Louisville Muhammad Ali International to Tampa International SDF → TPA
633 nautical miles (729 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 164°, about 169° magnetic at the departure end (variation 5W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 40-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:41 am EDT (13:41 UTC). Right now SDF is marginal VFR, wind calm; TPA is VFR, wind from the north (350°) 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: 2,244 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 218 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 138 to 208 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 218 to 237 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 218 to 247 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 495 to 554 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
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 6 forecast points nearest it (LOU, TYS, ATL, CSG, TLH, PIE). 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 | 330° at 22 kt | −21 kt | 141 kt | 4 h 29 min | 10:13 am EDT (14:13 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 145 kt | 4 h 22 min | 10:06 am EDT (14:06 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 14 °C | 145 kt | 4 h 22 min | 10:06 am EDT (14:06 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 340° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 9 °C | 143 kt | 4 h 26 min | 10:10 am EDT (14:10 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 7 °C | 138 kt | 4 h 35 min | 10:19 am EDT (14:19 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 19 kt | −18 kt | 3 °C | 138 kt | 4 h 35 min | 10:19 am EDT (14:19 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | −19 kt | -1 °C | 139 kt | 4 h 33 min | 10:17 am EDT (14:17 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | −20 kt | -5 °C | 140 kt | 4 h 31 min | 10:15 am EDT (14:15 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 24 kt | −21 kt | -6 °C | 141 kt | 4 h 29 min | 10:13 am EDT (14:13 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 29 kt | −28 kt | -18 °C | 148 kt | 4 h 17 min | 10:01 am EDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 35 kt | −33 kt | -33 °C | 153 kt | 4 h 08 min | 9:52 am EDT (13:52 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 330° at 41 kt | −40 kt | -41 °C | 160 kt | 3 h 57 min | 9:41 am EDT (13:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 330° at 30 kt | −29 kt | -51 °C | 149 kt | 4 h 15 min | 9:59 am EDT (13:59 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; 56 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 198 nm out; 58 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° |
| CSG | used from 346 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 330/27 | 340/28 16° | 350/28 11° | 330/17 6° | 340/25 -6° | 350/33 -18° | 330/46 -32° | 340/45 -41° | 350/31 -52° |
| TLH | used from 396 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 340/23 | 350/26 17° | 350/21 11° | 300/13 6° | 320/25 -6° | 340/35 -16° | 350/44 -32° | 360/51 -42° | 350/33 -52° |
| PIE | used from 544 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 360/10 | 340/12 18° | 330/9 13° | 290/12 8° | 260/21 -7° | 280/18 -18° | 250/20 -33° | 250/26 -41° | 250/20 -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 | calm | 5 mi | none | 500 ft | 4:56 am EDT (08:56 UTC) |
| BRY Bardstown, KY | 20 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | low IFR Weather: mist | calm | 0.75 mi | none | 669 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| EKQ Monticello, KY | 89 nm out, 19 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 100 ft | 962 ft | 08:56 UTC |
| RZR Cleveland, TN | 188 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1 mi | none | 865 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| CNI Canton, GA | 237 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,219 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| PDK Atlanta, GA | 267 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 998 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| MCN Macon, GA | 346 nm out, 13 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 354 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| CKF Cordele, GA | 386 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet Weather: nearby thunderstorms | calm | 10+ mi | 5,000 ft | 309 ft | 22:30 UTC |
| VLD Valdosta, GA | 465 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 203 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| CTY Cross City, FL | 524 nm out, 7 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the west-northwest (300°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 42 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 603 nm out, 11 nm east of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | none | 76 ft | 09:26 UTC |
| TPA Tampa, FL | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the north (350°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 26 ft | 4:53 am EDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,219 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TPA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:41 am EDT (13:41 UTC)
Wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for TPA
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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
- 6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 4 nm from the route, 356 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC), at TPA 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:27 pm EDT (23:27 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, Tampa International.