Northwest Arkansas Ntl Airport to Smyrna Airport XNA → MQY
378 nautical miles (435 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 090°, about 089° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1E). At 120 knots that is 2 h 14 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 49-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC). Right now XNA is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16; MQY is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 4 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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 XNA.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- SF50 at 14,000 ft, 29 nm southeast, 7:50 am CDT (12:50 UTC): light chop turbulence from 14,000 ft to 20,000 ft, remarks: ZME60. At the destination end, 29 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BNA UA /OV BNA135040/TM 1250/FL140/TP SF50/SK SKC140/TB OCNL LGT CHOP 200-140/RM ZME60
- Report
- a routine report filed through BNA
- Where
- 40 nm southeast (135°) of BNA
- Time
- 12:50 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- SF50
- Sky
- clear from 14,000 ft
- Turbulence
- occasional light chop from 20,000 ft to 14,000 ft
- Remarks
- ZME60
- E75L at 33,000 ft, 42 nm northeast, 6:09 am CDT (11:09 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME62. At the destination end, 42 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
BNA UA /OV BNA045040/TM 1109/FL330/TP E75L/TB NEG/RM ZME62
- Report
- a routine report filed through BNA
- Where
- 40 nm northeast (045°) of BNA
- Time
- 11:09 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME62
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 5 forecast points nearest it (SGF, LIT, MEM, CGI, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 250° at 22 kt | −21 kt | 141 kt | 2 h 41 min | 11:42 am CDT (16:42 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −18 kt | 138 kt | 2 h 44 min | 11:45 am CDT (16:45 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −16 kt | 13 °C | 136 kt | 2 h 47 min | 11:48 am CDT (16:48 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −15 kt | 11 °C | 135 kt | 2 h 48 min | 11:49 am CDT (16:49 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 260° at 15 kt | −14 kt | 7 °C | 134 kt | 2 h 49 min | 11:50 am CDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 260° at 17 kt | −17 kt | 3 °C | 137 kt | 2 h 46 min | 11:47 am CDT (16:47 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | −20 kt | -1 °C | 140 kt | 2 h 42 min | 11:43 am CDT (16:43 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 270° at 23 kt | −23 kt | -5 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 39 min | 11:40 am CDT (16:40 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 23 kt | −23 kt | -6 °C | 143 kt | 2 h 39 min | 11:40 am CDT (16:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 270° at 27 kt | −27 kt | -17 °C | 147 kt | 2 h 34 min | 11:35 am CDT (16:35 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 44 kt | −41 kt | -31 °C | 161 kt | 2 h 21 min | 11:22 am CDT (16:22 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 52 kt | −49 kt | -40 °C | 169 kt | 2 h 14 min | 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 48 kt | −41 kt | -51 °C | 161 kt | 2 h 21 min | 11:22 am CDT (16:22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGF | used from 0 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 230/37 | 260/20 15° | 250/16 13° | 250/15 8° | 260/28 -7° | 250/31 -17° | 280/59 -31° | 280/59 -39° | 290/55 -50° |
| LIT | used from 99 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 250/22 | 250/25 18° | 240/23 12° | 240/20 7° | 250/17 -6° | 260/25 -17° | 300/45 -29° | 300/49 -40° | 310/43 -51° |
| MEM | used from 149 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| CGI | used from 199 nm out; 63 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| BNA | used from 298 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XNA Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR | departure | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC) |
| BBG Branson, MO | 50 nm out, 16 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,302 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| BPK Mountain Home, AR | 89 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 928 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| CVK Ash Flat, AR | 129 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 717 ft | ||||
| TKX Kennett, MO | 209 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 261 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| DYR Dyersburg, TN | 239 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 feet, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 337 ft | 18:56 UTC |
| HZD Huntingdon, TN | 288 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 496 ft | 13:40 UTC |
| JWN Nashville, TN | 358 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 501 ft | 12:50 UTC |
| MQY Smyrna, TN | destination | VFR | from the southeast (130°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,302 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, 11:15 am CDT (16:15 UTC)
Wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MQY
- From Mon 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 800 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for XNA, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 16 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at XNA 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 UTC), at MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 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: Northwest Arkansas Ntl Airport, Smyrna Airport.