Chicago/Rockford International to Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance Airport RFD → AFW
676 nautical miles (778 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 218°, about 221° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (10,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 4:39 am CDT (09:39 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RFD is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots; AFW is VFR, wind from the south (170°) at 10 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: 330 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
No SIGMET or AIRMET covers any part of this route right now.
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, 7 nm west, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. At the departure end, 7 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
RPJ UA /OV PLL/TM 0156/FL320/TP A321/TB CONS LGT/RM POCKET CONS LGT TB
- Report
- a routine report filed through RPJ
- Where
- over PLL
- Time
- 01:56 UTC
- Height
- at 32,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A321
- Turbulence
- continuous light
- Remarks
- pocket continuous light turbulence
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 7 forecast points nearest it (JOT, BRL, COU, SGF, FSM, OKC, DAL). 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 | 230° at 27 kt | +27 kt | 93 kt | 7 h 16 min | 5:39 am CDT (10:39 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 240° at 25 kt | +23 kt | 15 °C | 97 kt | 6 h 58 min | 5:21 am CDT (10:21 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 18 kt | +15 kt | 13 °C | 105 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:49 am CDT (09:49 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +12 kt | 9 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 16 min | 4:39 am CDT (09:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 15 kt | +12 kt | 5 °C | 108 kt | 6 h 16 min | 4:39 am CDT (09:39 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 17 kt | +13 kt | 1 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 19 min | 4:42 am CDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 19 kt | +15 kt | -3 °C | 105 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:49 am CDT (09:49 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 20 kt | +16 kt | -6 °C | 104 kt | 6 h 30 min | 4:53 am CDT (09:53 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 260° at 27 kt | +19 kt | -17 °C | 101 kt | 6 h 42 min | 5:05 am CDT (10:05 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 270° at 38 kt | +20 kt | -31 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 46 min | 5:09 am CDT (10:09 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 280° at 46 kt | +20 kt | -40 °C | 100 kt | 6 h 46 min | 5:09 am CDT (10:09 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 49 kt | +15 kt | -51 °C | 105 kt | 6 h 26 min | 4:49 am CDT (09:49 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; 60 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 50 nm out; 53 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 199 nm out; 25 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 298 nm out; 38 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° |
| FSM | used from 448 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 210/27 | 250/23 16° | 250/20 13° | 240/17 8° | 250/18 -6° | 260/31 -16° | 280/42 -30° | 280/44 -40° | 290/38 -51° |
| OKC | used from 547 nm out; 90 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° |
| DAL | used from 597 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 190/29 | 220/23 17° | 220/17 13° | 250/18 8° | 230/18 -5° | 240/18 -15° | 270/34 -29° | 280/33 -39° | 300/36 -51° |
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: scattered clouds at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 742 ft | 9:54 pm CDT (02:54 UTC) |
| SQI Sterling/Rockfalls, IL | 40 nm out, 5 nm north of the line | VFR | variable at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 647 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 70 nm out, 23 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| HAE Hannibal, MO | 179 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 768 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| COU Columbia, MO | 249 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 889 ft | 02:54 UTC |
| RAW Warsaw, MO | 298 nm out, 19 nm northwest of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 936 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| SGF Springfield, MO | 358 nm out, 17 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (170°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,268 ft | 02:52 UTC |
| XNA Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, AR | 428 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| MLC Mc Alester, OK | 537 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 770 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| AQR Atoka, OK | 577 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 590 ft | ||||
| GYI Sherman/Denison, TX | 627 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (150°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 749 ft | 03:15 UTC |
| AFW Fort Worth, TX | destination | VFR | from the south (170°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 723 ft | 9:53 pm CDT (02:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,288 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At AFW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 4:39 am CDT (09:39 UTC)
Wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for AFW
- From Sun 10:00 pm CDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the south at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 23,000 feet
The forecast for RFD, the departure
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 22, 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
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7634 CENTRALIA, MO, Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 0 nm from the route, 229 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · today · ZKC
- 9/2934 DALLAS, TX 24 nm from the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · ZFW
- 6/8646 Arlington, TX, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Friday, October 16, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Thursday 15 October · ZFW
Daylight
Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at AFW 6:59 pm CDT (23:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm CDT (00:24 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at AFW is before sunrise there (7:31 am CDT (12:31 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, Perot Fld/Fort Worth Alliance Airport.