Golden Triangle Regional to Chicago/Rockford International GTR → RFD
526 nautical miles (605 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 358°, about 360° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 3-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC). Right now GTR is VFR, wind variable at 3 knots; RFD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 5 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
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 GTR.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 36,000 ft, 28 nm east, 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 248 nm along the route, 28 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVV UA /OV PXV225030/TM 1114/FL360/TP B737/TB NEG/RM ZME33
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVV
- Where
- 30 nm southwest (225°) of PXV
- Time
- 11:14 UTC
- Height
- at 36,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- ZME33
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 6 forecast points nearest it (BHM, MEM, CGI, STL, SPI, 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 | 260° at 20 kt | −3 kt | 123 kt | 4 h 17 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | −3 kt | 14 °C | 123 kt | 4 h 17 min | 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −2 kt | 12 °C | 122 kt | 4 h 19 min | 1:21 pm CDT (18:21 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 16 kt | −1 kt | 8 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 21 min | 1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 18 kt | 0 | 5 °C | 120 kt | 4 h 23 min | 1:25 pm CDT (18:25 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 20 kt | +1 kt | 1 °C | 119 kt | 4 h 25 min | 1:27 pm CDT (18:27 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 23 kt | +3 kt | -4 °C | 117 kt | 4 h 30 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 25 kt | +5 kt | -7 °C | 115 kt | 4 h 34 min | 1:36 pm CDT (18:36 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 29 kt | +7 kt | -18 °C | 113 kt | 4 h 39 min | 1:41 pm CDT (18:41 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 41 kt | +14 kt | -32 °C | 106 kt | 4 h 58 min | 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 53 kt | +20 kt | -40 °C | 100 kt | 5 h 16 min | 2:18 pm CDT (19:18 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 51 kt | +29 kt | -50 °C | 91 kt | 5 h 47 min | 2:49 pm CDT (19:49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHM | used from 0 nm out; 95 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
| MEM | used from 50 nm out; 68 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 149 nm out; 66 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° |
| STL | used from 298 nm out; 70 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
| SPI | used from 347 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 260/28 | 250/22 15° | 250/14 9° | 260/20 6° | 280/27 -7° | 280/34 -19° | 280/48 -32° | 280/59 -41° | 300/60 -49° |
| JOT | used from 446 nm out; 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS | departure | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 264 ft | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| TUP Tupelo, MS | 50 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 346 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| CRX Corinth, MS | 89 nm out, 3 nm east of the line | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 425 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| MKL Jackson, TN | 129 nm out, 10 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 434 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| UCY Union City, TN | 179 nm out, 12 nm west of the line | VFR Weather: mist | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 6 mi | none | 345 ft | 13:35 UTC |
| PAH Paducah, KY | 218 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 410 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| MVN Mount Vernon, IL | 298 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 480 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| VLA Vandalia, IL | 337 nm out, 13 nm west of the line | no report just now | 537 ft | ||||
| DEC Decatur, IL | 387 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 13:54 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 427 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 13:56 UTC |
| RPJ Rochelle, IL | 506 nm out, 2 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 780 ft | 13:55 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 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, 1:19 pm CDT (18:19 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RFD
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, 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
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
The forecast for GTR, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 3 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 GTR 6:24 pm CDT (23:24 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Golden Triangle Regional, Chicago/Rockford International.