The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Plan a flight · Sun 8:12 pm CDT (01:12 UTC)

Chicago/Rockford International to Gulfport-Biloxi International RFD → GPT

708 nautical miles (814 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 180°, about 183° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 16 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 46-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:28 am CDT (05:28 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RFD is VFR, wind calm; GPT is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 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: 14 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

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

  • BE40 at 29,000 ft, 43 nm east, 6:22 pm CDT (23:22 UTC): moderate chop turbulence from 26,000 ft to 29,000 ft, remarks: zme. 449 nm along the route, 43 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    TUP UA /OV TUP045041/TM 2322/FL290/TP BE40/TB OCNL MOD CHOP 290-260/RM ZME
    Report
    a routine report filed through TUP
    Where
    41 nm northeast (045°) of TUP
    Time
    23:22 UTC
    Height
    at 29,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BE40
    Turbulence
    occasional moderate chop from 29,000 ft to 26,000 ft
    Remarks
    zme
  • B739 at 32,000 ft, 37 nm east, 5:23 pm CDT (22:23 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zhu. At the destination end, 37 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    MOB UA /OV SJI/TM 2223/FL320/TP B739/TB MOD CHOP/RM ZHU
    Report
    a routine report filed through MOB
    Where
    over SJI
    Time
    22:23 UTC
    Height
    at 32,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B739
    Turbulence
    moderate chop
    Remarks
    zhu
  • B737 at 31,000 ft, 13 nm east, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME25. 299 nm along the route, 13 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    PAH UA /OV CNG360015/TM 0013/FL310/TP B737/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME25
    Report
    a routine report filed through PAH
    Where
    15 nm north (360°) of CNG
    Time
    00:13 UTC
    Height
    at 31,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B737
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
    Remarks
    ZME25
  • BCS3 at 35,000 ft, 12 nm west, 7:13 pm CDT (00:13 UTC): no turbulence, remarks: ZME33. 369 nm along the route, 12 nm west of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    DYR UA /OV DYR/TM 0013/FL350/TP BCS3/TB NEG/RM ZME33
    Report
    a routine report filed through DYR
    Where
    over DYR
    Time
    00:13 UTC
    Height
    at 35,000 ft
    Aircraft
    BCS3
    Turbulence
    none
    Remarks
    ZME33
  • B38M at 25,000 ft, 33 nm east, 7:12 pm CDT (00:12 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZME26. 369 nm along the route, 33 nm east of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    MKL UA /OV MKL045035/TM 0012/FL250/TP B38M/TB OCNL LGT CHOP/RM ZME26
    Report
    a routine report filed through MKL
    Where
    35 nm northeast (045°) of MKL
    Time
    00:12 UTC
    Height
    at 25,000 ft
    Aircraft
    B38M
    Turbulence
    occasional light chop
    Remarks
    ZME26
  • A319 at 39,000 ft, 44 nm west, 6:11 pm CDT (23:11 UTC): no chop turbulence, remarks: smooth. 429 nm along the route, 44 nm west of the line.
    as filed, and in English
    MEM UA /OV MEM/TM 2311/FL390/TP A319/TB NEG CHOP/RM SMOOTH
    Report
    a routine report filed through MEM
    Where
    over MEM
    Time
    23:11 UTC
    Height
    at 39,000 ft
    Aircraft
    A319
    Turbulence
    no chop
    Remarks
    smooth

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 7 forecast points nearest it (JOT, SPI, STL, CGI, MEM, JAN, MOB). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.

HeightAverage windHead- or tailwindTemperatureGround speedTime en routeArrival
4,500 ft270° at 9 kt0120 kt5 h 54 min2:06 am CDT (07:06 UTC)
6,500 ft290° at 13 kt−5 kt16 °C125 kt5 h 40 min1:52 am CDT (06:52 UTC)
8,500 ft290° at 16 kt−5 kt12 °C125 kt5 h 40 min1:52 am CDT (06:52 UTC)
10,500 ft290° at 19 kt−7 kt8 °C127 kt5 h 34 min1:46 am CDT (06:46 UTC)
12,500 ft300° at 21 kt−9 kt4 °C129 kt5 h 29 min1:41 am CDT (06:41 UTC)
14,500 ft300° at 21 kt−11 kt0 °C131 kt5 h 24 min1:36 am CDT (06:36 UTC)
16,500 ft310° at 21 kt−13 kt-4 °C133 kt5 h 19 min1:31 am CDT (06:31 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180310° at 21 kt−15 kt-7 °C135 kt5 h 15 min1:27 am CDT (06:27 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240330° at 28 kt−23 kt-18 °C143 kt4 h 57 min1:09 am CDT (06:09 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300320° at 49 kt−38 kt-33 °C158 kt4 h 29 min12:41 am CDT (05:41 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340330° at 56 kt−46 kt-42 °C166 kt4 h 16 min12:28 am CDT (05:28 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390320° at 53 kt−41 kt-50 °C161 kt4 h 24 min12:36 am CDT (05:36 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
JOTused from 0 nm out; 44 nm from the line230/11290/12 16°300/19 10°320/19 4°300/17 -9°330/31 -20°320/49 -37°320/53 -45°320/67 -49°
SPIused from 100 nm out; 32 nm from the line210/13260/11 17°270/18 10°290/21 4°310/20 -8°330/25 -19°320/49 -34°320/60 -44°320/59 -50°
STLused from 199 nm out; 63 nm from the line210/13260/16 17°270/21 10°280/24 5°310/20 -7°320/22 -18°320/44 -33°320/59 -43°310/69 -51°
CGIused from 249 nm out; 34 nm from the line250/10290/12 17°290/18 11°300/22 5°320/25 -8°330/30 -18°320/53 -33°320/66 -42°320/56 -50°
MEMused from 349 nm out; 71 nm from the line240/9280/14 17°280/20 12°290/25 5°320/25 -6°330/31 -18°320/52 -32°330/58 -41°320/42 -50°
JANused from 498 nm out; 86 nm from the line260/6310/14 17°280/13 12°290/19 6°310/22 -5°310/28 -17°320/44 -32°330/48 -41°320/52 -51°
MOBused from 648 nm out; 46 nm from the line310/7350/18 18°330/16 12°300/18 7°320/17 -6°330/27 -17°340/52 -33°350/53 -43°330/38 -50°

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 VFR Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 feet calm 10+ mi none 742 ft 7:54 pm CDT (00:54 UTC)
RPJ Rochelle, IL 20 nm out, 2 nm northeast of the line VFR from the south (170°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 780 ft 00:55 UTC
BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL 100 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (170°) at 5 knots 10+ mi none 871 ft 00:56 UTC
VLA Vandalia, IL 189 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line no report just now 537 ft
MWA Marion, IL 269 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 4 knots 10+ mi none 471 ft 00:55 UTC
PAH Paducah, KY 309 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 410 ft 00:00 UTC
MKL Jackson, TN 399 nm out, 9 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south-southwest (210°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 434 ft 00:53 UTC
TUP Tupelo, MS 478 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 346 ft 00:53 UTC
GTR Columbus/W Point/Starkville, MS 528 nm out, 25 nm east of the line, tower VFR calm 10+ mi none 264 ft 00:56 UTC
MEI Meridian, MS 588 nm out, 17 nm east of the line, tower VFR from the south (190°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 297 ft 00:58 UTC
HBG Hattiesburg, MS 658 nm out, 9 nm west of the line VFR calm 10+ mi none 150 ft 00:53 UTC
GPT Gulfport, MS destination VFR from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots 10+ mi none 28 ft 7:53 pm CDT (00:53 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 871 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At GPT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:28 am CDT (05:28 UTC)

Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for GPT
  • From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
  • From Mon 1:00 pm CDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the south at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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

No temporary flight restriction on or near this route right now.

Daylight

Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at GPT 6:28 pm CDT (23:28 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:52 pm CDT (23:52 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at GPT is before sunrise there (6:56 am CDT (11:56 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 central Great Lakes
Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley
Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · 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, Gulfport-Biloxi International.