Chicago Midway International to Gerald R Ford International MDW → GRR
119 nautical miles (137 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 056°, about 060° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 52 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 18-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 4 knots; GRR is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) 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: 1,864 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 MDW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 18 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 18 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through IKK
- Where
- over CGT
- Time
- 00:29 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- smooth
- A319 at 15,000 ft, 36 nm southeast, 5:08 pm CDT (22:08 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft. 30 nm along the route, 36 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
PPO UA /OV PPO/TM 2208/FL150/TP A319/TB NEG/RM DURD 150-130
- Report
- a routine report filed through PPO
- Where
- over PPO
- Time
- 22:08 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft
- CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 1 nm south, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. 40 nm along the route, 1 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
BEH UA /OV ELX270040/TM 0004/FL170/TP CRJ7/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through BEH
- Where
- 40 nm west (270°) of ELX
- Time
- 00:04 UTC
- Height
- at 17,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Turbulence
- none
- B38M at 31,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 31,000 ft. 99 nm along the route, 32 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AZO UA /OV AZO/TM 0004/FL310/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 310 BLO
- Report
- a routine report filed through AZO
- Where
- over AZO
- Time
- 00:04 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop at 31,000 ft below
- F2TH at 3,100 ft, 36 nm southeast, 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC): remarks: tops 3,100 ft. 109 nm along the route, 36 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AZO UA /OV BTL/TM 2340/FL031/TP F2TH/RM TOPS 031
- Report
- a routine report filed through AZO
- Where
- over BTL
- Time
- 23:40 UTC
- Height
- at 3,100 ft
- Aircraft
- F2TH
- Remarks
- tops 3,100 ft
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 2 forecast points nearest it (JOT, MKG). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 250° at 7 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 56 min | 9:31 pm EDT (01:31 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 300° at 9 kt | −4 kt | 124 kt | 58 min | 9:33 pm EDT (01:33 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 15 kt | −5 kt | 12 °C | 125 kt | 57 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 310° at 19 kt | −6 kt | 8 °C | 126 kt | 57 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −3 kt | 4 °C | 123 kt | 58 min | 9:33 pm EDT (01:33 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | −3 kt | 0 °C | 123 kt | 58 min | 9:33 pm EDT (01:33 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −5 kt | -5 °C | 125 kt | 57 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −6 kt | -9 °C | 126 kt | 57 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 20 kt | −7 kt | -10 °C | 127 kt | 56 min | 9:31 pm EDT (01:31 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 34 kt | +2 kt | -21 °C | 118 kt | 1 h 01 min | 9:36 pm EDT (01:36 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 50 kt | 0 | -38 °C | 120 kt | 1 h | 9:35 pm EDT (01:35 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 48 kt | −5 kt | -46 °C | 125 kt | 57 min | 9:32 pm EDT (01:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 62 kt | −18 kt | -49 °C | 138 kt | 52 min | 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 50 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° |
| MKG | used from 50 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 250/5 | 320/10 15° | 310/19 9° | 320/21 3° | 310/23 -10° | 330/37 -22° | 330/51 -38° | 320/44 -47° | 300/60 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDW Chicago, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 619 ft | 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC) |
| BEH Benton Harbor, MI | 59 nm out, 16 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 8 mi | none | 649 ft | 00:28 UTC |
| BIV Holland, MI | 89 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 697 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 793 ft | 7:53 pm EDT (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 793 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At GRR when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:27 pm EDT (01:27 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for GRR
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 21, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- 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, 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 MDW 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at GRR 7:04 pm EDT (23:04 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:33 pm EDT (23:33 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GRR is after sunset there (7:06 pm EDT (23:06 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: Chicago Midway International, Gerald R Ford International.