Chicago Midway International to Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport MDW → TCL
514 nautical miles (592 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 179°, about 183° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 22 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 33-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:07 am CDT (13:07 UTC). Right now MDW is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots; TCL is marginal VFR, wind calm. 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: 2 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, fog). Near the route, 218 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 MDW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 15 nm west, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 49 nm along the route, 15 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, EVV, BNA, HSV, BHM). 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 | 280° at 19 kt | −4 kt | 124 kt | 4 h 09 min | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 16 kt | −5 kt | 14 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 07 min | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 280° at 14 kt | −3 kt | 10 °C | 123 kt | 4 h 11 min | 8:56 am CDT (13:56 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 280° at 14 kt | −4 kt | 7 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 09 min | 8:54 am CDT (13:54 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 290° at 16 kt | −5 kt | 4 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 07 min | 8:52 am CDT (13:52 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 290° at 19 kt | −7 kt | 0 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 03 min | 8:48 am CDT (13:48 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 290° at 22 kt | −9 kt | -3 °C | 129 kt | 3 h 59 min | 8:44 am CDT (13:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 24 kt | −10 kt | -6 °C | 130 kt | 3 h 57 min | 8:42 am CDT (13:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 27 kt | −7 kt | -19 °C | 127 kt | 4 h 03 min | 8:48 am CDT (13:48 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 36 kt | −15 kt | -33 °C | 135 kt | 3 h 48 min | 8:33 am CDT (13:33 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 49 kt | −27 kt | -41 °C | 147 kt | 3 h 30 min | 8:15 am CDT (13:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 50 kt | −33 kt | -51 °C | 153 kt | 3 h 22 min | 8:07 am CDT (13:07 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 21 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° |
| IND | used from 99 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| EVV | used from 148 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| BNA | used from 297 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| HSV | used from 396 nm out; 43 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| BHM | used from 445 nm out; 50 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
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 broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 619 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
| IKK Kankakee, IL | 40 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 629 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| DNV Danville, IL | 99 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 696 ft | ||||
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 138 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the east-southeast (120°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| AJG Mount Carmel, IL | 188 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 500 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | 500 ft | 429 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| EVV Evansville, IN | 227 nm out, 8 nm east of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 421 ft | 09:32 UTC |
| HVC Hopkinsville, KY | 297 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 3,800 feet Weather: mist | calm | 5 mi | none | 563 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| GHM Centerville, TN | 356 nm out, 10 nm east of the line | no report just now | 765 ft | ||||
| MRC Columbia/Mount Pleasant, TN | 376 nm out, 23 nm east of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 200 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | 425 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 3 mi | none | 550 ft | 09:14 UTC |
| JFX Jasper, AL | 475 nm out, 15 nm east of the line | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 200 feet | calm | 7 mi | 200 ft | 482 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | destination | marginal VFR Weather: mist | calm | 4 mi | none | 169 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 765 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At TCL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:07 am CDT (13:07 UTC)
Wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet IFR
The whole forecast for TCL
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for MDW, the departure
- 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
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 TCL 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:45 pm CDT (23:45 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, Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport.