Plan a flight · Sun 9:10 pm CDT (02:10 UTC)

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International to Chicago/Rockford International MSY → RFD

735 nautical miles (846 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 004°, about 005° magnetic at the departure end (variation 1W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 56 min at the quickest height in today's winds (3,500 ft, a 4-knot tailwind), arriving about 3:06 am CDT (08:06 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now MSY is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 5 knots; RFD is 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: 8 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 MSY.

Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first

A319 at 39,000 ft, 9 nm northwest, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. 298 nm along the route, 9 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through MEM
Where
over MEM
Time
23:11 UTC
Height
at 39,000 ft
Aircraft
A319
Turbulence
no chop
Remarks
smooth
BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 20 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 367 nm along the route, 20 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
```
Report
a routine report filed through DYR
Where
over DYR
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 35,000 ft
Aircraft
BCS3
Turbulence
none
Remarks
ZME33
B737 at 31,000 ft, 38 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME25. 437 nm along the route, 38 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
PAH UA /OV CNG360015/TM 0013/FL310/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME25
```
Report
a routine report filed through PAH
Where
15 nm north (360°) of CNG
Time
00:13 UTC
Height
at 31,000 ft
Aircraft
B737
Turbulence
occasional light chop
Remarks
ZME25
A321 at 32,000 ft, 18 nm west, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. At the destination end, 18 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
```
Report
a routine report filed through RPJ
Where
over PLL
Time
01:56 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
A321
Turbulence
continuous light
Remarks
pocket continuous light turbulence

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 7 forecast points nearest it (MSY, JAN, MEM, CGI, STL, 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
3,500 ft	250° at 8 kt	−4 kt		124 kt	5 h 56 min	3:06 am CDT (08:06 UTC)
5,500 ft	280° at 11 kt	+1 kt		119 kt	6 h 11 min	3:21 am CDT (08:21 UTC)
7,500 ft	280° at 14 kt	+3 kt	14 °C	117 kt	6 h 17 min	3:27 am CDT (08:27 UTC)
9,500 ft	290° at 17 kt	+3 kt	10 °C	117 kt	6 h 17 min	3:27 am CDT (08:27 UTC)
11,500 ft	290° at 20 kt	+6 kt	6 °C	114 kt	6 h 27 min	3:37 am CDT (08:37 UTC)
13,500 ft	300° at 21 kt	+9 kt	2 °C	111 kt	6 h 37 min	3:47 am CDT (08:47 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 21 kt	+11 kt	-2 °C	109 kt	6 h 45 min	3:55 am CDT (08:55 UTC)
17,500 ft	310° at 21 kt	+13 kt	-6 °C	107 kt	6 h 52 min	4:02 am CDT (09:02 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	310° at 22 kt	+14 kt	-7 °C	106 kt	6 h 56 min	4:06 am CDT (09:06 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	320° at 28 kt	+22 kt	-18 °C	98 kt	7 h 30 min	4:40 am CDT (09:40 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 48 kt	+35 kt	-33 °C	85 kt	8 h 39 min	5:49 am CDT (10:49 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	330° at 56 kt	+44 kt	-42 °C	76 kt	9 h 40 min	6:50 am CDT (11:50 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	320° at 55 kt	+39 kt	-50 °C	81 kt	9 h 04 min	6:14 am CDT (11:14 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
MSY	used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line	L/V	020/6 18°	L/V 12°	300/11 7°	330/15 -4°	320/22 -16°	330/38 -32°	350/47 -42°	340/56 -52°
JAN	used from 50 nm out; 65 nm from the line	260/6	310/14 17°	280/13 12°	290/19 6°	310/22 -5°	310/28 -17°	320/44 -32°	330/48 -41°	320/52 -51°
MEM	used from 199 nm out; 80 nm from the line	240/9	280/14 17°	280/20 12°	290/25 5°	320/25 -6°	330/31 -18°	320/52 -32°	330/58 -41°	320/42 -50°
CGI	used from 348 nm out; 63 nm from the line	250/10	290/12 17°	290/18 11°	300/22 5°	320/25 -8°	330/30 -18°	320/53 -33°	320/66 -42°	320/56 -50°
STL	used from 496 nm out; 42 nm from the line	210/13	260/16 17°	270/21 10°	280/24 5°	310/20 -7°	320/22 -18°	320/44 -33°	320/59 -43°	310/69 -51°
SPI	used from 546 nm out; 26 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 645 nm out; 53 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
MSY New Orleans, LA	departure	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet	from the south (180°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	25,000 ft	3 ft	8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC)
HDC Hammond, LA	30 nm out, 11 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	46 ft	01:55 UTC
JAN Jackson, MS	139 nm out, 1 nm northwest of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	346 ft	01:54 UTC
GWO Greenwood, MS	209 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	162 ft	01:53 UTC
PMU Batesville, MS	258 nm out, 5 nm north of the line	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	221 ft	01:55 UTC
OLV Olive Branch, MS	298 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (150°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	401 ft	00:50 UTC
CGI Cape Girardeau, MO	437 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower	VFR	from the west-southwest (240°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	341 ft	20:53 UTC
MDH Carbondale/Murphysboro, IL	467 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	411 ft	01:52 UTC
BLV Belleville, IL	516 nm out, 17 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	459 ft	01:55 UTC
SPI Springfield, IL	596 nm out, 15 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (180°) at 7 knots	10+ mi	none	597 ft	01:52 UTC
VYS Peru, IL	685 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line	VFR	from the east-northeast (060°) at 4 knots	10+ mi	none	654 ft	10:30 UTC
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL	destination	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	742 ft	8:54 pm CDT (01:54 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 742 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, 3:06 am CDT (08:06 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 MSY, the departure

From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the southeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies

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 MSY 6:33 pm CDT (23:33 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

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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · 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: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Chicago/Rockford International.