Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Jacksonville International SDF → JAX
503 nautical miles (579 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 155°, about 160° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 37-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:53 am EDT (11:53 UTC). Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots; JAX is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 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: 1,336 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, fog). Over the first 217 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 118 to 227 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 197 to 276 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 207 to 276 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 30,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 434 to 444 nm out.
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 08:00–15:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (LOU, TYS, ATL, SAV, JAX). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −20 kt | 140 kt | 3 h 36 min | 8:17 am EDT (12:17 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 143 kt | 3 h 31 min | 8:12 am EDT (12:12 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 330° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 13 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 28 min | 8:09 am EDT (12:09 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | −26 kt | 9 °C | 146 kt | 3 h 27 min | 8:08 am EDT (12:08 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 7 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 30 min | 8:11 am EDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 3 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 30 min | 8:11 am EDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | −24 kt | -1 °C | 144 kt | 3 h 30 min | 8:11 am EDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 26 kt | −25 kt | -5 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 28 min | 8:09 am EDT (12:09 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 27 kt | −25 kt | -6 °C | 145 kt | 3 h 28 min | 8:09 am EDT (12:09 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -19 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 24 min | 8:05 am EDT (12:05 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 31 kt | −28 kt | -33 °C | 148 kt | 3 h 24 min | 8:05 am EDT (12:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 39 kt | −37 kt | -41 °C | 157 kt | 3 h 12 min | 7:53 am EDT (11:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 33 kt | −32 kt | -51 °C | 152 kt | 3 h 19 min | 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 | 300/16 | 310/19 15° | 310/17 9° | 300/15 4° | 300/26 -6° | 280/34 -19° | 290/30 -34° | 310/49 -42° | 310/58 -51° |
| TYS | used from 99 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| ATL | used from 246 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| SAV | used from 345 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 330/16 | 310/15 14° | 320/23 10° | 310/30 7° | 310/30 -6° | 300/28 -19° | 270/25 -32° | 300/25 -39° | 320/26 -50° |
| JAX | used from 444 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 310/22 | 310/19 16° | 300/22 14° | 290/25 8° | 300/25 -7° | 300/24 -18° | 270/20 -33° | 260/25 -41° | 290/17 -51° |
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 | from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots | 3 mi | none | 500 ft | 4:21 am EDT (08:21 UTC) |
| AAS Campbellsville, KY | 49 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 921 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| EKQ Monticello, KY | 89 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 962 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| SCX Oneida, TN | 118 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: fog | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 1,544 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 168 nm out, 19 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 3,100 feet | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 986 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| DZJ Blairsville, GA | 217 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 1,906 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| AHN Athens, GA | 276 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 812 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| OKZ Sandersville, GA | 345 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 438 ft | ||||
| VDI Vidalia, GA | 394 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 274 ft | 08:15 UTC |
| BHC Baxley, GA | 424 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | no report just now | 201 ft | ||||
| JAX Jacksonville, FL | destination | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 29 ft | 3:56 am EDT (07:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,906 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At JAX when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:53 am EDT (11:53 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for JAX
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 11 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,500 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for SDF, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 3 miles, mist, 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
- 6/8389 Jacksonville, FL, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 11 nm from the route, at the destination end · air shows/sports · starts Thursday 15 October · ZJX
- 6/8902 MAYPORT, FL, Tuesday, October 13, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 Local 11 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · starts tomorrow · ZJX
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at JAX 6:59 pm EDT (22:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:23 pm EDT (23:23 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, Jacksonville International.