Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field SDF → MSN
340 nautical miles (391 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 332°, about 337° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 01 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 7-knot headwind), arriving about 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind from the east-southeast (110°) at 3 knots; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (180°) 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: 2 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 29 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 last 29 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
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 16 nm west, 3:05 am EDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 194 nm along the route, 16 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
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 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 4 forecast points nearest it (LOU, IND, JOT, DBQ). 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 | 270° at 21 kt | +9 kt | 111 kt | 3 h 04 min | 7:03 am CDT (12:03 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +10 kt | 14 °C | 110 kt | 3 h 05 min | 7:04 am CDT (12:04 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | +7 kt | 10 °C | 113 kt | 3 h 01 min | 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +8 kt | 7 °C | 112 kt | 3 h 02 min | 7:01 am CDT (12:01 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 21 kt | +11 kt | 3 °C | 109 kt | 3 h 07 min | 7:06 am CDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 23 kt | +14 kt | 0 °C | 106 kt | 3 h 12 min | 7:11 am CDT (12:11 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 25 kt | +17 kt | -5 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 18 min | 7:17 am CDT (12:17 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 27 kt | +19 kt | -8 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 22 min | 7:21 am CDT (12:21 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 35 kt | +22 kt | -20 °C | 98 kt | 3 h 28 min | 7:27 am CDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | +20 kt | -35 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 24 min | 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 52 kt | +39 kt | -42 °C | 81 kt | 4 h 12 min | 8:11 am CDT (13:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 63 kt | +51 kt | -50 °C | 69 kt | 4 h 56 min | 8:55 am CDT (13:55 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; 23 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° |
| IND | used from 49 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 146 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| DBQ | used from 292 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
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) |
| SER Seymour, IN | 39 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 582 ft | ||||
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 68 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 845 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| IND Indianapolis, IN | 97 nm out, 20 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (220°) at 3 knots | 3 mi | none | 796 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 146 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| IKK Kankakee, IL | 204 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 629 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 233 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 282 nm out, 19 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| JVL Janesville, WI | 311 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 807 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 886 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSN
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few 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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MSN is before sunrise there (7:07 am CDT (12:07 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, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.