Chicago/Rockford International to Albuquerque International Sunport RFD → ABQ
925 nautical miles (1,064 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 248°, about 251° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 50 min at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 26-knot headwind), arriving about 5:47 pm MDT (23:47 UTC). Right now RFD is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots; ABQ is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 9 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 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 229 to 507 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 last 199 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 825 to 875 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 RFD.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 38 nm northwest, 7:25 am CDT (12:25 UTC): light chop turbulence. 109 nm along the route, 38 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
CID UA /OV CID360010/TM 1225/FL320/TP A321/TB INTMT LGT CHOP CONS LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through CID
- Where
- 10 nm north (360°) of CID
- Time
- 12:25 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- intermittent light chop continuous light chop
- B38M at 18,000 ft, 6 nm north, 8:04 am CDT (13:04 UTC): light chop turbulence. 288 nm along the route, 6 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
EVU UA /OV EVU/TM 1304/FL180/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP
- Report
- a routine report filed through EVU
- Where
- over EVU
- Time
- 13:04 UTC
- Height
- at 18,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop
- PC12 at 22,000 ft, 24 nm southeast, 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): light rime icing, -9 °C, remarks: no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj. 388 nm along the route, 24 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MHK UA /OV MHK/TM 1200/FL220/TP PC12/TA M09/IC LGT RIME/RM NEG ICING AT FL200 /ZKCFDC XJ
- Report
- a routine report filed through MHK
- Where
- over MHK
- Time
- 12:00 UTC
- Height
- at 22,000 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Temperature
- −9 °C
- Icing
- light rime
- Remarks
- no icing at FL200 zkcfdc xj
- CRJ7 at 28,000 ft, 34 nm southeast, 6:25 am CDT (11:25 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: zkc fd dl. 547 nm along the route, 34 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
DDC UA /OV DDC090024/TM 1125/FL280/TP CRJ7/TB LGT/RM ZKC FD DL
- Report
- a routine report filed through DDC
- Where
- 24 nm east (090°) of DDC
- Time
- 11:25 UTC
- Height
- at 28,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Turbulence
- light
- Remarks
- zkc fd dl
- BE30 at 15,000 ft, 19 nm northwest, 8:27 am CDT (13:27 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: zab fdcs. At the destination end, 19 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
SAF UA /OV SAF255015/TM 1327/FL150/TP BE30/TB CONS LGT CHOP OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZAB FDCS
- Report
- a routine report filed through SAF
- Where
- 15 nm west (255°) of SAF
- Time
- 13:27 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- BE30
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop occasional moderate chop
- Remarks
- zab fdcs
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 8 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, BRL, DSM, MKC, SLN, GCK, TCC, ABQ). 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 33 kt | +33 kt | 22 °C | 87 kt | 10 h 38 min | 6:35 pm MDT (00:35 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 19 °C | 91 kt | 10 h 10 min | 6:07 pm MDT (00:07 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 240° at 26 kt | +26 kt | 13 °C | 94 kt | 9 h 50 min | 5:47 pm MDT (23:47 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | +27 kt | 9 °C | 93 kt | 9 h 57 min | 5:54 pm MDT (23:54 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 240° at 28 kt | +28 kt | 5 °C | 92 kt | 10 h 03 min | 6:00 pm MDT (00:00 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 240° at 30 kt | +30 kt | 0 °C | 90 kt | 10 h 17 min | 6:14 pm MDT (00:14 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 240° at 32 kt | +32 kt | -5 °C | 88 kt | 10 h 31 min | 6:28 pm MDT (00:28 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 33 kt | +34 kt | -8 °C | 86 kt | 10 h 45 min | 6:42 pm MDT (00:42 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 44 kt | +44 kt | -20 °C | 76 kt | 12 h 10 min | 8:07 pm MDT (02:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 65 kt | +64 kt | -30 °C | 56 kt | 16 h 31 min | 12:28 am MDT (06:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 260° at 65 kt | +63 kt | -37 °C | 57 kt | 16 h 14 min | 12:11 am MDT (06:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 62 kt | +58 kt | -48 °C | 62 kt | 14 h 55 min | 10:52 pm MDT (04:52 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBQ | used from 0 nm out; 53 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| BRL | used from 99 nm out; 44 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 149 nm out; 53 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 249 nm out; 74 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 348 nm out; 71 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 497 nm out; 70 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 696 nm out; 103 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 845 nm out; 55 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | departure | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 7:54 am CDT (12:54 UTC) |
| MLI Moline, IL | 80 nm out, 18 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 13:52 UTC |
| OTM Ottumwa, IA | 159 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| LWD Lamoni, IA | 239 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,130 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| FNB Falls City, NE | 318 nm out, 4 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 10+ mi | none | 983 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| SLN Salina, KS | 437 nm out, 22 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| RSL Russell, KS | 487 nm out, 8 nm north of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 15 knots, gusting to 24 | 10+ mi | none | 1,863 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 596 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 14 knots | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 12:54 UTC |
| CAO Clayton, NM | 736 nm out, 17 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,969 ft | 12:55 UTC |
| SAF Santa Fe, NM | 885 nm out, 15 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 4,500 feet, a broken layer at 7,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 6,348 ft | 13:53 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | destination | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 5,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 7:52 am MDT (13:52 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,348 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABQ when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:47 pm MDT (23:47 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for ABQ
- From Mon 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 24, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 7,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm MDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 7,000 feet
The forecast for RFD, the departure
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 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 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
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 6:00 am CDT (11:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 9 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 RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at ABQ 6:34 pm MDT (00:34 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:59 pm MDT (00:59 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/Rockford International, Albuquerque International Sunport.