Chicago/Rockford International to Detroit Metro Wayne County RFD → DTW
255 nautical miles (294 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 088°, about 091° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 31 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 49-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:11 am EDT (04:11 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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: 399 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). Over the last 20 nm of the route.
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
- A320 at 33,000 ft, 3 nm north, 7:36 pm CDT (00:36 UTC): moderate turbulence above 33,000 ft, remarks: zob. 177 nm along the route, 3 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
JXN UA /OV JXN280030/TM 0036/FL330/TP A320/TB OCNL MOD 330/RM ZOB
- Report
- a routine report filed through JXN
- Where
- 30 nm west (280°) of JXN
- Time
- 00:36 UTC
- Height
- at 33,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A320
- Turbulence
- occasional moderate at 33,000 ft
- Remarks
- zob
- A321 at 32,000 ft, 24 nm southwest, 8:56 pm CDT (01:56 UTC): light turbulence, remarks: pocket continuous light turbulence. At the departure end, 24 nm southwest 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
- B39M at 35,000 ft, 43 nm south, 7:29 pm CDT (00:29 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: smooth. 69 nm along the route, 43 nm south 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, 7 nm southeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): no turbulence. 88 nm along the route, 7 nm southeast 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
- B38M at 31,000 ft, 1 nm southeast, 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC): light chop turbulence up to 31,000 ft. 157 nm along the route, 1 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
AZO UA /OV AZO/TM 0004/FL310/TP B38M/TB CONS LGT CHOP 310 BLO
- Report
- a routine report filed through AZO
- Where
- over AZO
- Time
- 00:04 UTC
- Height
- at 31,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- continuous light chop at 31,000 ft below
- E170 at 21,000 ft, 14 nm north, 8:07 pm CDT (01:07 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: during the climb zob. 206 nm along the route, 14 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
LAN UA /OV LAN180020/TM 0107/FL210/TP E170/TB LGHT CHOP/RM DURC ZOB
- Report
- a routine report filed through LAN
- Where
- 20 nm south (180°) of LAN
- Time
- 01:07 UTC
- Height
- at 21,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E170
- Turbulence
- lght chop
- Remarks
- during the climb zob
- A320 descending, 44 nm north, 8:35 pm CDT (01:35 UTC): overcast from 1,900 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: on final runway 09 fnt. 226 nm along the route, 44 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FNT UA /OV FNT270008/TM 0135/FLDURD/TP A320/SK OVC019 - TOP030/RM ON FINAL RY09 FNT
- Report
- a routine report filed through FNT
- Where
- 8 nm west (270°) of FNT
- Time
- 01:35 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Sky
- overcast from 1,900 ft, tops 3,000 ft
- Remarks
- on final runway 09 fnt
- PA44 descending, 38 nm south, 9:27 pm CDT (02:27 UTC): a broken layer from 900 ft to 1,500 ft; a broken layer from 2,600 ft to 3,500 ft, fog. 236 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0227/FLDURD/TP PA44/SK BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035/WX FG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over TOL
- Time
- 02:27 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- PA44
- Sky
- BKN009 TOPS015 BKN026 TOPS035
- Weather
- fog
- A320 descending, 45 nm north, 9:09 pm CDT (02:09 UTC): overcast from 1,600 ft to 3,000 ft, remarks: on final runway 18 fnt. 236 nm along the route, 45 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
FNT UA /OV FNT/TM 0209/FLDURD/TP A320/SK OVC016 - TOP030/RM ON FINAL RY18 FNT
- Report
- a routine report filed through FNT
- Where
- over FNT
- Time
- 02:09 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- A320
- Sky
- overcast from 1,600 ft, tops 3,000 ft
- Remarks
- on final runway 18 fnt
- C525 descending, 38 nm south, 8:41 pm CDT (01:41 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 236 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0141/FLDURD/TP C525/SK TOPS035 BKN010/WX 2SM
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over TOL
- Time
- 01:41 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- C525
- Sky
- TOPS035 BKN010
- Weather
- 2SM
- A320 climbing, 38 nm south, 7:14 pm CDT (00:14 UTC): overcast. 236 nm along the route, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV TOL/TM 0014/FLDURC/TP A320/SK B025 OVC T040
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over TOL
- Time
- 00:14 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- A320
- Sky
- B025 overcast T040
- SR22 at 1,300 ft, 27 nm north, 8:25 pm CDT (01:25 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the destination end, 27 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
PTK UA /OV PTK270003/TM 0125/FL013/TP SR22/SK BASES 019 OVC
- Report
- a routine report filed through PTK
- Where
- 3 nm west (270°) of PTK
- Time
- 01:25 UTC
- Height
- at 1,300 ft
- Aircraft
- SR22
- Sky
- bases 1,900 ft overcast
- P28A descending, 50 nm south, 7:08 pm CDT (00:08 UTC): a broken layer from 2,200 ft to 2,500 ft. At the destination end, 50 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
TOL UA /OV 1G0/TM 0008/FLDURD/TP P28A/SK BKN022 TOPS025
- Report
- a routine report filed through TOL
- Where
- over 1G0
- Time
- 00:08 UTC
- Height
- during the descent
- Aircraft
- P28A
- Sky
- a broken layer from 2,200 ft, tops 2,500 ft
- CRJ7 at 600 ft, 0 nm south, 9:07 pm CDT (02:07 UTC): a broken layer above 1,500 ft. At the destination end, 0 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
DTW UA /OV DTW/TM 0207/FLSFC/TP CRJ7/SK BKN 015
- Report
- a routine report filed through DTW
- Where
- over DTW
- Time
- 02:07 UTC
- Height
- at the surface
- Aircraft
- CRJ7
- Sky
- a broken layer from 1,500 ft
4 more routine reports are on the map.
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 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 4 forecast points nearest it (JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE). 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 | 270° at 19 kt | −19 kt | 139 kt | 1 h 50 min | 12:30 am EDT (04:30 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 280° at 18 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 1 h 52 min | 12:32 am EDT (04:32 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 290° at 15 kt | −14 kt | 12 °C | 134 kt | 1 h 54 min | 12:34 am EDT (04:34 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | −11 kt | 9 °C | 131 kt | 1 h 57 min | 12:37 am EDT (04:37 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 290° at 7 kt | −7 kt | 4 °C | 127 kt | 2 h | 12:40 am EDT (04:40 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 290° at 11 kt | −10 kt | 0 °C | 130 kt | 1 h 58 min | 12:38 am EDT (04:38 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 17 kt | −15 kt | -3 °C | 135 kt | 1 h 53 min | 12:33 am EDT (04:33 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | −20 kt | -7 °C | 140 kt | 1 h 49 min | 12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 24 kt | −21 kt | -8 °C | 141 kt | 1 h 49 min | 12:29 am EDT (04:29 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 31 kt | −27 kt | -20 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 44 min | 12:24 am EDT (04:24 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 41 kt | −27 kt | -35 °C | 147 kt | 1 h 44 min | 12:24 am EDT (04:24 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 55 kt | −40 kt | -44 °C | 160 kt | 1 h 36 min | 12:16 am EDT (04:16 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 66 kt | −49 kt | -52 °C | 169 kt | 1 h 31 min | 12:11 am EDT (04:11 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; 45 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° |
| MKG | used from 98 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 196 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CLE | used from 246 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | departure | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| DPA Chicago/West Chicago, IL | 39 nm out, 19 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 758 ft | ||||
| PWK Chicago/Prospect Heights/Wheeling, IL | 49 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 644 ft | ||||
| BEH Benton Harbor, MI | 118 nm out, 7 nm south of the line | no report just now | 649 ft | ||||
| AZO Kalamazoo, MI | 157 nm out, 1 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 873 ft | ||||
| JXN Jackson, MI | 206 nm out, 2 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,000 ft | ||||
| ARB Ann Arbor, MI | 236 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 839 ft | ||||
| DTW Detroit, MI | destination | no report just now | 645 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,000 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DTW when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:11 am EDT (04:11 UTC)
DTW has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 DTW 6:56 pm EDT (22:56 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:24 pm EDT (23:24 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at DTW is before sunrise there (7:42 am EDT (11:42 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, Detroit Metro Wayne County.