The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 7:57 pm CDT (00:57 UTC)

Chicago O'Hare International to Gogebic/Iron County ORD → IWD

289 nautical miles (333 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 341°, about 344° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 2 h 23 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 1-knot tailwind), arriving about 10:20 pm CDT (03:20 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 knots; IWD 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: 614 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

  • 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
  • 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
  • E295 at 37,000 ft, 6 nm east, 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC): light chop turbulence. 70 nm along the route, 6 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    UES UA /OV BAE/TM 0053/FL370/TP E295/TB OCNL LGT CHOP
    Report
    a routine report filed through UES
    Where
    over BAE
    Time
    00:53 UTC
    Height
    at 37,000 ft
    Aircraft
    E295
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
  • B738 at 36,000 ft, 6 nm east, 5:11 pm CDT (22:11 UTC): no turbulence. 70 nm along the route, 6 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    UES UA /OV BAE/TM 2211/FL360/TP B738/TB NEG
    Report
    a routine report filed through UES
    Where
    over BAE
    Time
    22:11 UTC
    Height
    at 36,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B738
    Turbulence
    none
  • B737 at 32,000 ft, 22 nm west, 5:42 pm CDT (22:42 UTC): light clear-air turbulence. 80 nm along the route, 22 nm west of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    UES UA /OV BAE270030/TM 2242/FL320/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CAT
    Report
    a routine report filed through UES
    Where
    30 nm west (270°) of BAE
    Time
    22:42 UTC
    Height
    at 32,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    occasional light clear-air 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 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, GRB, DLH). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft250° at 18 kt−1 kt121 kt2 h 23 min10:20 pm CDT (03:20 UTC)
6,500 ft260° at 17 kt+3 kt15 °C117 kt2 h 28 min10:25 pm CDT (03:25 UTC)
8,500 ft270° at 20 kt+6 kt12 °C114 kt2 h 32 min10:29 pm CDT (03:29 UTC)
10,500 ft280° at 17 kt+8 kt8 °C112 kt2 h 35 min10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC)
12,500 ft290° at 15 kt+8 kt3 °C112 kt2 h 35 min10:32 pm CDT (03:32 UTC)
14,500 ft280° at 18 kt+10 kt-1 °C110 kt2 h 38 min10:35 pm CDT (03:35 UTC)
16,500 ft280° at 21 kt+11 kt-6 °C109 kt2 h 39 min10:36 pm CDT (03:36 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180280° at 24 kt+12 kt-9 °C108 kt2 h 41 min10:38 pm CDT (03:38 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240300° at 34 kt+26 kt-21 °C94 kt3 h 04 min11:01 pm CDT (04:01 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300310° at 51 kt+42 kt-38 °C78 kt3 h 42 min11:39 pm CDT (04:39 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340310° at 55 kt+46 kt-47 °C74 kt3 h 54 min11:51 pm CDT (04:51 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390300° at 72 kt+56 kt-51 °C64 kt4 h 31 min12:28 am CDT (05:28 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; 51 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°
GRBused from 50 nm out; 81 nm from the line240/24260/18 16°270/20 11°290/14 4°280/24 -9°300/34 -21°310/51 -38°310/54 -48°300/71 -51°
DLHused from 250 nm out; 99 nm from the line240/6230/22 15°250/28 11°230/22 4°270/33 -12°280/47 -21°280/59 -37°290/65 -47°290/88 -55°

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 (180°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 680 ft 7:51 pm CDT (00:51 UTC)
UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL 20 nm out, 11 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (150°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 728 ft 00:51 UTC
UES Waukesha, WI 70 nm out, 8 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 911 ft 00:45 UTC
OSH Oshkosh, WI 120 nm out, 12 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 7 knots 10+ mi none 808 ft 00:53 UTC
ATW Appleton, WI 140 nm out, 19 nm east of the line, tower VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 12,000 feet from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 918 ft 00:45 UTC
CWA Mosinee, WI 180 nm out, 18 nm west of the line, tower VFR from the south (180°) at 6 knots 10+ mi none 1,277 ft 00:50 UTC
RHI Rhinelander, WI 230 nm out, 8 nm east of the line VFR from the south (190°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 1,623 ft 00:53 UTC
ARV Minocqua-Woodruff, WI 250 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 1,629 ft 00:40 UTC
IWD Ironwood, MI destination VFR calm 10+ mi none 1,230 ft 6:56 pm CDT (23:56 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,629 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At IWD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:20 pm CDT (03:20 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for IWD
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 7,000 feet
  • From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,600 feet
  • From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the east-northeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 600 feet
  • From Mon 4:00 pm CDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the northeast at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,300 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 IWD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:49 pm CDT (23:49 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at IWD is after sunset there (6:21 pm CDT (23:21 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 central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · 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, Gogebic/Iron County.