Chicago O'Hare International to Topeka Regional ORD → FOE
398 nautical miles (458 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 245°, about 248° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 15-knot headwind), arriving about 11:07 pm CDT (04:07 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 6 knots; FOE is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 9 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: 4 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
- 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
- E50P at 36,000 ft, 44 nm southeast, 4:25 pm CDT (21:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 60 nm along the route, 44 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
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 3 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, MKC). 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 19 kt | +18 kt | 102 kt | 3 h 54 min | 11:14 pm CDT (04:14 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 20 kt | +20 kt | 15 °C | 100 kt | 3 h 59 min | 11:19 pm CDT (04:19 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 11 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 54 min | 11:14 pm CDT (04:14 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 8 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 50 min | 11:10 pm CDT (04:10 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +15 kt | 5 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 47 min | 11:07 pm CDT (04:07 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 19 kt | +16 kt | 0 °C | 104 kt | 3 h 50 min | 11:10 pm CDT (04:10 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 270° at 19 kt | +17 kt | -4 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 52 min | 11:12 pm CDT (04:12 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 270° at 20 kt | +17 kt | -7 °C | 103 kt | 3 h 52 min | 11:12 pm CDT (04:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 24 kt | +15 kt | -18 °C | 105 kt | 3 h 47 min | 11:07 pm CDT (04:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 40 kt | +18 kt | -34 °C | 102 kt | 3 h 54 min | 11:14 pm CDT (04:14 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 45 kt | +21 kt | -42 °C | 99 kt | 4 h 01 min | 11:21 pm CDT (04:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 59 kt | +29 kt | -52 °C | 91 kt | 4 h 22 min | 11:42 pm CDT (04:42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOT | used from 0 nm out; 20 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° |
| BRL | used from 99 nm out; 37 nm from the line | 200/20 | 250/21 16° | 240/22 10° | 260/20 5° | 270/16 -7° | 290/22 -18° | 320/41 -34° | 320/56 -43° | 310/68 -53° |
| MKC | used from 249 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 200/28 | 220/30 16° | 270/20 11° | 280/22 7° | 260/27 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 280/38 -32° | 270/38 -40° | 280/50 -52° |
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 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 east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| VYS Peru, IL | 70 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the east-northeast (060°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 654 ft | 10:30 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 119 nm out, 21 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 23:52 UTC |
| BRL Burlington, IA | 159 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 698 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| EOK Keokuk, IA | 179 nm out, 13 nm south 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 | 239 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line | reported, no category | from the south (170°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 966 ft | 23:55 UTC |
| CHT Chillicothe, MO | 288 nm out, 6 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 783 ft | 23:35 UTC |
| MCI Kansas City, MO | 348 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,027 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| IXD Olathe, KS | 368 nm out, 24 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,087 ft | 23:53 UTC |
| FOE Topeka, KS | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,077 ft | 6:53 pm CDT (23:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,087 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At FOE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:07 pm CDT (04:07 UTC)
Wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 29, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for FOE
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Sun 11:00 pm CDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south at 16 knots, gusting to 29, 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 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at FOE 6:50 pm CDT (23:50 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at FOE is after sunset there (6:50 pm CDT (23:50 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
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, Topeka Regional.