Laurens County to Chicago/Rockford International LUX → RFD
571 nautical miles (657 statute miles) northwest on a straight line, true course 326°, about 333° magnetic at the departure end (variation 7W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 16-knot headwind), arriving about 12:37 am CDT (05:37 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now LUX is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 6 knots, gusting to 14; RFD is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 3 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: 14 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 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 7,000 ft. Over the route from 20 to 98 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 59 to 197 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 79 to 266 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 LUX.
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 20:00–03:00 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 5 forecast points nearest it (GSP, TYS, LOU, IND, 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 | 310° at 16 kt | +16 kt | 104 kt | 5 h 29 min | 12:37 am CDT (05:37 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | +21 kt | 13 °C | 99 kt | 5 h 46 min | 12:54 am CDT (05:54 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 23 kt | +23 kt | 10 °C | 97 kt | 5 h 53 min | 1:01 am CDT (06:01 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +25 kt | 6 °C | 95 kt | 6 h 01 min | 1:09 am CDT (06:09 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | +27 kt | 3 °C | 93 kt | 6 h 08 min | 1:16 am CDT (06:16 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 320° at 27 kt | +27 kt | -1 °C | 93 kt | 6 h 08 min | 1:16 am CDT (06:16 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 320° at 28 kt | +28 kt | -5 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 12 min | 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 28 kt | +28 kt | -8 °C | 92 kt | 6 h 12 min | 1:20 am CDT (06:20 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 320° at 32 kt | +32 kt | -19 °C | 88 kt | 6 h 29 min | 1:37 am CDT (06:37 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | +34 kt | -35 °C | 86 kt | 6 h 38 min | 1:46 am CDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 38 kt | +34 kt | -41 °C | 86 kt | 6 h 38 min | 1:46 am CDT (06:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 39 kt | +35 kt | -48 °C | 85 kt | 6 h 43 min | 1:51 am CDT (06:51 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSP | used from 0 nm out; 3 nm from the line | 300/22 | 310/22 11° | 300/22 7° | 290/28 5° | 270/36 -5° | 250/42 -18° | 230/54 -31° | 230/59 -40° | 230/65 -50° |
| TYS | used from 98 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 290/19 | 310/22 11° | 330/25 7° | 330/34 3° | 320/37 -7° | 300/37 -18° | 300/37 -34° | 280/29 -39° | 270/29 -48° |
| LOU | used from 197 nm out; 67 nm from the line | 320/15 | 340/24 14° | 330/28 9° | 340/34 4° | 340/37 -9° | 340/42 -20° | 320/39 -35° | 320/45 -39° | 330/40 -47° |
| IND | used from 344 nm out; 12 nm from the line | 320/10 | 350/30 16° | 350/32 10° | 350/30 4° | 340/31 -10° | 340/42 -21° | 340/49 -37° | 320/46 -41° | 320/47 -47° |
| JOT | used from 443 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 230/11 | 290/12 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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUX Laurens, SC | departure | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 6 knots, gusting to 14 | 10+ mi | none | 697 ft | 7:55 pm EDT (23:55 UTC) |
| GSP Greer, SC | 30 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: overcast at 7,000 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 963 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| AVL Asheville, NC | 59 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 3,100 feet, scattered clouds at 4,100 feet | from the north-northwest (330°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,163 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| MOR Morristown, TN | 118 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,100 feet, overcast at 1,600 feet Weather: mist | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 5 mi | 700 ft | 1,312 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| LOZ London, KY | 187 nm out, 2 nm east of the line | VFR | from the north (010°) at 9 knots, gusting to 16 | 10+ mi | none | 1,212 ft | 20:18 UTC |
| LEX Lexington, KY | 246 nm out, 15 nm northeast of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the west (270°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 979 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| SER Seymour, IN | 325 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 582 ft | ||||
| BAK Columbus, IN | 344 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 656 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| LAF Lafayette, IN | 423 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the west-northwest (290°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 605 ft | 23:54 UTC |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 512 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 23:45 UTC |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 531 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 6:54 pm CDT (23:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,163 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, 12:37 am CDT (05:37 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
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 LUX 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 UTC), at RFD 6:21 pm CDT (23:21 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 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
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: Laurens County, Chicago/Rockford International.