The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 9:11 pm CDT (02:11 UTC)

Chicago/Rockford International to Fresno Yosemite International RFD → FAT

1,447 nautical miles (1,666 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 267°, about 270° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 13 h 09 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 10-knot headwind), arriving about 8:20 am PDT (15:20 UTC). 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: 2 flights in the DOT's last twelve reported months, the route's page.

The return flight

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

  • SIGMET 8W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 729 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 8W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    CO MT WY
    FROM 40N SHR-60WNW RAP-20ENE CYS-30SW CYS-10NW BOY-40N SHR
    AREA TS MOV FROM 22040KT. TOPS TO FL350.
  • SIGMET W10W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Near the route, 1308 nm along the route.
    as issued
    WSUS33 KKCI 120155
    MKCW WST 120155
    CONVECTIVE SIGMET 10W
    VALID UNTIL 0355Z
    NV
    FROM 70SW TWF-40NNW BVL-40SW ELY-30ESE OAL-40WNW OAL-70SW TWF
    AREA TS MOV FROM 23020KT. TOPS TO FL300.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: 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 150 to 379 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 639 to 1308 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 649 to 1288 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 1W: 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 749 to 958 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 759 to 789 nm out.
  • AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 888 to 1318 nm out.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 898 to 1248 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Near the route, 928 nm along the route.
  • AIRMET SIERRA 2E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 948 to 1098 nm out.
  • AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 15,000 ft. Over the route from 1298 to 1408 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

Not fetched just now.

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 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 11 forecast points nearest it (DBQ, DSM, OMA, GRI, BFF, DEN, GJT, BCE, ELY, BIH, FAT). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft210° at 18 kt+10 kt19 °C110 kt13 h 09 min8:20 am PDT (15:20 UTC)
6,500 ft220° at 18 kt+13 kt16 °C107 kt13 h 31 min8:42 am PDT (15:42 UTC)
8,500 ft220° at 23 kt+17 kt12 °C103 kt14 h 03 min9:14 am PDT (16:14 UTC)
10,500 ft220° at 26 kt+21 kt7 °C99 kt14 h 37 min9:48 am PDT (16:48 UTC)
12,500 ft220° at 26 kt+22 kt2 °C98 kt14 h 46 min9:57 am PDT (16:57 UTC)
14,500 ft220° at 28 kt+25 kt-2 °C95 kt15 h 14 min10:25 am PDT (17:25 UTC)
16,500 ft230° at 30 kt+27 kt-6 °C93 kt15 h 34 min10:45 am PDT (17:45 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180230° at 32 kt+29 kt-10 °C91 kt15 h 54 min11:05 am PDT (18:05 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240230° at 36 kt+34 kt-21 °C86 kt16 h 50 min12:01 pm PDT (19:01 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300230° at 46 kt+44 kt-31 °C76 kt19 h 02 min2:13 pm PDT (21:13 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340240° at 49 kt+50 kt-38 °C70 kt20 h 40 min3:51 pm PDT (22:51 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390250° at 55 kt+57 kt-48 °C63 kt22 h 58 min6:09 pm PDT (01:09 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
PointFrom3,0006,0009,00012,00018,00024,00030,00034,00039,000
DBQused from 0 nm out; 49 nm from the line220/23240/22 16°240/24 10°260/18 5°270/16 -8°290/27 -19°310/42 -35°320/55 -44°300/71 -52°
DSMused from 150 nm out; 40 nm from the line200/32240/27 17°260/19 10°260/16 5°260/19 -7°240/22 -19°270/20 -32°270/38 -42°290/58 -53°
OMAused from 250 nm out; 43 nm from the line190/34230/34 19°250/25 12°250/18 6°250/22 -7°250/28 -19°260/34 -32°260/39 -41°280/56 -51°
GRIused from 349 nm out; 54 nm from the line210/31 19°240/21 14°240/17 6°260/27 -7°260/34 -18°240/45 -32°250/56 -40°260/62 -51°
BFFused from 549 nm out; 95 nm from the line120/24180/31 13°210/26 7°230/25 -7°240/41 -20°230/52 -36°250/56 -41°260/57 -45°
DENused from 649 nm out; 60 nm from the line190/31 16°210/32 7°240/41 -8°230/47 -21°240/56 -32°250/65 -37°250/61 -47°
GJTused from 799 nm out; 87 nm from the line210/40 11°210/46 3°210/61 -10°210/68 -22°220/57 -29°230/59 -36°240/66 -46°
BCEused from 998 nm out; 98 nm from the line210/47 0°200/50 -12°220/31 -23°220/56 -26°220/58 -35°230/58 -45°
ELYused from 1148 nm out; 59 nm from the line210/20 4°240/21 -1°230/37 -13°200/58 -25°220/73 -27°220/73 -36°220/69 -44°
BIHused from 1248 nm out; 101 nm from the lineL/V210/14 6°210/20 -2°230/26 -14°220/32 -24°220/63 -27°220/56 -35°230/50 -44°
FATused from 1398 nm out; 25 nm from the line180/7170/9 7°200/20 3°210/27 -3°240/27 -14°230/38 -24°220/57 -27°230/42 -33°230/41 -44°

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

AirportWhereConditionsWindVisibilityCeilingElevationReported
RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL departure no report just now 742 ft
CID Cedar Rapids, IA 120 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 869 ft
DSM Des Moines, IA 210 nm out, 25 nm south of the line, tower no report just now 957 ft
TQE Tekamah, NE 319 nm out, 3 nm northeast of the line no report just now 1,026 ft
OGA Ogallala, NE 569 nm out, 5 nm northwest of the line no report just now 3,279 ft
GXY Greeley, CO 709 nm out, 8 nm south of the line no report just now 4,696 ft
FNL Fort Collins/Loveland, CO 729 nm out, 6 nm east of the line, tower no report just now 5,020 ft
PUC Price, UT 988 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line no report just now 5,957 ft
FOM Fillmore, UT 1078 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line no report just now 4,984 ft
BIH Bishop, CA 1378 nm out, 10 nm north of the line no report just now 4,124 ft
FAT Fresno, CA destination no report just now 335 ft

The highest airport on this list sits at 5,957 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At FAT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:20 am PDT (15:20 UTC)

FAT 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 FAT 6:26 pm PDT (01:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:52 pm PDT (01:52 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

Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley
Radar now, the upper Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the northern Rockies
Radar now, the northern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the southern Rockies
Radar now, the southern Rockies · loop National Weather Service
Radar, the whole country
Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service
Surface analysis now
Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead
Forecast chart, 24 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Fresno Yosemite International.