Chicago O'Hare International to Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field ORD → LFT
734 nautical miles (844 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 197°, about 200° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 18-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:32 pm CDT (17:32 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots; LFT 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: 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
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist, fog). Over the last 139 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
- BE36 at 8,000 ft, 40 nm east, 6:18 am CDT (11:18 UTC): no turbulence, no icing, remarks: ZME65. 615 nm along the route, 40 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
JAN UA /OV MHZ225040/TM 1118/FL080/TP BE36/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM ZME65
- Report
- a routine report filed through JAN
- Where
- 40 nm southwest (225°) of MHZ
- Time
- 11:18 UTC
- Height
- at 8,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE36
- Turbulence
- none
- Icing
- none
- Remarks
- ZME65
- A21N at 34,000 ft, 37 nm east, 6:37 am CDT (11:37 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: zhu. 704 nm along the route, 37 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
BTR UA /OV KBTR/TM 1137/FL340/TP A21N/TB NEG/RM ZHU
- Report
- a routine report filed through BTR
- Where
- over KBTR
- Time
- 11:37 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- none
- Remarks
- zhu
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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, SPI, STL, CGI, MEM, JAN, LCH). 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 | 250° at 18 kt | +10 kt | 110 kt | 6 h 40 min | 1:53 pm CDT (18:53 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +9 kt | 15 °C | 111 kt | 6 h 37 min | 1:50 pm CDT (18:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +7 kt | 12 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 30 min | 1:43 pm CDT (18:43 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 14 kt | +6 kt | 8 °C | 114 kt | 6 h 26 min | 1:39 pm CDT (18:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 270° at 14 kt | +5 kt | 5 °C | 115 kt | 6 h 23 min | 1:36 pm CDT (18:36 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 270° at 17 kt | +4 kt | 1 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 20 min | 1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 20 kt | +4 kt | -3 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 20 min | 1:33 pm CDT (18:33 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 22 kt | +3 kt | -6 °C | 117 kt | 6 h 16 min | 1:29 pm CDT (18:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 26 kt | +1 kt | -18 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 10 min | 1:23 pm CDT (18:23 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 290° at 37 kt | −6 kt | -31 °C | 126 kt | 5 h 50 min | 1:03 pm CDT (18:03 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 46 kt | −9 kt | -40 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 41 min | 12:54 pm CDT (17:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 47 kt | −18 kt | -50 °C | 138 kt | 5 h 19 min | 12:32 pm CDT (17:32 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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; 6 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| SPI | used from 99 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 260/28 | 250/22 15° | 250/14 9° | 260/20 6° | 280/27 -7° | 280/34 -19° | 280/48 -32° | 280/59 -41° | 300/60 -49° |
| STL | used from 198 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 250/26 | 240/21 15° | 240/22 11° | 250/23 6° | 270/28 -7° | 260/30 -19° | 280/52 -31° | 280/57 -40° | 300/57 -49° |
| CGI | used from 248 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 260/22 | 250/15 15° | 250/13 11° | 250/16 6° | 270/29 -7° | 280/30 -18° | 290/40 -31° | 290/55 -40° | 300/51 -51° |
| MEM | used from 347 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 250/19 | 260/19 17° | 270/20 12° | 270/16 6° | 270/21 -6° | 290/27 -17° | 300/37 -30° | 300/49 -40° | 310/40 -51° |
| JAN | used from 496 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 240/10 | 260/15 18° | 280/10 11° | 290/6 6° | 290/15 -5° | 300/15 -17° | 320/35 -30° | 330/38 -40° | 330/39 -51° |
| LCH | used from 694 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 170/21 | 160/23 18° | 170/13 13° | 170/6 8° | 300/12 -7° | 280/16 -14° | 320/27 -30° | 330/23 -41° | 340/38 -51° |
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 18,000 feet, a broken layer at 24,000 feet | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 24,000 ft | 680 ft | 6:51 am CDT (11:51 UTC) |
| LOT Chicago/Romeoville, IL | 20 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 679 ft | 11:45 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 139 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| VLA Vandalia, IL | 188 nm out, 4 nm west of the line | no report just now | 537 ft | ||||
| MDH Carbondale/Murphysboro, IL | 258 nm out, 12 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 411 ft | 11:52 UTC |
| CGI Cape Girardeau, MO | 297 nm out, 7 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 341 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| MEM Memphis, TN | 426 nm out, 23 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 340 ft | 11:54 UTC |
| HEE Helena/West Helena, AR | 466 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 241 ft | ||||
| GLH Greenville, MS | 526 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 11:53 UTC |
| HEZ Natchez, MS | 644 nm out, 13 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 272 ft | 11:56 UTC |
| OPL Opelousas, LA | 714 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 74 ft | 11:55 UTC |
| LFT Lafayette, LA | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 40 ft | 6:53 am CDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 681 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LFT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:32 pm CDT (17:32 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for LFT
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 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
- From Mon 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 11 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am CDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the west at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 20,000 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 LFT 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 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, Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field.