Stockton Metro Airport to Chicago/Rockford International SCK → RFD
1,491 nautical miles (1,715 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 070°, about 056° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14E). At 120 knots that is 8 h 40 min at the quickest height in today's winds (39,000 ft, a 52-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:42 am CDT (14:42 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: 434 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 1W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 39,000 ft. Over the first 50 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Over the route from 189 to 706 nm out.
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft. Over the route from 199 to 646 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 18,000 ft. Over the route from 288 to 835 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 18,000 ft to 38,000 ft. Over the route from 467 to 884 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 586 to 765 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: strong surface winds (30 knots or more) (due to sustained surface winds greater than 30 knots). Over the route from 596 to 656 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: low-level wind shear (due to air speed loss or gain of 20 knots or more below 2,000 ft above the ground). Over the route from 865 to 1441 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Near the route, 1034 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 SCK.
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 12 forecast points nearest it (SAC, RNO, BIH, ELY, SLC, RKS, DEN, BFF, ONL, OMA, DSM, DBQ). A plus sign is a headwind, a minus sign a tailwind.
| Height | Average wind | Head- or tailwind | Temperature | Ground speed | Time en route | Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 220° at 19 kt | −13 kt | 20 °C | 133 kt | 11 h 13 min | 12:15 pm CDT (17:15 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 220° at 22 kt | −16 kt | 11 °C | 136 kt | 10 h 58 min | 12:00 pm CDT (17:00 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 220° at 21 kt | −17 kt | 7 °C | 137 kt | 10 h 53 min | 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 220° at 22 kt | −18 kt | 3 °C | 138 kt | 10 h 48 min | 11:50 am CDT (16:50 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 220° at 24 kt | −20 kt | -1 °C | 140 kt | 10 h 39 min | 11:41 am CDT (16:41 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 220° at 26 kt | −22 kt | -6 °C | 142 kt | 10 h 30 min | 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | −24 kt | -10 °C | 144 kt | 10 h 21 min | 11:23 am CDT (16:23 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 230° at 29 kt | −25 kt | -11 °C | 145 kt | 10 h 17 min | 11:19 am CDT (16:19 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 35 kt | −30 kt | -22 °C | 150 kt | 9 h 56 min | 10:58 am CDT (15:58 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 44 kt | −38 kt | -31 °C | 158 kt | 9 h 26 min | 10:28 am CDT (15:28 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 50 kt | −48 kt | -37 °C | 168 kt | 8 h 52 min | 9:54 am CDT (14:54 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 250° at 52 kt | −52 kt | -46 °C | 172 kt | 8 h 40 min | 9:42 am CDT (14:42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAC | used from 0 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 110/6 | L/V 4° | 010/11 -2° | 350/11 -7° | 340/24 -16° | 360/44 -23° | 330/24 -30° | 270/21 -35° | 230/23 -43° |
| RNO | used from 50 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 010/9 | 320/10 -2° | 210/23 -9° | 210/34 -19° | 220/36 -25° | 230/31 -29° | 230/41 -33° | 230/38 -42° | |
| BIH | used from 149 nm out; 93 nm from the line | L/V | 240/7 1° | 190/13 -3° | 200/26 -16° | 210/43 -26° | 220/54 -28° | 220/51 -35° | 220/47 -43° | |
| ELY | used from 199 nm out; 89 nm from the line | 200/39 3° | 210/27 -2° | 210/45 -15° | 220/56 -24° | 210/60 -28° | 210/63 -34° | 220/61 -43° | ||
| SLC | used from 398 nm out; 55 nm from the line | 200/5 | 230/8 2° | 220/20 -2° | 210/40 -12° | 190/53 -25° | 210/62 -30° | 220/69 -34° | 220/64 -43° | |
| RKS | used from 547 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 200/41 | 220/44 1° | 220/35 -11° | 220/46 -24° | 210/53 -27° | 220/62 -35° | 230/61 -44° | ||
| DEN | used from 696 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 240/21 14° | 250/44 6° | 220/49 -8° | 220/49 -21° | 230/54 -30° | 240/57 -35° | 240/49 -45° | ||
| BFF | used from 745 nm out; 79 nm from the line | 180/28 | 220/33 15° | 210/31 7° | 230/32 -9° | 220/41 -21° | 220/40 -33° | 240/47 -36° | 250/54 -46° | |
| ONL | used from 944 nm out; 103 nm from the line | 210/31 20° | 230/27 13° | 230/18 7° | 220/19 -8° | 240/26 -20° | 250/44 -35° | 270/52 -39° | 260/57 -47° | |
| OMA | used from 1143 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 220/47 | 240/33 19° | 250/18 11° | 230/17 6° | 260/29 -8° | 250/33 -19° | 250/51 -33° | 260/61 -40° | 270/62 -49° |
| DSM | used from 1242 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 230/40 | 250/33 17° | 250/18 12° | 240/17 5° | 260/28 -8° | 270/34 -19° | 260/41 -33° | 260/55 -41° | 270/62 -51° |
| DBQ | used from 1342 nm out; 54 nm from the line | 230/33 | 250/30 16° | 280/15 9° | 260/15 5° | 260/21 -7° | 260/24 -20° | 250/37 -33° | 270/42 -43° | 280/63 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCK Stockton, CA | departure | no report just now | 32 ft | ||||
| HTH Hawthorne, NV | 129 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 4,230 ft | ||||
| GAB Gabbs, NV | 169 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 4,699 ft | ||||
| ELY Ely, NV | 308 nm out, 14 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 6,259 ft | ||||
| PVU Provo, UT | 467 nm out, 3 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 4,496 ft | ||||
| DWX Dixon, WY | 666 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 6,548 ft | ||||
| CYS Cheyenne, WY | 785 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 6,159 ft | ||||
| BUB Burwell, NE | 1043 nm out, 6 nm south of the line | no report just now | 2,183 ft | ||||
| SUX Sioux City, IA | 1163 nm out, 22 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,098 ft | ||||
| MIW Marshalltown, IA | 1322 nm out, 4 nm south of the line | no report just now | 974 ft | ||||
| DBQ Dubuque, IA | 1421 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,076 ft | ||||
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | no report just now | 742 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 6,548 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, 9:42 am CDT (14:42 UTC)
RFD 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 SCK 6:31 pm PDT (01:31 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: Stockton Metro Airport, Chicago/Rockford International.