The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 7:14 pm CDT (00:14 UTC)

Chicago O'Hare International to Rick Husband Amarillo International ORD → AMA

763 nautical miles (878 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 242°, about 245° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 33 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 knots; AMA is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 19 knots, gusting to 25. 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 return flight

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

  • CRJ7 at 17,000 ft, 41 nm east, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the departure end, 41 nm east 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
  • C17 at 500 ft, 2 nm northeast, 4:15 pm CDT (21:15 UTC): overcast above 500 ft. At the departure end, 2 nm northeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    KADW UA /OV 1L ARR/TM 2115/FL005/TP C17/SK OVC005
    Report
    a routine report filed through KADW
    Where
    1L arrival
    Time
    21:15 UTC
    Height
    at 500 ft
    Aircraft
    C17
    Sky
    overcast from 500 ft
  • E50P at 36,000 ft, 41 nm southeast, 4:25 pm CDT (21:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 59 nm along the route, 41 nm southeast of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PNT UA /OV PNT/TM 2125/FL360/TP E50P/TB INTMT LGT CHOP
    Report
    a routine report filed through PNT
    Where
    over PNT
    Time
    21:25 UTC
    Height
    at 36,000 ft
    Aircraft
    E50P
    Turbulence
    intermittent light chop
  • CRJ7 descending, 10 nm north, 4:52 pm CDT (21:52 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 515 nm along the route, 10 nm north of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    ICT UA /OV 19R FINAL 100FT/TM 2152/FL100F/TP CRJ7/TB 7KTS LOSS
    Report
    a routine report filed through ICT
    Where
    19R final 100FT
    Time
    21:52 UTC
    Height
    at 100F
    Aircraft
    CRJ7
    Turbulence
    7 knots loss

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 7 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, COU, MKC, ICT, GAG, AMA). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft210° at 24 kt+21 kt19 °C99 kt7 h 42 min2:56 am CDT (07:56 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 23 kt+23 kt16 °C97 kt7 h 52 min3:06 am CDT (08:06 UTC)
8,500 ft240° at 22 kt+22 kt12 °C98 kt7 h 47 min3:01 am CDT (08:01 UTC)
10,500 ft260° at 21 kt+21 kt9 °C99 kt7 h 42 min2:56 am CDT (07:56 UTC)
12,500 ft260° at 21 kt+19 kt5 °C101 kt7 h 33 min2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)
14,500 ft260° at 21 kt+19 kt1 °C101 kt7 h 33 min2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)
16,500 ft260° at 21 kt+19 kt-3 °C101 kt7 h 33 min2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180260° at 21 kt+19 kt-7 °C101 kt7 h 33 min2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240270° at 23 kt+21 kt-18 °C99 kt7 h 42 min2:56 am CDT (07:56 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300280° at 37 kt+27 kt-32 °C93 kt8 h 12 min3:26 am CDT (08:26 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340280° at 42 kt+30 kt-41 °C90 kt8 h 29 min3:43 am CDT (08:43 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390290° at 50 kt+32 kt-51 °C88 kt8 h 40 min3:54 am CDT (08:54 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
JOTused from 0 nm out; 19 nm from the line230/11290/12 16°300/19 10°320/19 4°300/17 -9°330/31 -20°320/49 -37°320/53 -45°320/67 -49°
BRLused from 99 nm out; 38 nm from the line200/20250/21 16°240/22 10°260/20 5°270/16 -7°290/22 -18°320/41 -34°320/56 -43°310/68 -53°
COUused from 248 nm out; 71 nm from the line210/16220/19 15°240/33 10°250/29 7°280/21 -6°280/19 -18°300/34 -31°300/40 -42°300/60 -52°
MKCused from 297 nm out; 28 nm from the line200/28220/30 16°270/20 11°280/22 7°260/27 -6°270/27 -18°280/38 -32°270/38 -40°280/50 -52°
ICTused from 446 nm out; 39 nm from the line190/34210/34 18°240/28 13°260/23 7°250/23 -6°240/29 -17°260/40 -30°260/47 -40°270/42 -51°
GAGused from 594 nm out; 30 nm from the line190/34 19°240/27 14°240/26 8°240/24 -6°240/29 -16°250/50 -28°250/50 -39°260/46 -50°
AMAused from 693 nm out; 45 nm from the line190/28220/26 14°230/27 7°250/24 -6°250/32 -16°240/51 -28°250/52 -38°250/51 -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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
ORD Chicago, IL departure VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet from the south (170°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 680 ft 6:51 pm CDT (23:51 UTC)
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL 30 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 712 ft 23:52 UTC
GBG Galesburg, IL 129 nm out, 1 nm south of the line VFR from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 764 ft 23:55 UTC
EOK Keokuk, IA 178 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line reported, no category from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 671 ft 23:55 UTC
IRK Kirksville, MO 238 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line reported, no category from the south (170°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 966 ft 23:55 UTC
MKC Kansas City, MO 347 nm out, 4 nm west of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 10 knots 10+ mi none 756 ft 23:54 UTC
FOE Topeka, KS 396 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 9 knots 10+ mi none 1,077 ft 23:53 UTC
ICT Wichita, KS 505 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet from the south (180°) at 16 knots, gusting to 25 10+ mi none 1,332 ft 23:53 UTC
ANY Anthony, KS 555 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south (180°) at 13 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi none 1,343 ft 23:55 UTC
WWR Woodward, OK 634 nm out, 2 nm southeast of the line VFR from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 20 10+ mi none 2,189 ft 23:50 UTC
PPA Pampa, TX 723 nm out, 3 nm east of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 13 knots 10+ mi none 3,245 ft 23:50 UTC
AMA Amarillo, TX destination VFR from the south (180°) at 19 knots, gusting to 25 10+ mi none 3,606 ft 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 3,606 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At AMA when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:47 am CDT (07:47 UTC)

Wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for AMA
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 15 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 17 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 3:00 pm CDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 26, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for ORD, 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 ORD 6:16 pm CDT (23:16 UTC), at AMA 7:15 pm CDT (00:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:41 pm CDT (00:41 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at AMA is before sunrise there (7:50 am CDT (12:50 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
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Plains
Radar now, the southern Plains · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
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 O'Hare International, Rick Husband Amarillo International.