Laughlin/Bullhead International to Chicago/Rockford International IFP → RFD
1,260 nautical miles (1,450 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 063°, about 051° magnetic at the departure end (variation 12E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 51 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 64-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC). 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: 11 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 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 35,000 ft to 45,000 ft. Over the first 328 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 10 to 337 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 30 to 605 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 89 to 149 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, 99 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 318 to 605 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 377 to 516 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 615 to 1201 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 IFP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 11 forecast points nearest it (LAS, PRC, BCE, FMN, ALS, PUB, GLD, GRI, OMA, DSM, DBQ). 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 | 240° at 35 kt | −34 kt | 18 °C | 154 kt | 8 h 11 min | 9:14 am CDT (14:14 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −26 kt | 12 °C | 146 kt | 8 h 38 min | 9:41 am CDT (14:41 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 23 kt | −23 kt | 10 °C | 143 kt | 8 h 49 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | −23 kt | 5 °C | 143 kt | 8 h 49 min | 9:52 am CDT (14:52 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 27 kt | −25 kt | 1 °C | 145 kt | 8 h 41 min | 9:44 am CDT (14:44 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | −29 kt | -3 °C | 149 kt | 8 h 27 min | 9:30 am CDT (14:30 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 33 kt | −32 kt | -8 °C | 152 kt | 8 h 17 min | 9:20 am CDT (14:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 34 kt | −33 kt | -9 °C | 153 kt | 8 h 14 min | 9:17 am CDT (14:17 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 42 kt | −41 kt | -21 °C | 161 kt | 7 h 50 min | 8:53 am CDT (13:53 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 59 kt | −58 kt | -30 °C | 178 kt | 7 h 05 min | 8:08 am CDT (13:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 63 kt | −64 kt | -37 °C | 184 kt | 6 h 51 min | 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 58 kt | −59 kt | -47 °C | 179 kt | 7 h 02 min | 8:05 am CDT (13:05 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAS | used from 0 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 210/21 10° | 200/18 5° | 200/23 -2° | 210/49 -14° | 210/63 -21° | 220/58 -30° | 220/61 -35° | 210/56 -44° | |
| PRC | used from 50 nm out; 74 nm from the line | 210/25 5° | 200/30 1° | 220/55 -10° | 220/61 -21° | 220/84 -28° | 230/90 -34° | 230/73 -45° | ||
| BCE | used from 149 nm out; 85 nm from the line | 220/27 -1° | 210/40 -13° | 220/54 -21° | 220/64 -30° | 220/64 -34° | 220/52 -44° | |||
| FMN | used from 248 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 220/28 9° | 220/40 2° | 220/53 -10° | 220/62 -22° | 230/79 -28° | 240/91 -34° | 230/71 -45° | ||
| ALS | used from 397 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/37 4° | 220/54 -9° | 230/62 -22° | 240/77 -26° | 240/74 -33° | 230/59 -45° | |||
| PUB | used from 447 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/25 13° | 230/32 6° | 220/44 -8° | 230/49 -21° | 240/70 -28° | 240/67 -34° | 240/58 -46° | ||
| GLD | used from 595 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 230/49 | 230/42 15° | 220/26 8° | 240/18 -7° | 230/27 -21° | 240/62 -30° | 240/61 -35° | 250/57 -47° | |
| GRI | used from 744 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 230/35 21° | 230/23 13° | 220/20 7° | 240/25 -8° | 240/37 -20° | 250/49 -33° | 260/57 -38° | 260/58 -47° | |
| OMA | used from 893 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| DSM | used from 992 nm out; 36 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| DBQ | used from 1141 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | departure | no report just now | 707 ft | ||||
| IGM Kingman, AZ | 30 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,448 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 129 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| CEZ Cortez, CO | 318 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,917 ft | ||||
| ANK Salida, CO | 457 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,523 ft | ||||
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | 516 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,187 ft | ||||
| OIN Oberlin, KS | 724 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,706 ft | ||||
| FMZ Fairmont, NE | 863 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,636 ft | ||||
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 903 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,218 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 1052 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 1141 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | no report just now | 742 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,523 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, 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC)
RFD has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the departure end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 496 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
Daylight
Sunset at IFP 6:07 pm MST (01:07 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: Laughlin/Bullhead International, Chicago/Rockford International.