Chicago/Rockford International to Orlando International RFD → MCO
909 nautical miles (1,046 statute miles) southeast on a straight line, true course 153°, about 156° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 04 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 30-knot tailwind), arriving about 7:47 am EDT (11:47 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: 188 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 170 to 480 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 430 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 470 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 10,000 ft. Over the route from 520 to 580 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 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 10 forecast points nearest it (JOT, IND, EVV, LOU, BNA, TYS, ATL, SAV, JAX, MLB). 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 18 kt | −14 kt | 134 kt | 6 h 47 min | 8:30 am EDT (12:30 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 310° at 19 kt | −17 kt | 137 kt | 6 h 38 min | 8:21 am EDT (12:21 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −19 kt | 13 °C | 139 kt | 6 h 32 min | 8:15 am EDT (12:15 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 21 kt | −20 kt | 10 °C | 140 kt | 6 h 30 min | 8:13 am EDT (12:13 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 6 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 35 min | 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | −18 kt | 2 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 35 min | 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 22 kt | −18 kt | -1 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 35 min | 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -5 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 35 min | 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 290° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -6 °C | 138 kt | 6 h 35 min | 8:18 am EDT (12:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 28 kt | −22 kt | -18 °C | 142 kt | 6 h 24 min | 8:07 am EDT (12:07 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 34 kt | −29 kt | -33 °C | 149 kt | 6 h 06 min | 7:49 am EDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 38 kt | −30 kt | -41 °C | 150 kt | 6 h 04 min | 7:47 am EDT (11:47 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 34 kt | −26 kt | -50 °C | 146 kt | 6 h 14 min | 7:57 am EDT (11:57 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; 35 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 150 nm out; 51 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 200 nm out; 56 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 250 nm out; 38 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 350 nm out; 61 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 400 nm out; 55 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 500 nm out; 41 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° |
| SAV | used from 650 nm out; 96 nm from the line | 280/23 | 300/22 14° | 290/27 11° | 270/31 6° | 260/36 -5° | 260/38 -17° | 240/49 -32° | 230/68 -40° | 230/59 -51° |
| JAX | used from 699 nm out; 69 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° |
| MLB | used from 849 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 230/6 | 230/12 17° | 240/13 12° | 240/14 7° | 240/20 -5° | 240/24 -16° | 210/21 -32° | 190/33 -41° | 200/36 -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 | no report just now | 742 ft | ||||
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 40 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 712 ft | ||||
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 180 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 589 ft | ||||
| BMG Bloomington, IN | 210 nm out, 21 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 845 ft | ||||
| GLW Glasgow, KY | 340 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 716 ft | ||||
| CSV Crossville, TN | 420 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line | no report just now | 1,881 ft | ||||
| RYY Atlanta, GA | 540 nm out, 22 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,040 ft | ||||
| LZU Lawrenceville, GA | 550 nm out, 6 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,061 ft | ||||
| EZM Eastman, GA | 660 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 303 ft | ||||
| VQQ Jacksonville, FL | 799 nm out, 14 nm northeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 79 ft | ||||
| SFB Orlando, FL | 889 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 54 ft | ||||
| MCO Orlando, FL | destination | no report just now | 96 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,881 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MCO when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 7:47 am EDT (11:47 UTC)
MCO has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 20 nm from the route, 640 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
- 6/8389 Jacksonville, FL, Thursday, October 15, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, 799 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Thursday 15 October · ZJX
- 4/3634 DISNEY WORLD THEME PARK, ORLANDO, FL 11 nm from the route, at the destination end · security · ZJX
Daylight
Sunset at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC), at MCO 6:59 pm EDT (22:59 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:22 pm EDT (23:22 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, Orlando International.