Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Charlotte/Douglas International SDF → CLT
291 nautical miles (335 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 126°, about 131° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 47-knot tailwind), arriving about 4:19 am EDT (08:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SDF is VFR, wind from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots; CLT is VFR, wind from the west (260°) at 7 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: 4,680 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 223 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 107 to 223 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the route from 194 to 262 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 87 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
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 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 3 forecast points nearest it (LOU, TRI, GSP). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −21 kt | 11 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 04 min | 4:38 am EDT (08:38 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | −23 kt | 10 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 02 min | 4:36 am EDT (08:36 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 7 °C | 145 kt | 2 h | 4:34 am EDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 28 kt | −25 kt | 4 °C | 145 kt | 2 h | 4:34 am EDT (08:34 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 330° at 29 kt | −27 kt | 0 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 59 min | 4:33 am EDT (08:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 30 kt | −28 kt | -3 °C | 148 kt | 1 h 58 min | 4:32 am EDT (08:32 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 330° at 32 kt | −30 kt | -6 °C | 150 kt | 1 h 56 min | 4:30 am EDT (08:30 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 32 kt | −31 kt | -8 °C | 151 kt | 1 h 56 min | 4:30 am EDT (08:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 35 kt | −33 kt | -19 °C | 153 kt | 1 h 54 min | 4:28 am EDT (08:28 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 41 kt | −40 kt | -34 °C | 160 kt | 1 h 49 min | 4:23 am EDT (08:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 49 kt | −47 kt | -40 °C | 167 kt | 1 h 45 min | 4:19 am EDT (08:19 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 43 kt | −42 kt | -48 °C | 162 kt | 1 h 48 min | 4:22 am EDT (08:22 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; 24 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° |
| TRI | used from 97 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| GSP | used from 242 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 320/22 | 340/19 13° | 320/18 8° | 310/24 5° | 300/34 -7° | 300/36 -18° | 290/30 -33° | 300/32 -39° | 320/42 -49° |
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 | VFR Weather: mist | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 6 mi | none | 500 ft | 1:56 am EDT (05:56 UTC) |
| BRY Bardstown, KY | 19 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 100 ft | 669 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| DVK Danville, KY | 58 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 1.75 mi | 100 ft | 1,021 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| LOZ London, KY | 107 nm out, 7 nm west of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,212 ft | 20:18 UTC |
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 184 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, a broken layer at 2,000 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 2,000 ft | 1,518 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| MRN Morganton, NC | 242 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,269 ft | 06:15 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 252 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 05:53 UTC |
| CLT Charlotte, NC | destination | VFR | from the west (260°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 747 ft | 1:52 am EDT (05:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,518 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CLT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:19 am EDT (08:19 UTC)
Wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for CLT
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm EDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered 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 CLT 6:52 pm EDT (22:52 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:18 pm EDT (23:18 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at CLT is before sunrise there (7:27 am EDT (11:27 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, Charlotte/Douglas International.