Chicago O'Hare International to Abilene Regional ORD → ABI
803 nautical miles (924 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 228°, about 231° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 26 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 6:05 am CDT (11:05 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots; ABI is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 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
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 ORD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 48 nm northwest, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 50 nm along the route, 48 nm northwest 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 02:00–09:00 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 8 forecast points nearest it (JOT, SPI, COU, SGF, TUL, OKC, SPS, ABI). 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 | 220° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 17 °C | 91 kt | 8 h 49 min | 7:28 am CDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 15 °C | 95 kt | 8 h 27 min | 7:06 am CDT (12:06 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +19 kt | 13 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 57 min | 6:36 am CDT (11:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 9 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 35 min | 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 13 kt | +12 kt | 6 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 26 min | 6:05 am CDT (11:05 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +14 kt | 2 °C | 106 kt | 7 h 35 min | 6:14 am CDT (11:14 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 260° at 18 kt | +16 kt | -3 °C | 104 kt | 7 h 43 min | 6:22 am CDT (11:22 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 260° at 20 kt | +17 kt | -6 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 48 min | 6:27 am CDT (11:27 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -17 °C | 98 kt | 8 h 12 min | 6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | +27 kt | -31 °C | 93 kt | 8 h 38 min | 7:17 am CDT (12:17 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 46 kt | +28 kt | -40 °C | 92 kt | 8 h 44 min | 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 50 kt | +22 kt | -51 °C | 98 kt | 8 h 12 min | 6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 00:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 06:00 UTC for use 02:00 to 09:00 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; 13 nm from the line | 250/23 | 270/22 15° | 250/16 10° | 240/9 4° | 280/22 -7° | 280/29 -19° | 300/29 -34° | 290/50 -43° | 300/64 -52° |
| SPI | used from 99 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| COU | used from 198 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| SGF | used from 347 nm out; 31 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| TUL | used from 446 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 210/37 | 240/29 17° | 260/15 14° | 260/11 7° | 240/22 -6° | 250/29 -16° | 270/45 -29° | 270/47 -40° | 280/44 -50° |
| OKC | used from 545 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 200/44 | 230/32 18° | 240/13 15° | 240/10 9° | 240/20 -5° | 250/27 -16° | 260/47 -28° | 270/48 -39° | 270/45 -50° |
| SPS | used from 644 nm out; 29 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| ABI | used from 743 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago, IL | departure | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 680 ft | 9:51 pm CDT (02:51 UTC) |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 30 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | 109 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| HAE Hannibal, MO | 208 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 768 ft | 03:35 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | 278 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| LLU Lamar, MO | 396 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,009 ft | ||||
| JLN Joplin, MO | 416 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 977 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| RVS Tulsa, OK | 515 nm out, 10 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 638 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| ADM Ardmore, OK | 624 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line, tower | reported, no category | calm | none | 776 ft | 03:15 UTC | |
| SPS Wichita Falls, TX | 694 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,019 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| ONY Olney, TX | 733 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 1,275 ft | ||||
| ABI Abilene, TX | destination | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,790 ft | 9:52 pm CDT (02:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,790 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABI when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:05 am CDT (11:05 UTC)
Wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ABI
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 20 knots, gusting to 29, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Sun 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm CDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 25, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 30,000 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 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
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 7 nm from the route, 258 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at ABI 7:09 pm CDT (00:09 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:34 pm CDT (00:34 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ABI is before sunrise there (7:40 am CDT (12:40 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 O'Hare International, Abilene Regional.