Chicago O'Hare International to Billings Logan International ORD → BIL
919 nautical miles (1,058 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 291°, about 294° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 7 h 55 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 4-knot headwind), arriving about 5:19 am MDT (11:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots; BIL is marginal VFR, wind from the north (360°) 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: 629 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
- SIGMET 1C: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 11:55 pm CDT (04:55 UTC). Over the route from 699 to 779 nm out.
as issued
WSUS32 KKCI 120255 MKCC WST 120255 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 1C VALID UNTIL 0455Z SD ND MT WY FROM 30WSW DIK-50NW DPR-60WNW RAP-50ENE SHR-30WSW DIK AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Near the route, 280 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 430 to 480 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the last 360 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Near the route, 749 nm along the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the last 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 0 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 ORD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the departure end, 32 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
IKK UA /OV CGT/TM 0029/FL350/TP B39M/TB NEG/RM SMOOTH
- Report
- a routine report filed through IKK
- Where
- over CGT
- Time
- 00:29 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B39M
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- smooth
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 27 nm south, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. 70 nm along the route, 27 nm south 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
- A306 at 4,700 ft, 4 nm west, 7:51 pm CDT (00:51 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
BIL UA /OV BIL280001/TM 0051/FL047/TP A306/SK BASE 047
- Report
- a routine report filed through BIL
- Where
- 1 nm west (280°) of BIL
- Time
- 00:51 UTC
- Height
- at 4,700 ft
- Aircraft
- A306
- Sky
- base 4,700 ft
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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, DBQ, MCW, FSD, ABR, PIR, RAP, MLS, BIL). 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 | 210° at 18 kt | +4 kt | 12 °C | 116 kt | 7 h 55 min | 5:19 am MDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 17 kt | +7 kt | 14 °C | 113 kt | 8 h 08 min | 5:32 am MDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 18 kt | +7 kt | 12 °C | 113 kt | 8 h 08 min | 5:32 am MDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | +10 kt | 7 °C | 110 kt | 8 h 21 min | 5:45 am MDT (11:45 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | +13 kt | 4 °C | 107 kt | 8 h 35 min | 5:59 am MDT (11:59 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +15 kt | -1 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 45 min | 6:09 am MDT (12:09 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +17 kt | -5 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 55 min | 6:19 am MDT (12:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 25 kt | +19 kt | -9 °C | 101 kt | 9 h 06 min | 6:30 am MDT (12:30 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 250° at 30 kt | +24 kt | -21 °C | 96 kt | 9 h 34 min | 6:58 am MDT (12:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 36 kt | +26 kt | -35 °C | 94 kt | 9 h 47 min | 7:11 am MDT (13:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 49 kt | +43 kt | -41 °C | 77 kt | 11 h 56 min | 9:20 am MDT (15:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 57 kt | +53 kt | -49 °C | 67 kt | 13 h 43 min | 11:07 am MDT (17:07 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; 38 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° |
| DBQ | used from 50 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -52° |
| MCW | used from 200 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 220/44 | 250/30 17° | 230/14 12° | 240/17 6° | 250/22 -8° | 270/29 -20° | 250/34 -34° | 260/52 -43° | 260/59 -51° |
| FSD | used from 350 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 190/9 | 230/30 18° | 240/23 13° | 240/20 6° | 260/22 -9° | 250/31 -21° | 250/43 -36° | 260/49 -43° | 270/53 -47° |
| ABR | used from 450 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 070/14 | 250/10 17° | 270/16 11° | 260/28 5° | 260/36 -10° | 260/41 -22° | 270/33 -37° | 260/42 -42° | 260/50 -48° |
| PIR | used from 500 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 170/22 19° | 190/25 13° | 210/32 6° | 240/23 -9° | 250/32 -21° | 250/38 -36° | 260/44 -40° | 260/52 -47° | |
| RAP | used from 649 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 180/23 12° | 200/38 13° | 210/38 6° | 220/28 -10° | 230/34 -21° | 230/37 -36° | 250/52 -38° | 250/59 -46° | |
| MLS | used from 749 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 150/23 2° | 190/29 4° | 210/44 2° | 220/32 -10° | 210/36 -21° | 200/48 -37° | 230/63 -40° | 240/71 -47° | |
| BIL | used from 849 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 080/13 | 180/9 -2° | 210/38 0° | 220/51 -11° | 210/46 -22° | 210/58 -35° | 230/73 -39° | 230/72 -45° |
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) |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 50 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 130 nm out, 20 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| CCY Charles City, IA | 220 nm out, 9 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,125 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| SBU Blue Earth, MN | 290 nm out, 1 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,107 ft | ||||
| PQN Pipestone, MN | 390 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 feet | from the north-northeast (030°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | none | 1,736 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| MKA Miller, SD | 510 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 1,569 ft | ||||
| PIR Pierre, SD | 559 nm out, 23 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the east (090°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 1,744 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| BIL Billings, MT | destination | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,000 feet Weather: light rain, light snow | from the north (360°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 1,000 ft | 3,662 ft | 8:53 pm MDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,662 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BIL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:19 am MDT (11:19 UTC)
Wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, freezing fog, a broken layer at 500 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BIL
- From Sun 8:00 pm MDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 11 knots, visibility 3 miles, light snow, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Sun 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 2 miles, light snow, mist, freezing fog, a broken layer at 500 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am MDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, showers nearby, scattered clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 700 feet and more above
- From Mon 3:00 pm MDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 6 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 1,500 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
No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at BIL 6:33 pm MDT (00:33 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:03 pm MDT (01:03 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BIL is before sunrise there (7:26 am MDT (13:26 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, Billings Logan International.