Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport to Chicago/Rockford International TCL → RFD
543 nautical miles (625 statute miles) north on a straight line, true course 353°, about 353° magnetic at the departure end (variation 0E). At 120 knots that is 4 h 43 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 5-knot headwind), arriving about 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC). Right now TCL is IFR, wind calm; RFD is VFR, wind from the south (170°) 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
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 TCL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- B38M at 29,000 ft, 29 nm east, 11:52 pm CDT (04:52 UTC): no turbulence from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft. 445 nm along the route, 29 nm east of the line.
as filed, and in English
TIP UA /OV RBS/TM 0452/FL290/TP B38M/TB NEG 230-290
- Report
- a routine report filed through TIP
- Where
- over RBS
- Time
- 04:52 UTC
- Height
- at 29,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B38M
- Turbulence
- no from 23,000 ft to 29,000 ft
- B739 at 35,000 ft, 36 nm east, 2:05 am CDT (07:05 UTC): no turbulence. 464 nm along the route, 36 nm east 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 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 7 forecast points nearest it (BHM, HSV, BNA, CGI, EVV, SPI, 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 | 280° at 16 kt | +5 kt | 115 kt | 4 h 43 min | 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 290° at 16 kt | +8 kt | 15 °C | 112 kt | 4 h 51 min | 7:31 am CDT (12:31 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 290° at 18 kt | +10 kt | 11 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 56 min | 7:36 am CDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +10 kt | 8 °C | 110 kt | 4 h 56 min | 7:36 am CDT (12:36 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 14 kt | +11 kt | 4 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 59 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +11 kt | 0 °C | 109 kt | 4 h 59 min | 7:39 am CDT (12:39 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +12 kt | -4 °C | 108 kt | 5 h 02 min | 7:42 am CDT (12:42 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 21 kt | +13 kt | -7 °C | 107 kt | 5 h 04 min | 7:44 am CDT (12:44 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 25 kt | +18 kt | -18 °C | 102 kt | 5 h 19 min | 7:59 am CDT (12:59 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 37 kt | +28 kt | -33 °C | 92 kt | 5 h 54 min | 8:34 am CDT (13:34 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 52 kt | +38 kt | -42 °C | 82 kt | 6 h 37 min | 9:17 am CDT (14:17 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 320° at 49 kt | +40 kt | -51 °C | 80 kt | 6 h 47 min | 9:27 am CDT (14:27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHM | used from 0 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 310/19 | 330/20 17° | 320/28 11° | 340/21 6° | 310/22 -7° | 330/33 -17° | 330/50 -32° | 330/57 -41° | 330/41 -50° |
| HSV | used from 49 nm out; 52 nm from the line | 310/20 | 330/20 16° | 320/27 11° | 340/23 5° | 320/23 -7° | 340/30 -17° | 320/50 -33° | 330/61 -41° | 340/41 -50° |
| BNA | used from 148 nm out; 66 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° |
| CGI | used from 198 nm out; 70 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° |
| EVV | used from 247 nm out; 42 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° |
| SPI | used from 346 nm out; 59 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° |
| JOT | used from 445 nm out; 45 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCL Tuscaloosa, AL | departure | IFR Weather: mist | calm | 1.75 mi | none | 169 ft | 2:34 am CDT (07:34 UTC) |
| JFX Jasper, AL | 40 nm out, 20 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 482 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| MSL Muscle Shoals, AL | 89 nm out, 11 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 7 mi | none | 550 ft | 07:18 UTC |
| PVE Lexington-Parsons, TN | 148 nm out, 10 nm west of the line | VFR Weather: mist | calm | 6 mi | none | 487 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| CEY Murray, KY | 207 nm out, 11 nm west of the line | VFR | variable at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 577 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| GDA Marion, KY | 247 nm out, 7 nm east of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (200°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | none | 652 ft | 07:35 UTC |
| FOA Flora, IL | 326 nm out, 3 nm north of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 472 ft | 07:15 UTC |
| OLY Olney-Noble, IL | 336 nm out, 15 nm east of the line | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 482 ft | 07:10 UTC |
| DEC Decatur, IL | 405 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 681 ft | 06:54 UTC |
| BMI Bloomington/Normal, IL | 445 nm out, 8 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 871 ft | 06:56 UTC |
| ARR Chicago/Aurora, IL | 514 nm out, 24 nm east of the line, tower | VFR | calm | 10+ mi | none | 712 ft | 06:52 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south (170°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 1:54 am CDT (06:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 871 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, 7:23 am CDT (12:23 UTC)
Wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for RFD
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds 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 TCL, the departure
- From Mon 3:00 am CDT (08:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility 1 mile, mist, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- At times between Mon 4:00 am CDT (09:00 UTC) and 8:00 am CDT (13:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, mist
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
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 TCL 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 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: Tuscaloosa Ntl Airport, Chicago/Rockford International.