Chicago O'Hare International to Midland International Air And Space Port ORD → MAF
911 nautical miles (1,048 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 233°, about 236° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 13-knot headwind), arriving about 11:35 am CDT (16:35 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots; MAF is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22. 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
- 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). Over the route from 168 to 732 nm out.
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
Not fetched just now.
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 10 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, COU, SGF, TUL, OKC, SPS, ABI, LBB, INK). 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 29 kt | +29 kt | 18 °C | 91 kt | 10 h 01 min | 1:05 pm CDT (18:05 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 16 °C | 94 kt | 9 h 41 min | 12:45 pm CDT (17:45 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | +18 kt | 13 °C | 102 kt | 8 h 56 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +14 kt | 10 °C | 106 kt | 8 h 36 min | 11:40 am CDT (16:40 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 14 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 8 h 31 min | 11:35 am CDT (16:35 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +15 kt | 2 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 41 min | 11:45 am CDT (16:45 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +17 kt | -3 °C | 103 kt | 8 h 51 min | 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 20 kt | +19 kt | -6 °C | 101 kt | 9 h 01 min | 12:05 pm CDT (17:05 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 28 kt | +25 kt | -17 °C | 95 kt | 9 h 35 min | 12:39 pm CDT (17:39 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 41 kt | +33 kt | -30 °C | 87 kt | 10 h 28 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 46 kt | +33 kt | -40 °C | 87 kt | 10 h 28 min | 1:32 pm CDT (18:32 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 280° at 49 kt | +29 kt | -51 °C | 91 kt | 10 h 01 min | 1:05 pm CDT (18:05 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; 15 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° |
| BRL | used from 99 nm out; 48 nm from the line | 230/24 | 240/29 15° | 290/16 10° | 280/15 4° | 260/23 -7° | 260/32 -19° | 260/36 -33° | 280/48 -41° | 280/59 -52° |
| COU | used from 198 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 230/31 | 230/30 15° | 260/16 11° | 270/14 6° | 260/24 -6° | 270/27 -18° | 270/37 -32° | 280/49 -41° | 290/56 -51° |
| SGF | used from 346 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 230/33 | 230/28 15° | 250/20 13° | 240/18 7° | 250/20 -6° | 250/24 -17° | 280/42 -31° | 280/49 -40° | 290/46 -51° |
| TUL | used from 445 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 210/37 | 240/29 17° | 260/15 14° | 260/11 7° | 240/22 -6° | 250/29 -16° | 270/45 -29° | 270/47 -40° | 280/44 -50° |
| OKC | used from 544 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 200/44 | 230/32 18° | 240/13 15° | 240/10 9° | 240/20 -5° | 250/27 -16° | 260/47 -28° | 270/48 -39° | 270/45 -50° |
| SPS | used from 643 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 200/39 | 220/28 17° | 230/27 12° | 240/15 9° | 250/15 -4° | 250/24 -15° | 260/45 -28° | 270/43 -39° | 280/45 -51° |
| ABI | used from 742 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 200/31 17° | 210/21 15° | 240/15 9° | 250/14 -4° | 250/24 -14° | 250/36 -28° | 270/35 -38° | 290/41 -50° | |
| LBB | used from 792 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 200/36 18° | 220/19 15° | 240/20 8° | 230/24 -4° | 240/37 -16° | 250/57 -28° | 250/51 -38° | 270/47 -50° | |
| INK | used from 891 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 190/23 20° | 200/18 15° | 230/18 8° | 240/23 -4° | 240/37 -14° | 240/46 -27° | 250/42 -38° | 260/36 -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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 30,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 30,000 ft | 680 ft | 2:51 am CDT (07:51 UTC) |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 30 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| PIA Peoria, IL | 109 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 660 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| UIN Quincy, IL | 188 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 768 ft | 07:54 UTC |
| DMO Sedalia, MO | 307 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 909 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| CFV Coffeyville, KS | 455 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 754 ft | 07:52 UTC |
| BVO Bartlesville, OK | 485 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 716 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| PWA Oklahoma City, OK | 594 nm out, 5 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,299 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| LAW Lawton, OK | 663 nm out, 20 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,110 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| SNK Snyder, TX | 831 nm out, 13 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots, gusting to 17 | 10+ mi | none | 2,430 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| MAF Midland, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 14 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 2,872 ft | 2:53 am CDT (07:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,872 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MAF when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:35 am CDT (16:35 UTC)
Wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MAF
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds 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 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
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 14 nm from the route, 257 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
Daylight
Sunset at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC), at MAF 7:19 pm CDT (00:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:43 pm CDT (00:43 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, Midland International Air And Space Port.