Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Spokane International SDF → GEG
1,496 nautical miles (1,722 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 303°, about 308° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:01 am PDT (15:01 UTC). 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: 1,089 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
- SIGMET 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 pm EDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 1047 nm along the route.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO MT WY FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
- 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 379 to 529 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 728 to 1416 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 828 to 1426 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1097 to 1456 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Near the route, 1107 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 16,000 ft. Over the last 269 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 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 15 forecast points nearest it (LOU, EVV, SPI, BRL, DSM, OMA, FSD, ONL, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL, GTF, GPI, GEG). 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 | 200° at 10 kt | −1 kt | 8 °C | 121 kt | 12 h 22 min | 8:01 am PDT (15:01 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 210° at 10 kt | +1 kt | 12 °C | 119 kt | 12 h 34 min | 8:13 am PDT (15:13 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 10 kt | +3 kt | 9 °C | 117 kt | 12 h 47 min | 8:26 am PDT (15:26 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 13 kt | +4 kt | 4 °C | 116 kt | 12 h 54 min | 8:33 am PDT (15:33 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 16 kt | +5 kt | 1 °C | 115 kt | 13 h 01 min | 8:40 am PDT (15:40 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 18 kt | +8 kt | -3 °C | 112 kt | 13 h 21 min | 9:00 am PDT (16:00 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 21 kt | +11 kt | -7 °C | 109 kt | 13 h 43 min | 9:22 am PDT (16:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 23 kt | +13 kt | -10 °C | 107 kt | 13 h 59 min | 9:38 am PDT (16:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 26 kt | +16 kt | -21 °C | 104 kt | 14 h 23 min | 10:02 am PDT (17:02 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 33 kt | +21 kt | -35 °C | 99 kt | 15 h 07 min | 10:46 am PDT (17:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 46 kt | +38 kt | -40 °C | 82 kt | 18 h 15 min | 1:54 pm PDT (20:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 50 kt | +43 kt | -47 °C | 77 kt | 19 h 26 min | 3:05 pm PDT (22:05 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; 27 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; 52 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° |
| SPI | used from 150 nm out; 36 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 249 nm out; 21 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° |
| DSM | used from 349 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| OMA | used from 499 nm out; 70 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° |
| FSD | used from 549 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| ONL | used from 648 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 698 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| RAP | used from 798 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| MLS | used from 948 nm out; 69 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| BIL | used from 1047 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° | |
| GTF | used from 1197 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 070/11 | 080/15 -7° | 110/19 -9° | 190/25 -14° | 200/34 -23° | 200/54 -39° | 220/66 -40° | 220/77 -44° | |
| GPI | used from 1347 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 070/19 -5° | 100/16 -7° | 080/10 -8° | 130/8 -19° | 170/37 -28° | 200/50 -40° | 210/43 -40° | 220/41 -42° | |
| GEG | used from 1396 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 080/16 -2° | 050/17 -7° | 080/9 -10° | 190/33 -21° | 180/31 -32° | L/V -35° | L/V -37° | 270/8 -40° |
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 | no report just now | 500 ft | ||||
| MTO Mattoon/Charleston, IL | 140 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | no report just now | 722 ft | ||||
| DEC Decatur, IL | 180 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 681 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 419 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 549 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| AGZ Wagner, SD | 638 nm out, 16 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 1,477 ft | ||||
| PHP Philip, SD | 798 nm out, 18 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,209 ft | ||||
| EFC Belle Fourche, SD | 908 nm out, 15 nm south of the line | no report just now | 3,190 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | 1107 nm out, 17 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| HLN Helena, MT | 1257 nm out, 11 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,877 ft | ||||
| MSO Missoula, MT | 1347 nm out, 13 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,205 ft | ||||
| GEG Spokane, WA | destination | no report just now | 2,385 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,877 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GEG when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:01 am PDT (15:01 UTC)
GEG has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 GEG 6:08 pm PDT (01:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:38 pm PDT (01:38 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, Spokane International.