Worcester Regional to Chicago/Rockford International ORH → RFD
764 nautical miles (880 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 275°, about 290° magnetic at the departure end (variation 15W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 57 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 10:35 am CDT (15:35 UTC). Right now ORH is low IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 9 knots; RFD is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) 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: 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the first 576 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 149 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 268 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 ORH.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B763 descending, 44 nm northeast, 2:21 am EDT (06:21 UTC): overcast above 40,000 ft. At the departure end, 44 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MHT UA /OV KMHT/TM 0621/FLDURD/TP B763/SK OVC004
- Report
- a routine report filed through MHT
- Where
- over KMHT
- Time
- 06:21 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- overcast from 400 ft
- B763 descending, 44 nm northeast, 1:55 am EDT (05:55 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 44 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MHT UA /OV RWY 35/TM 0555/FLDURD/TP B763/SK 004-005 FT
- Report
- a routine report filed through MHT
- Where
- runway 35
- Time
- 05:55 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- B763
- Sky
- from 400 ft to 500 ft ft
- A333 descending, 18 nm south, 1:44 am EDT (05:44 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 506 nm along the route, 18 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0544/FLDURD/TP A333/SK TOPS 025
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 05:44 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A333
- Sky
- tops 2,500 ft
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 (BDL, ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, MKG, JOT). 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 | 310° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 7 h 01 min | 10:39 am CDT (15:39 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 11 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 57 min | 10:35 am CDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 14 kt | +10 kt | 9 °C | 110 kt | 6 h 57 min | 10:35 am CDT (15:35 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 320° at 16 kt | +12 kt | 5 °C | 108 kt | 7 h 04 min | 10:42 am CDT (15:42 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | +15 kt | 2 °C | 105 kt | 7 h 17 min | 10:55 am CDT (15:55 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | +16 kt | -2 °C | 104 kt | 7 h 21 min | 10:59 am CDT (15:59 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 24 kt | +18 kt | -7 °C | 102 kt | 7 h 29 min | 11:07 am CDT (16:07 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 25 kt | +19 kt | -9 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 34 min | 11:12 am CDT (16:12 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 26 kt | +20 kt | -21 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 38 min | 11:16 am CDT (16:16 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 35 kt | +26 kt | -37 °C | 94 kt | 8 h 08 min | 11:46 am CDT (16:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 44 kt | +35 kt | -45 °C | 85 kt | 8 h 59 min | 12:37 pm CDT (17:37 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 52 kt | +41 kt | -52 °C | 79 kt | 9 h 40 min | 1:18 pm CDT (18:18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDL | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 020/15 | 010/19 10° | 340/10 7° | 300/17 3° | 280/23 -10° | 250/35 -22° | 250/44 -38° | 250/55 -42° | 250/57 -51° |
| ALB | used from 50 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 340/22 | 340/19 9° | 320/16 7° | 330/16 2° | 330/19 -11° | 320/21 -23° | 320/25 -39° | 280/30 -44° | 270/41 -51° |
| SYR | used from 149 nm out; 41 nm from the line | 330/17 | 320/14 9° | 350/18 8° | 350/26 2° | 340/25 -11° | 360/34 -22° | 350/43 -39° | 330/50 -46° | 350/50 -54° |
| BUF | used from 248 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
| CLE | used from 397 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| MKG | used from 546 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 695 nm out; 45 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORH Worcester, MA | departure | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the north (010°) at 9 knots | 1 mi | 200 ft | 1,009 ft | 4:22 am EDT (08:22 UTC) |
| CEF Springfield/Chicopee, MA | 30 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,100 feet | from the north (010°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 241 ft | 07:55 UTC |
| ALB Albany, NY | 89 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 300 feet, scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the northwest (320°) at 4 knots | 4 mi | 3,000 ft | 284 ft | 08:32 UTC |
| ITH Ithaca, NY | 208 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 800 feet Weather: mist | calm | 2.5 mi | 800 ft | 1,099 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| DSV Dansville, NY | 258 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 100 feet, overcast at 3,800 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,800 ft | 659 ft | 08:22 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 308 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 2,900 feet | from the west-southwest (240°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,900 ft | 726 ft | 08:28 UTC |
| CYQS St Thomas, | 407 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| DET Detroit, MI | 496 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 900 feet | from the west (260°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 624 ft | 08:03 UTC |
| BTL Battle Creek, MI | 596 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 8 mi | none | 951 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| LWA South Haven, MI | 635 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 665 ft | 08:35 UTC |
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 705 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 7 knots | 10+ mi | none | 728 ft | 07:51 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 2:54 am CDT (07:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,099 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RFD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 10:35 am CDT (15:35 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RFD
- 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 23, 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
The forecast for ORH, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility 3 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 10 knots, visibility 3 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 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 ORH 6:10 pm EDT (22:10 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Worcester Regional, Chicago/Rockford International.