Chicago/Rockford International to Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field RFD → LFT
733 nautical miles (844 statute miles) south on a straight line, true course 192°, about 195° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 5 h 12 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 21-knot tailwind), arriving about 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now RFD is VFR, wind calm; LFT is VFR, wind calm. 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: 1 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
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
- C510 at 41,000 ft, 20 nm east, 9:18 pm CDT (02:18 UTC): no turbulence, clear from 41,000 ft to 60,000 ft. 644 nm along the route, 20 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
HEZ UA /OV HEZ /TM 0218 /FL410 /TP C510 /SK SKC /TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through HEZ
- Where
- over HEZ
- Time
- 02:18 UTC
- Height
- at 41,000 ft
- Aircraft
- C510
- Sky
- clear
- Turbulence
- none
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 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 8 forecast points nearest it (JOT, SPI, STL, CGI, MEM, LIT, JAN, LCH). 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 | 240° at 16 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 6 h 43 min | 6:56 am CDT (11:56 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +8 kt | 15 °C | 112 kt | 6 h 33 min | 6:46 am CDT (11:46 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 250° at 16 kt | +7 kt | 12 °C | 113 kt | 6 h 29 min | 6:42 am CDT (11:42 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 260° at 13 kt | +4 kt | 9 °C | 116 kt | 6 h 19 min | 6:32 am CDT (11:32 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 280° at 11 kt | +1 kt | 5 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 10 min | 6:23 am CDT (11:23 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 280° at 13 kt | +1 kt | 1 °C | 119 kt | 6 h 10 min | 6:23 am CDT (11:23 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 280° at 15 kt | 0 | -3 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 06 min | 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 280° at 17 kt | 0 | -5 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 06 min | 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 24 kt | 0 | -17 °C | 120 kt | 6 h 06 min | 6:19 am CDT (11:19 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 31 kt | −9 kt | -32 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 41 min | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 42 kt | −14 kt | -41 °C | 134 kt | 5 h 28 min | 5:41 am CDT (10:41 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 46 kt | −21 kt | -52 °C | 141 kt | 5 h 12 min | 5:25 am CDT (10:25 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; 49 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° |
| SPI | used from 99 nm out; 20 nm from the line | 220/21 | 250/23 16° | 260/27 9° | 270/14 6° | 270/23 -7° | 270/31 -19° | 270/28 -33° | 290/48 -42° | 300/55 -52° |
| STL | used from 198 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 250/24 | 250/24 16° | 260/23 9° | 270/16 6° | 260/25 -6° | 270/29 -19° | 290/34 -33° | 290/48 -41° | 290/54 -51° |
| CGI | used from 248 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 240/20 | 270/15 15° | 280/15 11° | 300/13 6° | 290/20 -6° | 280/24 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/47 -41° | 310/49 -51° |
| MEM | used from 347 nm out; 73 nm from the line | 230/19 | 260/16 15° | 270/17 12° | 300/13 6° | 300/15 -5° | 300/26 -18° | 300/34 -32° | 300/41 -40° | 310/46 -52° |
| LIT | used from 446 nm out; 60 nm from the line | 220/21 | 230/17 16° | 250/24 12° | 260/15 7° | 260/13 -5° | 280/25 -16° | 290/35 -30° | 300/42 -40° | 300/40 -52° |
| JAN | used from 545 nm out; 76 nm from the line | 230/10 | 270/13 18° | 270/11 12° | 310/11 6° | 300/15 -4° | 300/22 -16° | 310/33 -31° | 320/37 -41° | 330/41 -52° |
| LCH | used from 644 nm out; 102 nm from the line | 160/21 | 160/18 18° | 180/13 12° | 230/6 8° | 280/10 -4° | 260/13 -14° | 310/29 -30° | 320/32 -40° | 330/33 -53° |
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: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 11:54 pm CDT (04:54 UTC) |
| RPJ Rochelle, IL | 20 nm out, 5 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 780 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| SPI Springfield, IL | 139 nm out, 6 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 11 knots | 10+ mi | none | 597 ft | 04:52 UTC |
| CPS Cahokia/St Louis, IL | 218 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southeast (160°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 412 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| FAM Farmington, MO | 277 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 945 ft | 20:07 UTC |
| POF Poplar Bluff, MO | 327 nm out, 10 nm southeast of the line | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 330 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| DRP Colt, AR | 436 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | VFR | from the south (170°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 238 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| FCY Forrest City, AR | 446 nm out, 9 nm east of the line | no report just now | 249 ft | ||||
| GLH Greenville, MS | 535 nm out, 15 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (180°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 130 ft | 04:53 UTC |
| HEZ Natchez, MS | 644 nm out, 20 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 272 ft | 04:56 UTC |
| OPL Opelousas, LA | 713 nm out, 9 nm west of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 74 ft | 04:55 UTC |
| LFT Lafayette, LA | destination | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 40 ft | 11:53 pm CDT (04:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 945 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LFT when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:25 am CDT (10:25 UTC)
Wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies VFR
The whole forecast for LFT
- From Sun 7:00 pm CDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Sun 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 10:00 am CDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the southeast 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 LFT 6:40 pm CDT (23:40 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:04 pm CDT (00:04 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at LFT is before sunrise there (7:07 am CDT (12:07 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, Lafayette Rgnl/Paul Fournet Field.