Smyrna Airport to Chicago/Rockford International MQY → RFD
390 nautical miles (449 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 343°, about 345° magnetic at the departure end (variation 2W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 37 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 11:23 pm CDT (04:23 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MQY is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots; 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: 1 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 6W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Over the first 29 nm of 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 MQY.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A319 at 32,000 ft, 15 nm southwest, 5:56 pm CDT (22:56 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZME62. 29 nm along the route, 15 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BNA UA /OV BNA315020/TM 2256/FL320/TP A319/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME62
- Report
- a routine report filed through BNA
- Where
- 20 nm northwest (315°) of BNA
- Time
- 22:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- ZME62
- B77W at 31,000 ft, 21 nm southwest, 6:27 pm CDT (23:27 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 39 nm along the route, 21 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
BNA UA /OV BNA315030/TM 2327/FL310/TP B77W/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through BNA
- Where
- 30 nm northwest (315°) of BNA
- Time
- 23:27 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B77W
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zme
- B738 at 34,000 ft, 30 nm west, 6:41 pm CDT (23:41 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 49 nm along the route, 30 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
CKV UA /OV CKV/TM 2341/FL340/TP B738/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME
- Report
- a routine report filed through CKV
- Where
- over CKV
- Time
- 23:41 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Turbulence
- continuous light occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zme
- A319 at 25,000 ft, 38 nm east, 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC): no turbulence. 59 nm along the route, 38 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
IND UA /OV BWG070017/TM 2314/FL250/TP A319/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through IND
- Where
- 17 nm east (070°) of BWG
- Time
- 23:14 UTC
- Height
- at 25,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A319
- Turbulence
- none
- B38M at 23,700 ft, 15 nm east, 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC): light turbulence. 185 nm along the route, 15 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
IND UA /OV TTH190030/TM 2351/FL237/TP B38M/TB LGT
- Report
- a routine report filed through IND
- Where
- 30 nm south (190°) of TTH
- Time
- 23:51 UTC
- Height
- at 23,700 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- light
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 (BNA, EVV, IND, SPI, 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 | 320° at 13 kt | +12 kt | 108 kt | 3 h 37 min | 11:23 pm CDT (04:23 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 330° at 21 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 54 min | 11:40 pm CDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | +23 kt | 11 °C | 97 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:47 pm CDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +25 kt | 7 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 06 min | 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 330° at 28 kt | +27 kt | 3 °C | 93 kt | 4 h 12 min | 11:58 pm CDT (04:58 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | +26 kt | -1 °C | 94 kt | 4 h 09 min | 11:55 pm CDT (04:55 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -6 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 06 min | 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 26 kt | +25 kt | -9 °C | 95 kt | 4 h 06 min | 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 340° at 35 kt | +35 kt | -20 °C | 85 kt | 4 h 35 min | 12:21 am CDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 53 kt | +51 kt | -36 °C | 69 kt | 5 h 39 min | 1:25 am CDT (06:25 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 54 kt | +51 kt | -42 °C | 69 kt | 5 h 39 min | 1:25 am CDT (06:25 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 49 kt | +46 kt | -48 °C | 74 kt | 5 h 16 min | 1:02 am CDT (06:02 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA | used from 0 nm out; 16 nm from the line | 280/13 | 340/34 16° | 330/38 10° | 330/44 5° | 330/39 -8° | 330/38 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 330/53 -40° | 330/35 -47° |
| EVV | used from 49 nm out; 58 nm from the line | 310/13 | 340/26 16° | 330/29 10° | 330/32 4° | 330/30 -9° | 340/38 -20° | 330/60 -35° | 320/57 -41° | 330/39 -48° |
| IND | used from 195 nm out; 76 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° |
| SPI | used from 244 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 210/13 | 260/11 17° | 270/18 10° | 290/21 4° | 310/20 -8° | 330/25 -19° | 320/49 -34° | 320/60 -44° | 320/59 -50° |
| JOT | used from 293 nm out; 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MQY Smyrna, TN | departure | VFR | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 543 ft | 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC) |
| JWN Nashville, TN | 20 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 501 ft | 23:50 UTC |
| BWG Bowling Green, KY | 49 nm out, 22 nm northeast of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 547 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 107 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 407 ft | 23:56 UTC |
| AJG Mount Carmel, IL | 166 nm out, 8 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 500 feet Weather: haze | calm | 0.5 mi | 500 ft | 429 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| LWV Lawrenceville, IL | 176 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 429 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL | 254 nm out, 6 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| TIP Rantoul, IL | 273 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 737 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| PNT Pontiac, IL | 312 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 666 ft | 00:35 UTC |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 361 nm out, 19 nm east 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 754 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, 11:23 pm CDT (04:23 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
The forecast for MQY, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 5 miles, mist, patches of fog, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 20,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the west at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/0708 Goodlettsville, TN, Saturday, August 1, 2026 through Sunday, August 1, 2027 UTC 2 nm from the route, 20 nm along the route · security · until 1 August · ZME
Daylight
Sunset at MQY 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Smyrna Airport, Chicago/Rockford International.