Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Raleigh-Durham International SDF → RDU
360 nautical miles (415 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 110°, about 115° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 28 min at the quickest height in today's winds (24,000 ft, a 26-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots; RDU is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22. 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: 1,010 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 route from 58 to 214 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 107 to 282 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 195 to 282 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 20:00–03:00 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 4 forecast points nearest it (LOU, TRI, ROA, RDU). 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 | 280° at 14 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 2 h 41 min | 11:16 pm EDT (03:16 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 11 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:09 pm EDT (03:09 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | −21 kt | 10 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:08 pm EDT (03:08 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | −21 kt | 7 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:08 pm EDT (03:08 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −19 kt | 5 °C | 139 kt | 2 h 35 min | 11:10 pm EDT (03:10 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 1 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:09 pm EDT (03:09 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | −21 kt | -3 °C | 141 kt | 2 h 33 min | 11:08 pm EDT (03:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | −22 kt | -7 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 32 min | 11:07 pm EDT (03:07 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 23 kt | −22 kt | -8 °C | 142 kt | 2 h 32 min | 11:07 pm EDT (03:07 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 30 kt | −26 kt | -19 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 28 min | 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 40 kt | −26 kt | -32 °C | 146 kt | 2 h 28 min | 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 42 kt | −25 kt | -39 °C | 145 kt | 2 h 29 min | 11:04 pm EDT (03:04 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 36 kt | −25 kt | -48 °C | 145 kt | 2 h 29 min | 11:04 pm EDT (03:04 UTC) |
Based on data from the 11th at 18:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 00:00 UTC for use 20:00 to 03:00 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 | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| TRI | used from 97 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 310/28 11° | 320/32 7° | 330/30 2° | 300/28 -9° | 280/34 -21° | 250/37 -31° | 240/39 -38° | 250/35 -48° | |
| ROA | used from 243 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 280/9 | 290/15 12° | 290/11 8° | 210/6 3° | 210/30 -6° | 220/46 -19° | 210/74 -30° | 220/78 -39° | 220/64 -48° |
| RDU | used from 292 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 240/28 | 250/22 10° | 230/30 11° | 230/40 7° | 230/45 -4° | 220/69 -15° | 220/83 -29° | 210/84 -40° | 220/75 -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 | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 3,000 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 500 ft | 7:56 pm EDT (23:56 UTC) |
| FFT Frankfort, KY | 39 nm out, 14 nm north of the line | reported, no category | calm | none | 812 ft | 23:53 UTC | |
| LEX Lexington, KY | 49 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 979 ft | 00:31 UTC |
| JKL Jackson, KY | 117 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: light rain, mist | variable at 6 knots | 6 mi | 300 ft | 1,380 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| CPF Hazard, KY | 127 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 500 feet | from the west (280°) at 8 knots | 7 mi | 500 ft | 1,256 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| JFZ Richlands, VA | 195 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: drizzle | from the west (260°) at 8 knots | 1.5 mi | 200 ft | 2,653 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MKJ Marion/Wytheville, VA | 224 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet | from the west (260°) at 14 knots, gusting to 18 | 7 mi | 1,000 ft | 2,558 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MWK Mount Airy, NC | 273 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,600 feet, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet | from the west (270°) at 2 knots | 10+ mi | 9,500 ft | 1,268 ft | 00:15 UTC |
| GSO Greensboro, NC | 302 nm out, 11 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,700 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 925 ft | 00:23 UTC |
| BUY Burlington, NC | 321 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,800 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 2,800 ft | 616 ft | 00:20 UTC |
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | destination | VFR Sky: overcast at 4,800 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 16 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 4,800 ft | 435 ft | 7:51 pm EDT (23:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,653 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RDU when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:03 pm EDT (03:03 UTC)
Wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RDU
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 9 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 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 RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RDU is after sunset there (6:45 pm EDT (22:45 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, Raleigh-Durham International.