Seattle-Tacoma International to Louisville Muhammad Ali International SEA → SDF
1,686 nautical miles (1,941 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 096°, about 080° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16E). At 120 knots that is 10 h 24 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 42-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:38 am EDT (10:38 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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
- SIGMET W70W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 32,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 6:55 pm PDT (01:55 UTC). Over the route from 579 to 689 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 112355 MKCW WST 112355 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 70W VALID UNTIL 0155Z MT WY FROM 30SSW MLS-60WNW BFF-40SSE OCS-10S BPI-10S BIL-30SSW MLS AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL320.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 14,000 ft. Over the route from 120 to 339 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 190 to 619 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 259 to 818 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 309 to 679 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 549 to 619 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 579 nm along 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 SEA.
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 18 forecast points nearest it (SEA, YKM, GEG, LWS, GPI, DLN, BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, ONL, FSD, OMA, DSM, BRL, SPI, EVV, LOU). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 160° at 1 kt | +2 kt | 10 °C | 118 kt | 14 h 17 min | 10:31 am EDT (14:31 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 2 kt | 0 | 7 °C | 120 kt | 14 h 03 min | 10:17 am EDT (14:17 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 5 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 13 h 42 min | 9:56 am EDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 9 kt | −6 kt | 1 °C | 126 kt | 13 h 23 min | 9:37 am EDT (13:37 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 12 kt | −8 kt | -3 °C | 128 kt | 13 h 10 min | 9:24 am EDT (13:24 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 14 kt | −9 kt | -7 °C | 129 kt | 13 h 04 min | 9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −11 kt | -11 °C | 131 kt | 12 h 52 min | 9:06 am EDT (13:06 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 17 kt | −12 kt | -12 °C | 132 kt | 12 h 46 min | 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 23 kt | −17 kt | -22 °C | 137 kt | 12 h 18 min | 8:32 am EDT (12:32 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 29 kt | −22 kt | -35 °C | 142 kt | 11 h 52 min | 8:06 am EDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 39 kt | −33 kt | -41 °C | 153 kt | 11 h 01 min | 7:15 am EDT (11:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 45 kt | −42 kt | -48 °C | 162 kt | 10 h 24 min | 6:38 am EDT (10:38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 360/9 | 350/10 1° | 010/10 -5° | 030/20 -11° | 020/60 -17° | 010/86 -26° | 360/90 -40° | 010/68 -42° | 360/31 -43° |
| YKM | used from 50 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 030/16 | 020/18 0° | 030/30 -8° | 030/23 -13° | 020/40 -23° | 010/73 -29° | 010/54 -36° | 360/29 -37° | 330/16 -40° |
| GEG | used from 150 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 050/18 -2° | 060/19 -8° | L/V -11° | 160/11 -24° | 190/17 -31° | 200/19 -35° | 220/14 -37° | 250/11 -41° | |
| LWS | used from 200 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 010/5 | 050/14 -2° | 040/12 -6° | 160/7 -10° | 190/30 -22° | 200/54 -27° | 200/48 -35° | 210/40 -37° | 230/32 -41° |
| GPI | used from 299 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 060/19 -3° | 110/11 -8° | 130/6 -8° | 200/40 -19° | 190/58 -28° | 200/101 -39° | 220/73 -43° | 230/41 -43° | |
| DLN | used from 349 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 080/10 -3° | 180/8 -3° | 180/23 -14° | 200/58 -22° | 200/80 -36° | 220/85 -41° | 230/81 -45° | ||
| BIL | used from 499 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 080/24 | 130/14 -1° | 180/33 0° | 210/43 -10° | 220/58 -21° | 200/55 -36° | 220/75 -44° | 240/83 -48° | |
| MLS | used from 649 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 120/22 5° | 170/18 4° | 200/33 1° | 230/49 -10° | 230/58 -21° | 220/54 -37° | 230/64 -44° | 250/74 -49° | |
| RAP | used from 748 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 120/15 12° | 180/22 11° | 220/26 5° | 230/35 -9° | 240/40 -22° | 240/50 -37° | 240/51 -41° | 240/47 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 898 nm out; 42 nm from the line | L/V 17° | 230/13 12° | 220/22 6° | 250/31 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 240/50 -35° | 230/61 -43° | 240/62 -51° | |
| ONL | used from 998 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 200/20 17° | 230/26 14° | 240/21 7° | 250/27 -9° | 260/32 -19° | 240/44 -34° | 240/56 -41° | 250/62 -51° | |
| FSD | used from 1098 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| OMA | used from 1148 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| DSM | used from 1197 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| BRL | used from 1347 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 200/20 | 250/21 16° | 240/22 10° | 260/20 5° | 270/16 -7° | 290/22 -18° | 320/41 -34° | 320/56 -43° | 310/68 -53° |
| SPI | used from 1447 nm out; 7 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| EVV | used from 1547 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 310/13 | 340/26 16° | 330/29 10° | 330/32 4° | 330/30 -9° | 340/38 -20° | 330/60 -35° | 320/57 -41° | 330/39 -48° |
| LOU | used from 1646 nm out; 22 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEA Seattle, WA | departure | no report just now | 432 ft | ||||
| MWH Moses Lake, WA | 120 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,188 ft | ||||
| PUW Pullman/Moscow, WA | 220 nm out, 14 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 2,566 ft | ||||
| BZN Bozeman, MT | 469 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,473 ft | ||||
| BIL Billings, MT | 579 nm out, 10 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,662 ft | ||||
| RAP Rapid City, SD | 828 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 3,203 ft | ||||
| PHP Philip, SD | 888 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 2,209 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 1138 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 1267 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| SPI Springfield, IL | 1477 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 597 ft | ||||
| RSV Robinson, IL | 1587 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 461 ft | ||||
| SDF Louisville, KY | destination | no report just now | 500 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 4,473 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At SDF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:38 am EDT (10:38 UTC)
SDF has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 SEA 6:27 pm PDT (01:27 UTC), at SDF 7:09 pm EDT (23:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:36 pm EDT (23:36 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at SDF is before sunrise there (7:48 am EDT (11:48 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: Seattle-Tacoma International, Louisville Muhammad Ali International.