 pm CDT (23:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:58 pm CDT (23:58 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CID is before sunrise there (7:15 am CDT (12:15 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: Louisville Muhammad Ali International, The Eastern Iowa Airport.