Southwest Florida International to Chicago/Rockford International RSW → RFD
1,007 nautical miles (1,159 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 341°, about 345° magnetic at the departure end (variation 4W). At 120 knots that is 9 h 19 min at the quickest height in today's winds (12,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 2:22 pm CDT (19:22 UTC). Right now RSW is marginal VFR, wind from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots; RFD is VFR, wind from the southeast (130°) at 3 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: 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
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 179 to 229 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, 499 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the route from 509 to 798 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 509 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Near the route, 538 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 RSW.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 14 nm northeast, 3:05 am EDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 917 nm along the route, 14 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS010023/TM 0705/FL350/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- 23 nm north (010°) of RBS
- Time
- 07:05 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Turbulence
- none
Winds aloft along the route, and the time en route the forecast for use 08:00–15:00 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 (PIE, TLH, CSG, ATL, BNA, EVV, IND, JOT). 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 | 310° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 103 kt | 9 h 47 min | 2:50 pm CDT (19:50 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 320° at 18 kt | +17 kt | 15 °C | 103 kt | 9 h 47 min | 2:50 pm CDT (19:50 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 15 kt | +15 kt | 11 °C | 105 kt | 9 h 35 min | 2:38 pm CDT (19:38 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +13 kt | 8 °C | 107 kt | 9 h 25 min | 2:28 pm CDT (19:28 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 15 kt | +12 kt | 5 °C | 108 kt | 9 h 19 min | 2:22 pm CDT (19:22 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 18 kt | +14 kt | 1 °C | 106 kt | 9 h 30 min | 2:33 pm CDT (19:33 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 20 kt | +16 kt | -3 °C | 104 kt | 9 h 41 min | 2:44 pm CDT (19:44 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 22 kt | +17 kt | -6 °C | 103 kt | 9 h 47 min | 2:50 pm CDT (19:50 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 25 kt | +21 kt | -18 °C | 99 kt | 10 h 10 min | 3:13 pm CDT (20:13 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 32 kt | +26 kt | -33 °C | 94 kt | 10 h 43 min | 3:46 pm CDT (20:46 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 39 kt | +34 kt | -41 °C | 86 kt | 11 h 43 min | 4:46 pm CDT (21:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -51 °C | 89 kt | 11 h 19 min | 4:22 pm CDT (21:22 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIE | used from 0 nm out; 72 nm from the line | 360/10 | 340/12 18° | 330/9 13° | 290/12 8° | 260/21 -7° | 280/18 -18° | 250/20 -33° | 250/26 -41° | 250/20 -51° |
| TLH | used from 199 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 340/23 | 350/26 17° | 350/21 11° | 300/13 6° | 320/25 -6° | 340/35 -16° | 350/44 -32° | 360/51 -42° | 350/33 -52° |
| CSG | used from 299 nm out; 78 nm from the line | 330/27 | 340/28 16° | 350/28 11° | 330/17 6° | 340/25 -6° | 350/33 -18° | 330/46 -32° | 340/45 -41° | 350/31 -52° |
| ATL | used from 399 nm out; 28 nm from the line | 330/32 | 340/36 17° | 350/34 10° | 340/25 6° | 330/27 -6° | 350/35 -18° | 330/49 -32° | 340/47 -41° | 340/27 -51° |
| BNA | used from 548 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 300/20 | 300/14 15° | 300/14 10° | 300/13 4° | 310/22 -5° | 280/24 -18° | 310/37 -33° | 310/50 -41° | 320/49 -51° |
| EVV | used from 698 nm out; 40 nm from the line | 270/25 | 290/17 15° | 260/10 8° | 270/16 5° | 280/29 -6° | 280/33 -19° | 290/38 -33° | 300/53 -41° | 310/54 -51° |
| IND | used from 798 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 270/22 | 290/19 15° | 270/19 8° | 270/18 4° | 290/28 -7° | 280/35 -20° | 270/37 -34° | 300/51 -42° | 300/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 897 nm out; 38 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSW Fort Myers, FL | departure | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 200 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 5 knots | 9 mi | 1,000 ft | 29 ft | 5:53 am EDT (09:53 UTC) |
| PGD Punta Gorda, FL | 30 nm out, 6 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 1,800 feet | from the north (010°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 25 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| BKV Brooksville, FL | 120 nm out, 4 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Weather: fog | calm | 0.5 mi | none | 76 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| VLD Valdosta, GA | 269 nm out, 10 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 203 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| ABY Albany, GA | 329 nm out, 19 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the west (280°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 196 ft | 22:53 UTC |
| FTY Atlanta, GA | 459 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | from the northwest (310°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | none | 841 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 538 nm out, 8 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 682 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| BWG Bowling Green, KY | 668 nm out, 6 nm west of the line | low IFR Sky: sky obscured at 200 feet Weather: fog | calm | 0.25 mi | 200 ft | 547 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| OWB Owensboro, KY | 728 nm out, 21 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 407 ft | 09:56 UTC |
| HUF Terre Haute, IN | 828 nm out, 12 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 09:53 UTC |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 977 nm out, 16 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 9 mi | none | 712 ft | 09:52 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (130°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 4:54 am CDT (09:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 841 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At RFD when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 2:22 pm CDT (19:22 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RFD
- From Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 13 knots, gusting to 23, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm CDT (23:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 12,000 feet
The forecast for RSW, the departure
- From Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 6 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 200 feet, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC) and 7:00 am EDT (11:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist, a broken layer at 200 feet
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
- From Mon 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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, 369 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 19 October · ZTL
Daylight
Sunset at RSW 7:02 pm EDT (23:02 UTC), at RFD 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:47 pm CDT (23:47 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: Southwest Florida International, Chicago/Rockford International.