Chicago/Rockford International to Laughlin/Bullhead International RFD → IFP
1,260 nautical miles (1,450 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 259°, about 262° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 12 h 29 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 19-knot headwind), arriving about 7:40 am MST (14:40 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: 11 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
- SIGMET 6W: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 34,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 40 knots, until 10:55 pm CDT (03:55 UTC). Over the route from 744 to 933 nm out.
as issued
WSUS33 KKCI 120155 MKCW WST 120155 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 6W VALID UNTIL 0355Z CO NM FROM 50SSW DEN-30NNE TBE-50SSW CME-50E SJN-20NE DVC-50SSW DEN AREA TS MOV FROM 23040KT. TOPS TO FL340.
- 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 169 to 605 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 665 to 1241 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 36,000 ft. Over the route from 695 to 1161 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 774 to 933 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 774 to 903 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the last 258 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 3C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the last 228 nm of 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 1112 to 1221 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Near the route, at the destination end.
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, GLD, PUB, ALS, FMN, BCE, PRC, LAS). 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 | 210° at 27 kt | +19 kt | 16 °C | 101 kt | 12 h 29 min | 7:40 am MST (14:40 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | +21 kt | 16 °C | 99 kt | 12 h 44 min | 7:55 am MST (14:55 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | +21 kt | 12 °C | 99 kt | 12 h 44 min | 7:55 am MST (14:55 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 220° at 25 kt | +23 kt | 8 °C | 97 kt | 12 h 59 min | 8:10 am MST (15:10 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | +24 kt | 4 °C | 96 kt | 13 h 08 min | 8:19 am MST (15:19 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | +27 kt | 0 °C | 93 kt | 13 h 33 min | 8:44 am MST (15:44 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 230° at 31 kt | +30 kt | -5 °C | 90 kt | 14 h | 9:11 am MST (16:11 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 34 kt | +33 kt | -8 °C | 87 kt | 14 h 29 min | 9:40 am MST (16:40 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 37 kt | +37 kt | -20 °C | 83 kt | 15 h 11 min | 10:22 am MST (17:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 240° at 50 kt | +50 kt | -31 °C | 70 kt | 18 h | 1:11 pm MST (20:11 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 54 kt | +56 kt | -38 °C | 64 kt | 19 h 41 min | 2:52 pm MST (21:52 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 55 kt | +57 kt | -49 °C | 63 kt | 20 h | 3:11 pm MST (22:11 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
| 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; 50 nm from the line | 220/23 | 240/22 16° | 240/24 10° | 260/18 5° | 270/16 -8° | 290/27 -19° | 310/42 -35° | 320/55 -44° | 300/71 -52° |
| DSM | used from 149 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 200/32 | 240/27 17° | 260/19 10° | 260/16 5° | 260/19 -7° | 240/22 -19° | 270/20 -32° | 270/38 -42° | 290/58 -53° |
| OMA | used from 248 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 190/34 | 230/34 19° | 250/25 12° | 250/18 6° | 250/22 -7° | 250/28 -19° | 260/34 -32° | 260/39 -41° | 280/56 -51° |
| GRI | used from 347 nm out; 56 nm from the line | 210/31 19° | 240/21 14° | 240/17 6° | 260/27 -7° | 260/34 -18° | 240/45 -32° | 250/56 -40° | 260/62 -51° | |
| GLD | used from 496 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 190/29 | 200/30 15° | 240/23 8° | 250/39 -7° | 230/39 -19° | 230/57 -31° | 240/67 -39° | 250/62 -49° | |
| PUB | used from 695 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 210/24 16° | 210/28 8° | 230/43 -8° | 240/42 -21° | 240/77 -30° | 240/72 -36° | 250/51 -47° | ||
| ALS | used from 794 nm out; 51 nm from the line | 210/32 5° | 230/48 -8° | 230/49 -20° | 230/78 -30° | 240/74 -36° | 240/61 -47° | |||
| FMN | used from 893 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 220/25 13° | 220/28 4° | 210/51 -9° | 220/59 -21° | 230/78 -30° | 230/77 -36° | 230/66 -46° | ||
| BCE | used from 1042 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 210/47 0° | 200/50 -12° | 220/31 -23° | 220/56 -26° | 220/58 -35° | 230/58 -45° | |||
| PRC | used from 1141 nm out; 75 nm from the line | 200/36 6° | 210/46 0° | 220/60 -10° | 220/75 -19° | 220/66 -26° | 230/70 -33° | 230/59 -45° | ||
| LAS | used from 1191 nm out; 77 nm from the line | 200/25 11° | 230/22 5° | 240/25 -1° | 220/37 -12° | 220/44 -21° | 210/52 -27° | 210/60 -34° | 220/58 -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
| Airport | Where | Conditions | Wind | Visibility | Ceiling | Elevation | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | departure | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 119 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 869 ft | ||||
| DSM Des Moines, IA | 208 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 957 ft | ||||
| LNK Lincoln, NE | 357 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,218 ft | ||||
| FMZ Fairmont, NE | 397 nm out, 4 nm east of the line | no report just now | 1,636 ft | ||||
| OIN Oberlin, KS | 536 nm out, 3 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,706 ft | ||||
| COS Colorado Springs, CO | 744 nm out, 7 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,187 ft | ||||
| ANK Salida, CO | 804 nm out, 13 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 7,523 ft | ||||
| CEZ Cortez, CO | 943 nm out, 8 nm south of the line | no report just now | 5,917 ft | ||||
| GCN Grand Canyon, AZ | 1131 nm out, 10 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,608 ft | ||||
| IGM Kingman, AZ | 1231 nm out, 8 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 3,448 ft | ||||
| IFP Bullhead City, AZ | destination | no report just now | 707 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 7,523 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At IFP when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:40 am MST (14:40 UTC)
IFP has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8770 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 18 nm from the route, 744 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 12 October · ZDV
- 6/8784 LAKE GEORGE, CO, Sunday, October 11, 2026 through Tuesday, October 13, 2026 UTC 23 nm from the route, 764 nm along the route · a hazard on the ground (fire-fighting, a chemical spill, rescue work) · until 13 October · ZDV
- 6/8891 Bullhead City, AZ, Wednesday, October 14, 2026 Local on the route, at the destination end · a VIP movement · starts Wednesday 14 October · ZLA
Daylight
Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at IFP 6:07 pm MST (01:07 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:32 pm MST (01:32 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, Laughlin/Bullhead International.
