Yampa Valley Airport to Chicago O'Hare International HDN → ORD
875 nautical miles (1,007 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 078°, about 068° magnetic at the departure end (variation 10E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 61-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:50 am CDT (13:50 UTC). Right now HDN is VFR, wind calm; ORD is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 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: 352 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 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 first 119 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the first 40 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the first 139 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the first 109 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the first 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 258 to 775 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 308 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 HDN.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B737 at 18,000 ft, 14 nm south, 1:24 am MDT (07:24 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: FL180-130. 99 nm along the route, 14 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DEN UA /OV DEN330050/TM 0724/FL180/TP B737/TB MOD/RM FL180-130
- Report
- a routine report filed through DEN
- Where
- 50 nm northwest (330°) of DEN
- Time
- 07:24 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- FL180-130
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 7 forecast points nearest it (DEN, BFF, GRI, OMA, DSM, DBQ, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | −28 kt | 23 °C | 148 kt | 5 h 55 min | 9:55 am CDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 250° at 26 kt | −25 kt | 15 °C | 145 kt | 6 h 02 min | 10:02 am CDT (15:02 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 250° at 25 kt | −24 kt | 11 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 05 min | 10:05 am CDT (15:05 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | −23 kt | 6 °C | 143 kt | 6 h 07 min | 10:07 am CDT (15:07 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −24 kt | 2 °C | 144 kt | 6 h 05 min | 10:05 am CDT (15:05 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | −26 kt | -3 °C | 146 kt | 6 h | 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 31 kt | −28 kt | -8 °C | 148 kt | 5 h 55 min | 9:55 am CDT (14:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 31 kt | −29 kt | -9 °C | 149 kt | 5 h 52 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 39 kt | −37 kt | -21 °C | 157 kt | 5 h 34 min | 9:34 am CDT (14:34 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 50 kt | −49 kt | -32 °C | 169 kt | 5 h 11 min | 9:11 am CDT (14:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 59 kt | −59 kt | -37 °C | 179 kt | 4 h 53 min | 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 60 kt | −61 kt | -47 °C | 181 kt | 4 h 50 min | 8:50 am CDT (13:50 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN | used from 0 nm out; 101 nm from the line | 270/24 11° | 230/13 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/46 -20° | 230/63 -30° | 240/78 -36° | 240/78 -48° | ||
| BFF | used from 149 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 280/28 | 260/39 11° | 240/34 5° | 210/38 -11° | 210/52 -22° | 230/61 -31° | 230/61 -36° | 240/56 -45° | |
| GRI | used from 298 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 230/39 23° | 230/32 15° | 210/29 7° | 230/31 -8° | 230/43 -21° | 250/52 -31° | 260/59 -35° | 260/59 -46° | |
| OMA | used from 447 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 230/47 | 240/33 21° | 230/22 13° | 220/27 5° | 240/35 -8° | 250/43 -21° | 260/47 -33° | 260/59 -36° | 270/58 -46° |
| DSM | used from 547 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| DBQ | used from 696 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 795 nm out; 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDN Hayden, CO | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet, overcast at 9,000 feet Weather: light rain | calm | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 6,606 ft | 2:56 am MDT (08:56 UTC) |
| SBS Steamboat Springs, CO | 20 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, a broken layer at 12,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 12,000 ft | 6,882 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| CYS Cheyenne, WY | 119 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (260°) at 20 knots, gusting to 29 | 10+ mi | none | 6,159 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| SNY Sidney, NE | 199 nm out, 3 nm west of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 9 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 4,314 ft | 19:53 UTC |
| BBW Broken Bow, NE | 348 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 2,546 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| ODX Ord, NE | 378 nm out, 6 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 2,070 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| TQE Tekamah, NE | 507 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,026 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| PRO Perry, IA | 596 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,013 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 616 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet, a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 957 ft | 08:54 UTC |
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 706 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 855 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 758 ft | 08:52 UTC |
| ORD Chicago, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 680 ft | 3:51 am CDT (08:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,882 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, 8:50 am CDT (13:50 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ORD
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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 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 HDN, the departure
- From Mon 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, gusting to 28, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am MDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet, a broken layer at 5,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC) and 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, overcast at 2,600 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 12:00 am MDT (06:00 UTC): visibility 4 miles, light rain showers, a broken layer at 5,000 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 HDN 6:32 pm MDT (00:32 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 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: Yampa Valley Airport, Chicago O'Hare International.