Chicago/Rockford International to Worcester Regional RFD → ORH
764 nautical miles (880 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 084°, about 087° magnetic at the departure end (variation 3W). At 120 knots that is 4 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 42-knot tailwind), arriving about 6:31 am EDT (10:31 UTC), after sunset at the destination. 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
- SIGMET E18E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 35 knots, until 1:55 am CDT (06:55 UTC). Near the route, at the destination end.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120455 MKCE WST 120455 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 18E VALID UNTIL 0655Z MA RI CT AND MA RI NY CSTL WTRS FROM 40E BOS-130SE ACK-170S ACK-50SE HTO-20NW PVD-40E BOS AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24035KT. TOPS TO FL300.
- 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 last 655 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 496 to 705 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 258 nm of the route.
- AIRMET ZULU 1C: moderate icing up to 22,000 ft. Over the route from 685 to 705 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 10,000 ft. Over the last 40 nm of 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
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 8 forecast points nearest it (JOT, MKG, FWA, CLE, BUF, SYR, ALB, BDL). 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 | 290° at 8 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 5 h 58 min | 7:46 am EDT (11:46 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 320° at 12 kt | −8 kt | 128 kt | 5 h 58 min | 7:46 am EDT (11:46 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 320° at 12 kt | −7 kt | 10 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 01 min | 7:49 am EDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 320° at 11 kt | −7 kt | 7 °C | 127 kt | 6 h 01 min | 7:49 am EDT (11:49 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 310° at 11 kt | −9 kt | 3 °C | 129 kt | 5 h 55 min | 7:43 am EDT (11:43 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | −12 kt | -1 °C | 132 kt | 5 h 47 min | 7:35 am EDT (11:35 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | −15 kt | -5 °C | 135 kt | 5 h 40 min | 7:28 am EDT (11:28 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | −18 kt | -9 °C | 138 kt | 5 h 32 min | 7:20 am EDT (11:20 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 22 kt | −19 kt | -10 °C | 139 kt | 5 h 30 min | 7:18 am EDT (11:18 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 290° at 26 kt | −23 kt | -21 °C | 143 kt | 5 h 21 min | 7:09 am EDT (11:09 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 33 kt | −27 kt | -36 °C | 147 kt | 5 h 12 min | 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 290° at 43 kt | −39 kt | -43 °C | 159 kt | 4 h 48 min | 6:36 am EDT (10:36 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 46 kt | −42 kt | -51 °C | 162 kt | 4 h 43 min | 6:31 am EDT (10:31 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; 46 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° |
| MKG | used from 99 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 260/22 | 290/16 15° | 300/11 10° | 290/5 3° | 300/26 -9° | 300/32 -20° | 320/48 -36° | 320/61 -45° | 310/74 -53° |
| FWA | used from 199 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 300/17 | 320/20 16° | 330/20 10° | 340/15 3° | 310/27 -8° | 320/37 -20° | 330/52 -36° | 330/65 -43° | 330/60 -50° |
| CLE | used from 248 nm out; 83 nm from the line | 340/7 | 010/16 13° | 350/18 8° | 350/20 3° | 340/31 -10° | 340/46 -21° | 340/54 -37° | 330/62 -44° | 340/65 -49° |
| BUF | used from 397 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 320/10 | 010/16 10° | 360/10 6° | 340/13 2° | 330/22 -11° | 300/25 -23° | 320/31 -38° | 300/29 -44° | 280/36 -50° |
| SYR | used from 496 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 280/13 | 350/18 10° | 340/10 6° | 300/15 1° | 280/17 -12° | 270/16 -23° | 280/25 -38° | 250/40 -42° | 240/53 -50° |
| ALB | used from 645 nm out; 23 nm from the line | 120/9 | 270/8 10° | L/V 5° | 260/9 1° | 260/34 -10° | 250/42 -22° | 240/57 -35° | 240/70 -42° | 240/65 -50° |
| BDL | used from 695 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 120/24 | 290/23 12° | 280/21 8° | 250/36 3° | 250/41 -11° | 230/48 -21° | 230/78 -32° | 230/96 -41° | 230/86 -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 | ||||
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | 60 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 728 ft | ||||
| LWA South Haven, MI | 129 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line | no report just now | 665 ft | ||||
| BTL Battle Creek, MI | 169 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 951 ft | ||||
| DET Detroit, MI | 268 nm out, 7 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 624 ft | ||||
| CYQS St Thomas, | 357 nm out, 13 nm north of the line | no report just now | 776 ft | ||||
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 457 nm out, 24 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 726 ft | ||||
| DSV Dansville, NY | 506 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 659 ft | ||||
| ITH Ithaca, NY | 556 nm out, 5 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,099 ft | ||||
| ALB Albany, NY | 675 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 284 ft | ||||
| CEF Springfield/Chicopee, MA | 735 nm out, 7 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 241 ft | ||||
| ORH Worcester, MA | destination | no report just now | 1,009 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,099 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ORH when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 6:31 am EDT (10:31 UTC)
ORH has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
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 ORH 6:10 pm EDT (22:10 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:39 pm EDT (22:39 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ORH is before sunrise there (6:56 am EDT (10:56 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







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, Worcester Regional.
