Rapid City Regional to Chicago O'Hare International RAP → ORD
676 nautical miles (777 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 095°, about 087° magnetic at the departure end (variation 8E). At 120 knots that is 3 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 59-knot tailwind), arriving about 11:59 pm CDT (04:59 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RAP is IFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots; ORD is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 7 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: 1,357 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 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the first 0 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 60 to 89 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 RAP.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- PC12 at 100 ft, 35 nm north, 4:34 pm MDT (22:34 UTC): no icing. 119 nm along the route, 35 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PIR UA /OV PIR/TM 2234/FL001/TP PC12/SK BASE030-TOP045/IC NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through PIR
- Where
- over PIR
- Time
- 22:34 UTC
- Height
- at 100 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- BASE030-TOP045
- Icing
- none
- BE20 at 14,000 ft, 45 nm north, 6:20 pm MDT (00:20 UTC): light turbulence. 258 nm along the route, 45 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FSD UA /OV FSD340035/TM 0020/FL140/TP BE20/TB CONS LGT/ NEG 120
- Report
- a routine report filed through FSD
- Where
- 35 nm north (340°) of FSD
- Time
- 00:20 UTC
- Height
- at 14,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Turbulence
- continuous light no at 12,000 ft
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 32 nm southeast, 6:29 pm MDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. At the destination 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, 6:04 pm MDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination 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
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 6 forecast points nearest it (RAP, PIR, FSD, MCW, DBQ, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 210° at 22 kt | −7 kt | 127 kt | 5 h 19 min | 1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 230° at 15 kt | −9 kt | 16 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 14 min | 1:26 am CDT (06:26 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 240° at 17 kt | −13 kt | 14 °C | 133 kt | 5 h 05 min | 1:17 am CDT (06:17 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 240° at 18 kt | −14 kt | 10 °C | 134 kt | 5 h 03 min | 1:15 am CDT (06:15 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 240° at 16 kt | −13 kt | 7 °C | 133 kt | 5 h 05 min | 1:17 am CDT (06:17 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | −15 kt | 2 °C | 135 kt | 5 h | 1:12 am CDT (06:12 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | −17 kt | -3 °C | 137 kt | 4 h 56 min | 1:08 am CDT (06:08 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 250° at 21 kt | −20 kt | -8 °C | 140 kt | 4 h 50 min | 1:02 am CDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 22 kt | −20 kt | -9 °C | 140 kt | 4 h 50 min | 1:02 am CDT (06:02 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 27 kt | −26 kt | -20 °C | 146 kt | 4 h 38 min | 12:50 am CDT (05:50 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 36 kt | −36 kt | -35 °C | 156 kt | 4 h 20 min | 12:32 am CDT (05:32 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 270° at 42 kt | −43 kt | -43 °C | 163 kt | 4 h 09 min | 12:21 am CDT (05:21 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 270° at 58 kt | −59 kt | -52 °C | 179 kt | 3 h 47 min | 11:59 pm CDT (04:59 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
| Point | From | 3,000 | 6,000 | 9,000 | 12,000 | 18,000 | 24,000 | 30,000 | 34,000 | 39,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/15 12° | 180/22 11° | 220/26 5° | 230/35 -9° | 240/40 -22° | 240/50 -37° | 240/51 -41° | 240/47 -47° | |
| PIR | used from 50 nm out; 53 nm from the line | L/V 17° | 230/13 12° | 220/22 6° | 250/31 -9° | 250/34 -21° | 240/50 -35° | 230/61 -43° | 240/62 -51° | |
| FSD | used from 199 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 200/16 | 220/20 17° | 240/26 13° | 230/19 6° | 240/25 -9° | 240/28 -20° | 250/39 -33° | 250/44 -43° | 260/63 -52° |
| MCW | used from 348 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 200/35 | 240/33 18° | 250/20 10° | 260/10 6° | 270/18 -8° | 260/28 -19° | 280/30 -34° | 290/49 -43° | 280/70 -54° |
| DBQ | used from 497 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/22 16° | 240/24 10° | 260/18 5° | 270/16 -8° | 290/27 -19° | 310/42 -35° | 320/55 -44° | 300/71 -52° |
| JOT | used from 596 nm out; 59 nm from the line | 230/11 | 290/12 16° | 300/19 10° | 320/19 4° | 300/17 -9° | 330/31 -20° | 320/49 -37° | 320/53 -45° | 320/67 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAP Rapid City, SD | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, overcast at 2,000 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 900 ft | 3,203 ft | 6:52 pm MDT (00:52 UTC) |
| PHP Philip, SD | 60 nm out, 7 nm northeast of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,100 feet | from the east-northeast (060°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,100 ft | 2,209 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| ICR Winner, SD | 139 nm out, 24 nm south of the line | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 1,600 feet | from the north-northwest (340°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 1,600 ft | 2,032 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| MHE Mitchell, SD | 219 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | from the north-northwest (340°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,304 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| FSD Sioux Falls, SD | 278 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 18,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the west-northwest (290°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,430 ft | 00:56 UTC |
| AXA Algona, IA | 387 nm out, 2 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,216 ft | 00:55 UTC |
| MCW Mason City, IA | 427 nm out, 11 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,213 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| ALO Waterloo, IA | 477 nm out, 15 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 873 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 546 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,076 ft | 00:53 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 626 nm out, 5 nm west of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 00:54 UTC |
| ORD Chicago, IL | destination | 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) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 3,203 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:59 pm CDT (04:59 UTC)
Wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for ORD
- 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
The forecast for RAP, the departure
- From Sun 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the east at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 10 knots, gusting to 20, visibility 4 miles, mist, a broken layer at 800 feet
- 30% chance between Sun 10:00 pm MDT (04:00 UTC) and 2:00 am MDT (08:00 UTC): light rain showers, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 20 knots, gusting to 30, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet, scattered clouds at 3,500 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 RAP 6:13 pm MDT (00:13 UTC), at ORD 6:15 pm CDT (23:15 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:43 pm CDT (23:43 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORD is before sunrise there (7:00 am CDT (12:00 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: Rapid City Regional, Chicago O'Hare International.