Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport SDF → MEM
278 nautical miles (320 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 229°, about 234° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 2-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SDF is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots; MEM is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 3 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: 2,297 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 79 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 21,000 ft, 9 nm southeast, 9:09 pm EDT (01:09 UTC): no turbulence, no icing. At the departure end, 9 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
SDF UA /OV IIU/TM 0109/FL210/TP B38M/TB NEG/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through SDF
- Where
- over IIU
- Time
- 01:09 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 27 nm southeast, 9:51 pm EDT (01:51 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 79 nm along the route, 27 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BWG UA /OV BWG270010/TM 0151/FL340/TP B739/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through BWG
- Where
- 10 nm west (270°) of BWG
- Time
- 01:51 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zme
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, EVV, BNA, CGI, MEM). 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 | 290° at 14 kt | +8 kt | 112 kt | 2 h 29 min | 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | +3 kt | 15 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 23 min | 12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 310° at 17 kt | +3 kt | 11 °C | 117 kt | 2 h 23 min | 12:52 am CDT (05:52 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | 0 | 8 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:48 am CDT (05:48 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | −2 kt | 4 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 17 min | 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | −1 kt | 0 °C | 121 kt | 2 h 18 min | 12:47 am CDT (05:47 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | +1 kt | -3 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:49 am CDT (05:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 20 kt | +1 kt | -6 °C | 119 kt | 2 h 20 min | 12:49 am CDT (05:49 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 26 kt | 0 | -18 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:48 am CDT (05:48 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 41 kt | 0 | -33 °C | 120 kt | 2 h 19 min | 12:48 am CDT (05:48 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 52 kt | +4 kt | -41 °C | 116 kt | 2 h 24 min | 12:53 am CDT (05:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 46 kt | −2 kt | -51 °C | 122 kt | 2 h 17 min | 12:46 am CDT (05:46 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; 29 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; 51 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° |
| BNA | used from 99 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 310/20 | 340/20 17° | 330/24 10° | 340/22 5° | 330/26 -6° | 340/29 -18° | 330/52 -33° | 320/62 -41° | 340/45 -50° |
| CGI | used from 149 nm out; 81 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| MEM | used from 198 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -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 | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 500 ft | 10:56 pm EDT (02:56 UTC) |
| EKX Elizabethtown, KY | 30 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 300 ft | 775 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| JQD Hartford, KY | 69 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | no report just now | 537 ft | ||||
| HVC Hopkinsville, KY | 109 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 563 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| PHT Paris, TN | 169 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 580 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 218 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| NQA Millington, TN | 258 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 322 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| MEM Memphis, TN | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 775 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MEM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:46 am CDT (05:46 UTC)
Wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MEM
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 9 knots, gusting to 17, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
The forecast for SDF, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Sun 8:30 pm EDT (00:30 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 3 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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 MEM 6:29 pm CDT (23:29 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MEM is before sunrise there (7:03 am CDT (12:03 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, Frederick W Smith Intl/Memphis Airport.