Moore County to Smyrna Airport SOP → MQY
351 nautical miles (404 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 280°, about 288° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 15 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now SOP is VFR, wind from the southwest (230°) at 12 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: 5 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 TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 8,000 ft. Over the route from 59 to 195 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 146 to 273 nm out.
- 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 254 to 293 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 SOP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- SR22 at 8,000 ft, 39 nm south, 8:18 pm EDT (00:18 UTC): no turbulence, clear, remarks: thin layer below but can see lights from the ground. At the departure end, 39 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
FLO UA /OV BBP/TM 0018/FL080/TP SR22/SK CLR/TB SMOOTH/RM THIN LAYER BELOW BUT CAN SEE LIGHTS FROM THE GROUND
- Report
- a routine report filed through FLO
- Where
- over BBP
- Time
- 00:18 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SR22
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- smooth
- Remarks
- thin layer below but can see lights from the ground
- A320 descending, 5 nm north, 9:52 pm EDT (01:52 UTC): remarks: base 2,100 ft. 224 nm along the route, 5 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
TYS UA /OV 4 NE TYS/TM 0152/FLDURD/TP A320/RM BASE 021
- Report
- a routine report filed through TYS
- Where
- 4 northeast tys
- Time
- 01:52 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Remarks
- base 2,100 ft
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 (RDU, GSP, TRI, TYS, BNA). 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 | 320° at 20 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 21 min | 1:04 am CDT (06:04 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +12 kt | 12 °C | 108 kt | 3 h 15 min | 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 330° at 24 kt | +15 kt | 9 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 21 min | 1:04 am CDT (06:04 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +17 kt | 6 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 24 min | 1:07 am CDT (06:07 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | +19 kt | 3 °C | 101 kt | 3 h 29 min | 1:12 am CDT (06:12 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 29 kt | +22 kt | -1 °C | 98 kt | 3 h 35 min | 1:18 am CDT (06:18 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 30 kt | +24 kt | -4 °C | 96 kt | 3 h 39 min | 1:22 am CDT (06:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 31 kt | +26 kt | -7 °C | 94 kt | 3 h 44 min | 1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 31 kt | +27 kt | -18 °C | 93 kt | 3 h 46 min | 1:29 am CDT (06:29 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 36 kt | +31 kt | -33 °C | 89 kt | 3 h 57 min | 1:40 am CDT (06:40 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 41 kt | +36 kt | -39 °C | 84 kt | 4 h 11 min | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 38 kt | +30 kt | -49 °C | 90 kt | 3 h 54 min | 1:37 am CDT (06:37 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU | used from 0 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 280/33 | 300/23 11° | 300/28 8° | 290/28 4° | 260/41 -6° | 240/52 -18° | 230/66 -31° | 230/76 -39° | 240/52 -49° |
| GSP | used from 49 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 320/22 | 340/19 13° | 320/18 8° | 310/24 5° | 300/34 -7° | 300/36 -18° | 290/30 -33° | 300/32 -39° | 320/42 -49° |
| TRI | used from 146 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 330/22 11° | 330/29 7° | 330/32 3° | 330/36 -8° | 320/34 -19° | 320/36 -34° | 320/43 -39° | 320/46 -47° | |
| TYS | used from 195 nm out; 8 nm from the line | 320/20 | 340/18 11° | 340/32 9° | 340/36 4° | 330/37 -7° | 330/38 -19° | 330/50 -34° | 330/53 -38° | 330/44 -48° |
| BNA | used from 293 nm out; 43 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOP Pinehurst/Southern Pines, NC | departure | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 459 ft | 9:56 pm EDT (01:56 UTC) |
| VUJ Albemarle, NC | 39 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 609 ft | 02:35 UTC |
| JQF Concord, NC | 68 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 8,500 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 704 ft | 01:50 UTC |
| HKY Hickory, NC | 98 nm out, 15 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 1,189 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 156 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,163 ft | 01:54 UTC |
| GKT Sevierville, TN | 205 nm out, 7 nm north of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 1,400 ft | 1,013 ft | 02:36 UTC |
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 224 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 2,700 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 1,300 ft | 986 ft | 01:53 UTC |
| CSV Crossville, TN | 283 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet | from the west (280°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 1,881 ft | 02:36 UTC |
| RNC Mc Minnville, TN | 312 nm out, 16 nm south of the line | low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 100 ft | 1,031 ft | 02:15 UTC |
| MQY Smyrna, TN | destination | reported, no category | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | none | 543 ft | 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MQY when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:58 am CDT (05:58 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for MQY
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8713 Maxton, NC, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, at the departure end · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 21 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at SOP 6:46 pm EDT (22:46 UTC), at MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at MQY is before sunrise there (6:50 am CDT (11:50 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: Moore County, Smyrna Airport.