Bangor International to Chicago Midway International BGR → MDW
845 nautical miles (972 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 264°, about 280° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 11:05 am CDT (16:05 UTC). Right now BGR is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots; MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 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: 1 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 705 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 189 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 40 to 278 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing from 12,000 ft to 24,000 ft. Near the route, 70 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 BGR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A359 at 37,000 ft, 7 nm southeast, 2:18 am EDT (06:18 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence. 318 nm along the route, 7 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ART UA /OV ART/TM 0618/FL370/TP A359/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through ART
- Where
- over ART
- Time
- 06:18 UTC
- Height
- at 37,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A359
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- A333 descending, 34 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 646 nm along the route, 34 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 05:44 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A333
- Sky
- tops 2,500 ft
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (BGR, BML, ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, MKG, JOT). 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 | 300° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 110 kt | 7 h 41 min | 11:21 am CDT (16:21 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | +7 kt | 11 °C | 113 kt | 7 h 29 min | 11:09 am CDT (16:09 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | +6 kt | 8 °C | 114 kt | 7 h 25 min | 11:05 am CDT (16:05 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | +8 kt | 5 °C | 112 kt | 7 h 33 min | 11:13 am CDT (16:13 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | +10 kt | 1 °C | 110 kt | 7 h 41 min | 11:21 am CDT (16:21 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 22 kt | +11 kt | -3 °C | 109 kt | 7 h 45 min | 11:25 am CDT (16:25 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | +13 kt | -7 °C | 107 kt | 7 h 54 min | 11:34 am CDT (16:34 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 25 kt | +14 kt | -10 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 58 min | 11:38 am CDT (16:38 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 27 kt | +14 kt | -22 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 58 min | 11:38 am CDT (16:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | +22 kt | -38 °C | 98 kt | 8 h 37 min | 12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 43 kt | +29 kt | -45 °C | 91 kt | 9 h 17 min | 12:57 pm CDT (17:57 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 50 kt | +35 kt | -52 °C | 85 kt | 9 h 56 min | 1:36 pm CDT (18:36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGR | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 300/13 | 320/12 9° | 320/11 5° | 320/16 -1° | 300/25 -12° | 290/33 -23° | 280/38 -40° | 260/56 -45° | 250/75 -52° |
| BML | used from 50 nm out; 27 nm from the line | 310/21 | 350/11 10° | 330/9 6° | 340/21 0° | 310/23 -11° | 310/29 -23° | 280/39 -40° | 280/42 -46° | 260/57 -52° |
| ALB | used from 199 nm out; 94 nm from the line | 340/22 | 340/19 9° | 320/16 7° | 330/16 2° | 330/19 -11° | 320/21 -23° | 320/25 -39° | 280/30 -44° | 270/41 -51° |
| SYR | used from 248 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 330/17 | 320/14 9° | 350/18 8° | 350/26 2° | 340/25 -11° | 360/34 -22° | 350/43 -39° | 330/50 -46° | 350/50 -54° |
| BUF | used from 397 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
| CLE | used from 546 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| MKG | used from 646 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 795 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGR Bangor, ME | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet, a broken layer at 4,400 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 4,400 ft | 192 ft | 4:27 am EDT (08:27 UTC) |
| OWK Norridgewock, ME | 40 nm out, 5 nm west of the line | no report just now | 270 ft | ||||
| CDA Lyndonville, VT | 139 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,100 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 2,100 ft | 1,187 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| BTV Burlington, VT | 189 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet | calm | 8 mi | 300 ft | 334 ft | 08:31 UTC |
| ART Watertown, NY | 308 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,400 feet, overcast at 3,900 feet | calm | 9 mi | 3,900 ft | 330 ft | 07:56 UTC |
| CYTZ Toronto, | 457 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 2,200 feet, overcast at 2,700 feet Weather: mist | variable at 2 knots | 4 mi | 2,700 ft | 251 ft | 08:07 UTC |
| PTK Pontiac, MI | 646 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet | from the west (260°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 400 ft | 980 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| AZO Kalamazoo, MI | 745 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 4 mi | none | 873 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| SBN South Bend, IN | 785 nm out, 25 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 798 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| MDW Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,187 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MDW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:05 am CDT (16:05 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MDW
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for BGR, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, showers nearby, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, gusting to 18, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 3,500 feet
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 BGR 5:56 pm EDT (21:56 UTC), at MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Bangor International, Chicago Midway International.