Plan a flight · Sun 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 UTC)

Chicago Midway International to Capital Region International MDW → LAN

153 nautical miles (176 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 066°, about 070° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 01 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 31-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:18 pm EDT (01:18 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 4 knots; LAN is marginal VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) 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: 3 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 SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the destination end.

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

CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 6 nm north, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. 38 nm along the route, 6 nm north 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
A319 at 15,000 ft, 30 nm south, 5:08 pm CDT (22:08 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: during the descent from 15,000 ft to 13,000 ft. 38 nm along the route, 30 nm south 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
B38M at 31,000 ft, 15 nm south, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 31,000 ft. 105 nm along the route, 15 nm south 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, 15 nm southeast, 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC): remarks: tops 3,100 ft. 115 nm along the route, 15 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
CRJ2 descending, 39 nm east, 5:30 pm CDT (22:30 UTC): overcast from 1,900 ft to 2,900 ft. At the destination end, 39 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FNT UA /OV FNT/TM 2230/FLDURD/TP CRJ2/SK OVC019 - TOP029
```
Report
a routine report filed through FNT
Where
over FNT
Time
22:30 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
CRJ2
Sky
overcast from 1,900 ft, tops 2,900 ft
BE36 at 3,000 ft, 49 nm southeast, 5:20 pm CDT (22:20 UTC): no turbulence, imc. At the destination end, 49 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DTW UA /OV SVM/TM 2220/FL030/TP BE36/SK IMC/TB SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through DTW
Where
over SVM
Time
22:20 UTC
Height
at 3,000 ft
Aircraft
BE36
Sky
instrument conditions
Turbulence
smooth
C172 descending, 39 nm east, 4:32 pm CDT (21:32 UTC): overcast above 1,800 ft. At the destination end, 39 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
FNT UA /OV KFNT/TM 2132/FLDURD/TP C172/SK OVC018
```
Report
a routine report filed through FNT
Where
over KFNT
Time
21:32 UTC
Height
during the descent
Aircraft
C172
Sky
overcast from 1,800 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 6 kt	−6 kt		126 kt	1 h 13 min	9:30 pm EDT (01:30 UTC)
5,500 ft	300° at 9 kt	−5 kt		125 kt	1 h 13 min	9:30 pm EDT (01:30 UTC)
7,500 ft	310° at 15 kt	−7 kt	12 °C	127 kt	1 h 12 min	9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC)
9,500 ft	310° at 19 kt	−9 kt	8 °C	129 kt	1 h 11 min	9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC)
11,500 ft	320° at 20 kt	−6 kt	4 °C	126 kt	1 h 13 min	9:30 pm EDT (01:30 UTC)
13,500 ft	320° at 20 kt	−7 kt	0 °C	127 kt	1 h 12 min	9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 21 kt	−8 kt	-5 °C	128 kt	1 h 12 min	9:29 pm EDT (01:29 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 21 kt	−10 kt	-9 °C	130 kt	1 h 11 min	9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 21 kt	−10 kt	-10 °C	130 kt	1 h 11 min	9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	330° at 35 kt	−4 kt	-21 °C	124 kt	1 h 14 min	9:31 pm EDT (01:31 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	330° at 50 kt	−9 kt	-38 °C	129 kt	1 h 11 min	9:28 pm EDT (01:28 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	320° at 47 kt	−13 kt	-46 °C	133 kt	1 h 09 min	9:26 pm EDT (01:26 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 61 kt	−31 kt	-49 °C	151 kt	1 h 01 min	9:18 pm EDT (01:18 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; 48 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 48 nm out; 54 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)
MGC Michigan City, IN	38 nm out, 21 nm south of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	654 ft	23:35 UTC
LWA South Haven, MI	76 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line	VFR	from the west (270°) at 2 knots	10+ mi	none	665 ft	23:55 UTC
AZO Kalamazoo, MI	105 nm out, 15 nm south of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	873 ft	23:53 UTC
LAN Lansing, MI	destination	marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,400 feet	from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	1,400 ft	860 ft	7:53 pm EDT (23:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 873 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LAN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:18 pm EDT (01:18 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet marginal VFR

The whole forecast for LAN

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds 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 LAN 7:01 pm EDT (23:01 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:29 pm EDT (23:29 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LAN is after sunset there (7:02 pm EDT (23:02 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Capital Region International.