Chicago O'Hare International to Pinal Airpark ORD → MZJ
1,250 nautical miles (1,438 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 251°, about 254° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 01 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 24-knot headwind), arriving about 5:12 pm MST (00:12 UTC). Right now ORD is VFR, wind from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots; MZJ is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 3 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
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 140 to 660 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 820 to 1120 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 880 to 940 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 1070 to 1170 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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, 1140 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 1170 to 1230 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
- urgent BE20 at 500 ft, 28 nm southeast, 4:34 am CDT (09:34 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl. 670 nm along the route, 28 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LBL UUA /OV LBL/TM 0934/FL005/TP BE20/RM LLWS 500FT +/-10KT ZKC FD DL
- Report
- an urgent report filed through LBL
- Where
- over LBL
- Time
- 09:34 UTC
- Height
- at 500 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl
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 9 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, DSM, MKC, SLN, GCK, TCC, ABQ, TUS). 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 | 240° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 18 °C | 91 kt | 13 h 44 min | 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +25 kt | 17 °C | 95 kt | 13 h 09 min | 5:20 pm MST (00:20 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | +24 kt | 12 °C | 96 kt | 13 h 01 min | 5:12 pm MST (00:12 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 230° at 26 kt | +25 kt | 8 °C | 95 kt | 13 h 09 min | 5:20 pm MST (00:20 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +28 kt | 4 °C | 92 kt | 13 h 35 min | 5:46 pm MST (00:46 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 31 kt | +31 kt | 0 °C | 89 kt | 14 h 03 min | 6:14 pm MST (01:14 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -4 °C | 86 kt | 14 h 32 min | 6:43 pm MST (01:43 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 36 kt | +37 kt | -7 °C | 83 kt | 15 h 04 min | 7:15 pm MST (02:15 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 48 kt | +49 kt | -20 °C | 71 kt | 17 h 36 min | 9:47 pm MST (04:47 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 67 kt | +68 kt | -29 °C | 52 kt | 24 h 02 min | 4:13 am MST (11:13 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 67 kt | +68 kt | -37 °C | 52 kt | 24 h 02 min | 4:13 am MST (11:13 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 62 kt | +62 kt | -48 °C | 58 kt | 21 h 33 min | 1:44 am MST (08:44 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; 22 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° |
| BRL | used from 100 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| DSM | used from 250 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| MKC | used from 300 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| SLN | used from 400 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 230/49 | 240/41 22° | 230/26 15° | 220/21 7° | 240/38 -8° | 240/44 -21° | 260/77 -29° | 270/70 -36° | 270/63 -48° |
| GCK | used from 550 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 240/40 22° | 240/40 14° | 240/38 7° | 230/39 -7° | 230/45 -20° | 250/73 -28° | 260/74 -36° | 260/64 -49° | |
| TCC | used from 750 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| ABQ | used from 900 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| TUS | used from 1100 nm out; 126 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° |
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 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 680 ft | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 30 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 9 mi | none | 712 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| MPZ Mount Pleasant, IA | 170 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 730 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 340 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| SLN Salina, KS | 480 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| GBD Great Bend, KS | 550 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,886 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 640 nm out, 14 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 20 knots, gusting to 33 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| CAO Clayton, NM | 780 nm out, 10 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 17 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 4,969 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | 970 nm out, 2 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| MZJ Marana, AZ | destination | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 4,700 feet, scattered clouds at 7,500 feet, a broken layer at 9,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 9,000 ft | 1,893 ft | 3:50 am MST (10:50 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,354 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MZJ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:12 pm MST (00:12 UTC)
MZJ has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for ORD, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 6 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 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 MZJ 5:55 pm MST (00:55 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:19 pm MST (01:19 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, Pinal Airpark.