The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Mon 12:35 am MDT (06:35 UTC)

Yellowstone Regional to Chicago O'Hare International COD → ORD

933 nautical miles (1,074 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 092°, about 081° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11E). At 120 knots that is 5 h 20 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 55-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now COD is IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots; ORD is VFR, wind from the south (190°) 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: 21 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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 C11C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 31,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 1:55 am MDT (07:55 UTC). Over the route from 218 to 288 nm out.
    as issued
    WSUS32 KKCI 120555
    MKCC WST 120555
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 11C
    VALID UNTIL 0755Z
    SD WY
    FROM 60WNW DPR-20SSE DPR-40SSW RAP-60W RAP-60WNW DPR
    DMSHG AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL310.
  • 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 first 477 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 139 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the first 179 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 89 nm of the route.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 218 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). Over the route from 50 to 248 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 625 to 834 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 COD.

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 02:00–09:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (BIL, MLS, RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, DBQ, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft230° at 27 kt−15 kt135 kt6 h 55 min8:30 am CDT (13:30 UTC)
5,500 ft210° at 18 kt−8 kt14 °C128 kt7 h 17 min8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC)
7,500 ft220° at 18 kt−9 kt13 °C129 kt7 h 14 min8:49 am CDT (13:49 UTC)
9,500 ft220° at 20 kt−10 kt9 °C130 kt7 h 11 min8:46 am CDT (13:46 UTC)
11,500 ft220° at 24 kt−13 kt6 °C133 kt7 h 01 min8:36 am CDT (13:36 UTC)
13,500 ft230° at 25 kt−16 kt1 °C136 kt6 h 52 min8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC)
15,500 ft230° at 25 kt−18 kt-3 °C138 kt6 h 46 min8:21 am CDT (13:21 UTC)
17,500 ft240° at 25 kt−20 kt-8 °C140 kt6 h 40 min8:15 am CDT (13:15 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180240° at 25 kt−20 kt-9 °C140 kt6 h 40 min8:15 am CDT (13:15 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240240° at 30 kt−25 kt-21 °C145 kt6 h 26 min8:01 am CDT (13:01 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300240° at 38 kt−30 kt-35 °C150 kt6 h 13 min7:48 am CDT (12:48 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340250° at 50 kt−46 kt-41 °C166 kt5 h 37 min7:12 am CDT (12:12 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390260° at 57 kt−55 kt-48 °C175 kt5 h 20 min6:55 am CDT (11:55 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
BILused from 0 nm out; 78 nm from the line080/13180/9 -2°210/38 0°220/51 -11°210/46 -22°210/58 -35°230/73 -39°230/72 -45°
MLSused from 99 nm out; 122 nm from the line150/23 2°190/29 4°210/44 2°220/32 -10°210/36 -21°200/48 -37°230/63 -40°240/71 -47°
RAPused from 149 nm out; 85 nm from the line180/23 12°200/38 13°210/38 6°220/28 -10°230/34 -21°230/37 -36°250/52 -38°250/59 -46°
PIRused from 298 nm out; 57 nm from the line170/22 19°190/25 13°210/32 6°240/23 -9°250/32 -21°250/38 -36°260/44 -40°260/52 -47°
FSDused from 447 nm out; 61 nm from the line190/9230/30 18°240/23 13°240/20 6°260/22 -9°250/31 -21°250/43 -36°260/49 -43°270/53 -47°
MCWused from 596 nm out; 63 nm from the line220/44250/30 17°230/14 12°240/17 6°250/22 -8°270/29 -20°250/34 -34°260/52 -43°260/59 -51°
DBQused from 745 nm out; 38 nm from the line230/33250/30 16°280/15 9°260/15 5°260/21 -7°260/24 -20°250/37 -33°270/42 -43°280/63 -52°
JOTused from 894 nm out; 34 nm from the line250/23270/22 15°250/16 10°240/9 4°280/22 -7°280/29 -19°300/29 -34°290/50 -43°300/64 -52°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
COD Cody, WY departure IFR Sky: a broken layer at 800 feet, a broken layer at 2,100 feet, overcast at 2,600 feet Weather: unknown precipitation from the north-northeast (030°) at 7 knots 10+ mi 800 ft 5,102 ft 12:08 am MDT (06:08 UTC)
GEY Greybull, WY 40 nm out, 2 nm north of the line marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,300 feet Weather: light rain, mist from the northwest (310°) at 13 knots 5 mi 1,300 ft 3,941 ft 06:09 UTC
GCC Gillette, WY 149 nm out, 2 nm south of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 400 feet Weather: mist calm 6 mi 400 ft 4,365 ft 05:53 UTC
RAP Rapid City, SD 258 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet Weather: mist from the northwest (320°) at 5 knots 4 mi 300 ft 3,203 ft 06:08 UTC
PHP Philip, SD 318 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line low IFR Sky: overcast at 300 feet from the north-northeast (030°) at 12 knots 10+ mi 300 ft 2,209 ft 05:55 UTC
FSD Sioux Falls, SD 536 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR from the north-northeast (020°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 1,430 ft 05:56 UTC
ISB Sibley, IA 576 nm out, 2 nm south of the line no report just now 1,537 ft
ALO Waterloo, IA 735 nm out, 18 nm southwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 8 knots 10+ mi none 873 ft 05:54 UTC
DBQ Dubuque, IA 804 nm out, 9 nm south of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,076 ft 05:53 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL 884 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet calm 10+ mi 25,000 ft 742 ft 05:54 UTC
ORD Chicago, IL destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 30,000 feet from the south (190°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 680 ft 12:51 am CDT (05:51 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,102 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At ORD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:55 am CDT (11:55 UTC)

Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for ORD
  • 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 COD, the departure
  • From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, light showers rain snow, mist, overcast at 1,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 am MDT (07:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet
  • 30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC) and 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 6 miles, light showers rain snow
  • From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 500 feet, a broken layer at 1,000 feet and more above

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 COD 6:35 pm MDT (00:35 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORD is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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

Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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: Yellowstone Regional, Chicago O'Hare International.