The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:58 pm CDT (01:58 UTC)

Gulfport-Biloxi International to Chicago/Rockford International GPT → RFD

708 nautical miles (814 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 360°, about 002° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 45 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 2:43 am CDT (07:43 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now GPT is VFR, wind calm; RFD is VFR, wind calm. 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: 14 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

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 GPT.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

  • BE40 at 29,000 ft, 43 nm east, 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zme. 259 nm along the route, 43 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    TUP UA /OV TUP045041/TM 2322/FL290/TP BE40/TB OCNL MOD CHOP 290-260/RM ZME
    Report
    a routine report filed through TUP
    Where
    41 nm northeast (045°) of TUP
    Time
    23:22 UTC
    Height
    at 29,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BE40
    Turbulence
    occasional moderate chop from 29,000 ft to 26,000 ft
    Remarks
    zme
  • A319 at 39,000 ft, 44 nm west, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. 279 nm along the route, 44 nm west of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
    Report
    a routine report filed through MEM
    Where
    over MEM
    Time
    23:11 UTC
    Height
    at 39,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A319
    Turbulence
    no chop
    Remarks
    smooth
  • BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 12 nm west, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 339 nm along the route, 12 nm west of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
    Report
    a routine report filed through DYR
    Where
    over DYR
    Time
    00:13 UTC
    Height
    at 35,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BCS3
    Turbulence
    none
    Remarks
    ZME33
  • B38M at 25,000 ft, 33 nm east, 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME26. 339 nm along the route, 33 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    MKL UA /OV MKL045035/TM 0012/FL250/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME26
    Report
    a routine report filed through MKL
    Where
    35 nm northeast (045°) of MKL
    Time
    00:12 UTC
    Height
    at 25,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
    Remarks
    ZME26
  • B737 at 31,000 ft, 13 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME25. 409 nm along the route, 13 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PAH UA /OV CNG360015/TM 0013/FL310/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME25
    Report
    a routine report filed through PAH
    Where
    15 nm north (360°) of CNG
    Time
    00:13 UTC
    Height
    at 31,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
    Remarks
    ZME25

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 7 forecast points nearest it (MOB, JAN, MEM, CGI, STL, SPI, JOT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
3,500 ft250° at 9 kt−3 kt123 kt5 h 45 min2:43 am CDT (07:43 UTC)
5,500 ft290° at 11 kt+3 kt117 kt6 h 03 min3:01 am CDT (08:01 UTC)
7,500 ft290° at 15 kt+4 kt14 °C116 kt6 h 06 min3:04 am CDT (08:04 UTC)
9,500 ft290° at 18 kt+5 kt10 °C115 kt6 h 09 min3:07 am CDT (08:07 UTC)
11,500 ft290° at 20 kt+8 kt6 °C112 kt6 h 19 min3:17 am CDT (08:17 UTC)
13,500 ft300° at 21 kt+10 kt2 °C110 kt6 h 26 min3:24 am CDT (08:24 UTC)
15,500 ft310° at 21 kt+12 kt-2 °C108 kt6 h 33 min3:31 am CDT (08:31 UTC)
17,500 ft310° at 21 kt+14 kt-6 °C106 kt6 h 41 min3:39 am CDT (08:39 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180310° at 21 kt+15 kt-7 °C105 kt6 h 45 min3:43 am CDT (08:43 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240330° at 28 kt+23 kt-18 °C97 kt7 h 18 min4:16 am CDT (09:16 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300320° at 49 kt+38 kt-33 °C82 kt8 h 38 min5:36 am CDT (10:36 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340330° at 56 kt+46 kt-42 °C74 kt9 h 34 min6:32 am CDT (11:32 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390320° at 54 kt+41 kt-50 °C79 kt8 h 58 min5:56 am CDT (10:56 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
MOBused from 0 nm out; 43 nm from the line310/7350/18 18°330/16 12°300/18 7°320/17 -6°330/27 -17°340/52 -33°350/53 -43°330/38 -50°
JANused from 50 nm out; 65 nm from the line260/6310/14 17°280/13 12°290/19 6°310/22 -5°310/28 -17°320/44 -32°330/48 -41°320/52 -51°
MEMused from 199 nm out; 70 nm from the line240/9280/14 17°280/20 12°290/25 5°320/25 -6°330/31 -18°320/52 -32°330/58 -41°320/42 -50°
CGIused from 349 nm out; 43 nm from the line250/10290/12 17°290/18 11°300/22 5°320/25 -8°330/30 -18°320/53 -33°320/66 -42°320/56 -50°
STLused from 449 nm out; 66 nm from the line210/13260/16 17°270/21 10°280/24 5°310/20 -7°320/22 -18°320/44 -33°320/59 -43°310/69 -51°
SPIused from 498 nm out; 51 nm from the line210/13260/11 17°270/18 10°290/21 4°310/20 -8°330/25 -19°320/49 -34°320/60 -44°320/59 -50°
JOTused from 598 nm out; 61 nm from the line230/11290/12 16°300/19 10°320/19 4°300/17 -9°330/31 -20°320/49 -37°320/53 -45°320/67 -49°

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
GPT Gulfport, MS departure VFR calm 10+ mi none 28 ft 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC)
HBG Hattiesburg, MS 50 nm out, 9 nm west of the line VFR from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 150 ft 01:53 UTC
MEI Meridian, MS 120 nm out, 17 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 297 ft 00:58 UTC
GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS 179 nm out, 25 nm east of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 264 ft 00:56 UTC
TUP Tupelo, MS 229 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 346 ft 01:53 UTC
MKL Jackson, TN 309 nm out, 9 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (200°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 434 ft 01:53 UTC
PAH Paducah, KY 399 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 410 ft 00:00 UTC
MWA Marion, IL 439 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 471 ft 01:35 UTC
VLA Vandalia, IL 518 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line no report just now 537 ft
BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL 608 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 871 ft 01:56 UTC
RPJ Rochelle, IL 688 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 780 ft 01:35 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL destination VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet calm 10+ mi none 742 ft 8:54 pm CDT (01:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 871 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At RFD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:43 am CDT (07:43 UTC)

Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR

The whole forecast for RFD
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
  • From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
  • From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for GPT, the departure
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

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 GPT 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at RFD is before sunrise there (7:05 am CDT (12:05 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 lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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: Gulfport-Biloxi International, Chicago/Rockford International.