Plan a flight · Sun 10:30 pm CDT (03:30 UTC)

Chicago/Rockford International to Lakeland Linder International RFD → LAL

920 nautical miles (1,059 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 156°, about 159° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 49 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 38-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:19 am EDT (09:19 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RFD is VFR, wind from the southeast (140°) at 4 knots; LAL is VFR, wind from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 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: 9 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 route from 198 to 475 nm out.
AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 465 nm along 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

CRJ9 at 32,000 ft, 30 nm southwest, 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): moderate chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-22. 564 nm along the route, 30 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ATL UA /OV ATL240035/TM 0200/FL320/TP CRJ9/TB OCNL MOD CHOP /RM ZTLFD-22
```
Report
a routine report filed through ATL
Where
35 nm southwest (240°) of ATL
Time
02:00 UTC
Height
at 32,000 ft
Aircraft
CRJ9
Turbulence
occasional moderate chop
Remarks
ZTLFD-22
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
A21N at 17,000 ft, 42 nm east, 8:28 pm CDT (01:28 UTC): no icing, clear from 17,000 ft to 60,000 ft, remarks: clear since departing KIND southbound. 228 nm along the route, 42 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
IND UA /OV IND183045/TM 0128/FL170/TP A21N/SK SKC/IC NEG/RM CLR SINCE DEPARTING KIND SOUTHBOUND
```
Report
a routine report filed through IND
Where
45 nm south (183°) of IND
Time
01:28 UTC
Height
at 17,000 ft
Aircraft
A21N
Sky
clear
Icing
none
Remarks
clear since departing KIND southbound
B739 at 34,000 ft, 21 nm west, 8:51 pm CDT (01:51 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zme. 336 nm along the route, 21 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
BWG UA /OV BWG270010/TM 0151/FL340/TP B739/TB CONS LGT OCNL MOD CHOP/RM ZME
```
Report
a routine report filed through BWG
Where
10 nm west (270°) of BWG
Time
01:51 UTC
Height
at 34,000 ft
Aircraft
B739
Turbulence
continuous light occasional moderate chop
Remarks
zme
E170 at 33,000 ft, 36 nm southwest, 8:53 pm CDT (01:53 UTC): light chop turbulence, remarks: ZTLFD-22. 534 nm along the route, 36 nm southwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ATL UA /OV ATL280045/TM 0153/FL330/TP E170/TB CONS LGT CHOP /RM ZTLFD-22
```
Report
a routine report filed through ATL
Where
45 nm west (280°) of ATL
Time
01:53 UTC
Height
at 33,000 ft
Aircraft
E170
Turbulence
continuous light chop
Remarks
ZTLFD-22
C172 at 1,100 ft, 45 nm east, 8:12 pm CDT (01:12 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 45 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
```
ORL UA /OV ORL/TM 0112/FL011/TP C172/TB SMOOTH
```
Report
a routine report filed through ORL
Where
over ORL
Time
01:12 UTC
Height
at 1,100 ft
Aircraft
C172
Turbulence
smooth

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 11 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, EVV, LOU, BNA, TYS, ATL, CSG, TLH, JAX, PIE). 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	300° at 17 kt	−15 kt		135 kt	6 h 49 min	6:19 am EDT (10:19 UTC)
5,500 ft	320° at 19 kt	−19 kt		139 kt	6 h 37 min	6:07 am EDT (10:07 UTC)
7,500 ft	320° at 21 kt	−20 kt	14 °C	140 kt	6 h 34 min	6:04 am EDT (10:04 UTC)
9,500 ft	320° at 21 kt	−20 kt	10 °C	140 kt	6 h 34 min	6:04 am EDT (10:04 UTC)
11,500 ft	320° at 18 kt	−17 kt	7 °C	137 kt	6 h 43 min	6:13 am EDT (10:13 UTC)
13,500 ft	310° at 18 kt	−17 kt	3 °C	137 kt	6 h 43 min	6:13 am EDT (10:13 UTC)
15,500 ft	310° at 20 kt	−18 kt	-1 °C	138 kt	6 h 40 min	6:10 am EDT (10:10 UTC)
17,500 ft	300° at 23 kt	−18 kt	-6 °C	138 kt	6 h 40 min	6:10 am EDT (10:10 UTC)
18,000 ft FL180	300° at 23 kt	−19 kt	-7 °C	139 kt	6 h 37 min	6:07 am EDT (10:07 UTC)
24,000 ft FL240	300° at 27 kt	−22 kt	-18 °C	142 kt	6 h 29 min	5:59 am EDT (09:59 UTC)
30,000 ft FL300	320° at 38 kt	−35 kt	-33 °C	155 kt	5 h 56 min	5:26 am EDT (09:26 UTC)
34,000 ft FL340	310° at 42 kt	−38 kt	-41 °C	158 kt	5 h 49 min	5:19 am EDT (09:19 UTC)
39,000 ft FL390	310° at 38 kt	−33 kt	-50 °C	153 kt	6 h 01 min	5:31 am EDT (09:31 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; 36 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°
IND	used from 148 nm out; 59 nm from the line	290/16	310/20 16°	320/21 10°	330/13 3°	300/25 -7°	320/32 -19°	330/46 -34°	320/61 -43°	320/63 -50°
EVV	used from 198 nm out; 49 nm from the line	280/15	290/12 17°	310/16 10°	320/13 5°	310/22 -6°	320/26 -18°	320/38 -33°	310/56 -41°	320/55 -51°
LOU	used from 297 nm out; 65 nm from the line	310/18	340/28 16°	340/29 10°	350/27 3°	330/27 -7°	340/39 -19°	330/58 -33°	330/67 -41°	330/40 -49°
BNA	used from 346 nm out; 43 nm from the line	310/20	340/20 17°	330/24 10°	340/22 5°	330/26 -6°	340/29 -18°	330/52 -33°	320/62 -41°	340/45 -50°
TYS	used from 445 nm out; 76 nm from the line	320/20	340/18 11°	340/32 9°	340/36 4°	330/37 -7°	330/38 -19°	330/50 -34°	330/53 -38°	330/44 -48°
ATL	used from 495 nm out; 40 nm from the line	320/30	330/37 16°	340/44 11°	330/35 7°	310/33 -6°	300/38 -18°	330/58 -33°	330/48 -40°	320/34 -49°
CSG	used from 594 nm out; 45 nm from the line	310/24	340/35 17°	340/37 12°	330/22 8°	310/30 -7°	290/30 -18°	340/57 -32°	340/55 -41°	320/33 -49°
TLH	used from 693 nm out; 67 nm from the line	320/18	350/31 18°	340/24 13°	310/17 8°	280/22 -7°	300/25 -17°	320/28 -33°	320/24 -41°	320/25 -50°
JAX	used from 792 nm out; 75 nm from the line	290/14	300/16 17°	280/22 14°	280/24 8°	250/32 -6°	250/37 -17°	230/50 -31°	220/52 -41°	220/51 -52°
PIE	used from 841 nm out; 58 nm from the line	350/6	L/V 18°	290/6 14°	280/9 9°	250/18 -6°	250/23 -17°	240/30 -31°	220/31 -41°	220/30 -52°

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)
ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL	30 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	712 ft	02:52 UTC
CMI Champaign/Urbana, IL	129 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the south (190°) at 6 knots	10+ mi	none	754 ft	02:53 UTC
HUF Terre Haute, IN	188 nm out, 9 nm northeast of the line, tower	marginal VFR Weather: mist	calm	3 mi	none	589 ft	03:00 UTC
TEL Tell City, IN	277 nm out, 3 nm north of the line	no report just now				659 ft
SRB Sparta, TN	406 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line	low IFR Sky: overcast at 100 feet Weather: fog	calm	0.25 mi	100 ft	1,025 ft	03:15 UTC
CHA Chattanooga, TN	465 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower	VFR Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 feet	calm	10+ mi	none	682 ft	02:53 UTC
FTY Atlanta, GA	554 nm out, 6 nm north of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	841 ft	02:53 UTC
CKF Cordele, GA	663 nm out, 1 nm southwest of the line	VFR Sky: a broken layer at 5,000 feet, a broken layer at 8,000 feet, a broken layer at 10,000 feet Weather: nearby thunderstorms	calm	10+ mi	5,000 ft	309 ft	22:30 UTC
VLD Valdosta, GA	742 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower	VFR	calm	10+ mi	none	203 ft	02:53 UTC
BKV Brooksville, FL	881 nm out, 12 nm southwest of the line, tower	VFR	from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots	10+ mi	none	76 ft	02:53 UTC
LAL Lakeland, FL	destination	VFR	from the west-northwest (300°) at 5 knots	10+ mi	none	141 ft	10:50 pm EDT (02:50 UTC)

The highest airport on this list sits at 1,025 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.

At LAL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:19 am EDT (09:19 UTC)

Wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR

The whole forecast for LAL

From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 3,000 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
From Sun 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC): wind from the north at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 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

6/6783 Perry, GA, Friday, October 9, 2026 through Monday, October 19, 2026 UTC 11 nm from the route, 643 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL

Daylight

Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at LAL 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:25 pm EDT (23:25 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LAL is before sunrise there (7:26 am EDT (11:26 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 · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the central Great Lakes · loop National Weather Service

Radar now, the lower Mississippi valley · loop National Weather Service

Radar, the whole country · loop National Weather Service

Surface analysis now Weather Prediction Center

Forecast chart, 12 hours ahead Weather Prediction Center

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, Lakeland Linder International.