Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Cheyenne Rgnl/Jerry Olson Field SDF → CYS
898 nautical miles (1,033 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 287°, about 292° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 9:38 am MDT (15:38 UTC). Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind calm; CYS is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 21 knots, gusting to 31. 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 90 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 route from 309 to 818 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the last 110 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 60 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
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 9 forecast points nearest it (LOU, EVV, STL, COU, MKC, OMA, GRI, GLD, BFF). 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 | 230° at 26 kt | +17 kt | 21 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 43 min | 9:57 am MDT (15:57 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 23 kt | +17 kt | 17 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 43 min | 9:57 am MDT (15:57 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +17 kt | 12 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 43 min | 9:57 am MDT (15:57 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | +14 kt | 9 °C | 106 kt | 8 h 28 min | 9:42 am MDT (15:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 15 kt | +13 kt | 5 °C | 107 kt | 8 h 24 min | 9:38 am MDT (15:38 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +16 kt | 1 °C | 104 kt | 8 h 38 min | 9:52 am MDT (15:52 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 21 kt | +19 kt | -4 °C | 101 kt | 8 h 53 min | 10:07 am MDT (16:07 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 23 kt | +22 kt | -7 °C | 98 kt | 9 h 10 min | 10:24 am MDT (16:24 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 28 kt | +25 kt | -19 °C | 95 kt | 9 h 27 min | 10:41 am MDT (16:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 38 kt | +37 kt | -32 °C | 83 kt | 10 h 49 min | 12:03 pm MDT (18:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 48 kt | +49 kt | -39 °C | 71 kt | 12 h 39 min | 1:53 pm MDT (19:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 51 kt | +52 kt | -49 °C | 68 kt | 13 h 12 min | 2:26 pm MDT (20:26 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; 28 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° |
| EVV | used from 50 nm out; 32 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° |
| STL | used from 150 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| COU | used from 249 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| MKC | used from 349 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/28 18° | 250/18 13° | 240/12 6° | 280/24 -6° | 240/34 -18° | 260/47 -30° | 260/51 -40° | 270/58 -50° |
| OMA | used from 449 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| GRI | used from 549 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| GLD | used from 698 nm out; 93 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| BFF | used from 748 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° |
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) |
| FRH French Lick, IN | 50 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR | calm | 5 mi | none | 792 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| OLY Olney-Noble, IL | 120 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 482 ft | 06:50 UTC |
| ALN Alton/St Louis, IL | 209 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| MBY Moberly, MO | 319 nm out, 9 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 866 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 439 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| BIE Beatrice, NE | 529 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,323 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| HSI Hastings, NE | 608 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,961 ft | 06:53 UTC |
| LXN Lexington, NE | 668 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 14 knots, gusting to 18 | 10+ mi | none | 2,412 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| GGF Grant, NE | 758 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 3,424 ft | 06:55 UTC |
| SNY Sidney, NE | 818 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 4,314 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| CYS Cheyenne, WY | destination | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 21 knots, gusting to 31 | 10+ mi | none | 6,159 ft | 12:53 am MDT (06:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,159 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At CYS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:38 am MDT (15:38 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for CYS
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 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
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 24 nm from the route, 309 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at CYS 6:21 pm MDT (00:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm MDT (00:49 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: Louisville Muhammad Ali International, Cheyenne Rgnl/Jerry Olson Field.