Tucson International to Waukegan Ntl Airport TUS → UGN
1,258 nautical miles (1,448 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 054°, about 045° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9E). At 120 knots that is 6 h 44 min at the quickest height in today's winds (30,000 ft, a 67-knot tailwind), arriving about 12:53 pm CDT (17:53 UTC). Right now TUS is VFR, wind from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots; UGN is VFR, wind from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 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: 5 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 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist). Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET TANGO 1W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 12,000 ft. Over the route from 100 to 160 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 34,000 ft to 43,000 ft. Over the route from 150 to 399 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 22,000 ft. Near the route, 359 nm along the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 579 to 1108 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 TUS.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- urgent BE20 at 500 ft, 23 nm southeast, 2:34 am MST (09:34 UTC): remarks: low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl. 569 nm along the route, 23 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
LBL UUA /OV LBL/TM 0934/FL005/TP BE20/RM LLWS 500FT +/-10KT ZKC FD DL
- Report
- an urgent report filed through LBL
- Where
- over LBL
- Time
- 09:34 UTC
- Height
- at 500 ft
- Aircraft
- BE20
- Remarks
- low-level wind shear 500FT a 10-knot loss of airspeed zkc fd dl
- B739 at 34,000 ft, 46 nm northwest, 3:58 am MST (10:58 UTC): no turbulence. At the destination end, 46 nm northwest of the line.
as filed, and in English
UES UA /OV BAE/TM 1058/FL340/TP B739/TB NEG
- Report
- a routine report filed through UES
- Where
- over BAE
- Time
- 10:58 UTC
- Height
- at 34,000 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 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 (TUS, ABQ, TCC, GCK, SLN, MKC, DSM, BRL, DBQ, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5,500 ft | 240° at 27 kt | −27 kt | 18 °C | 147 kt | 8 h 33 min | 2:42 pm CDT (19:42 UTC) |
| 7,500 ft | 230° at 24 kt | −24 kt | 14 °C | 144 kt | 8 h 44 min | 2:53 pm CDT (19:53 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 230° at 25 kt | −25 kt | 10 °C | 145 kt | 8 h 41 min | 2:50 pm CDT (19:50 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 230° at 28 kt | −28 kt | 6 °C | 148 kt | 8 h 30 min | 2:39 pm CDT (19:39 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 230° at 30 kt | −31 kt | 2 °C | 151 kt | 8 h 20 min | 2:29 pm CDT (19:29 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 240° at 33 kt | −33 kt | -2 °C | 153 kt | 8 h 13 min | 2:22 pm CDT (19:22 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 240° at 36 kt | −36 kt | -7 °C | 156 kt | 8 h 04 min | 2:13 pm CDT (19:13 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 240° at 36 kt | −37 kt | -8 °C | 157 kt | 8 h 01 min | 2:10 pm CDT (19:10 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 48 kt | −49 kt | -20 °C | 169 kt | 7 h 27 min | 1:36 pm CDT (18:36 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 250° at 66 kt | −67 kt | -29 °C | 187 kt | 6 h 44 min | 12:53 pm CDT (17:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 67 kt | −67 kt | -37 °C | 187 kt | 6 h 44 min | 12:53 pm CDT (17:53 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 62 kt | −62 kt | -48 °C | 182 kt | 6 h 55 min | 1:04 pm CDT (18:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 200/12 13° | 200/34 7° | 210/41 4° | 230/53 -7° | 220/69 -19° | 220/84 -27° | 220/88 -36° | 220/83 -48° | |
| ABQ | used from 150 nm out; 105 nm from the line | 220/19 9° | 220/35 3° | 230/50 -8° | 240/64 -19° | 230/83 -26° | 230/85 -36° | 230/80 -48° | ||
| TCC | used from 350 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 240/20 | 230/22 13° | 230/27 6° | 230/40 -7° | 240/55 -18° | 240/74 -27° | 240/68 -37° | 250/64 -49° | |
| GCK | used from 499 nm out; 88 nm from the line | 240/40 22° | 240/40 14° | 240/38 7° | 230/39 -7° | 230/45 -20° | 250/73 -28° | 260/74 -36° | 260/64 -49° | |
| SLN | used from 699 nm out; 39 nm from the line | 230/49 | 240/41 22° | 230/26 15° | 220/21 7° | 240/38 -8° | 240/44 -21° | 260/77 -29° | 270/70 -36° | 270/63 -48° |
| MKC | used from 849 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 240/49 | 240/21 20° | 220/19 13° | 230/21 6° | 260/26 -7° | 250/37 -19° | 270/66 -31° | 270/65 -38° | 280/60 -48° |
| DSM | used from 949 nm out; 62 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
| BRL | used from 1049 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/19 17° | 260/15 11° | 270/16 3° | 290/23 -7° | 260/42 -20° | 270/52 -34° | 280/63 -39° | 290/64 -48° |
| DBQ | used from 1148 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| JOT | used from 1198 nm out; 45 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TUS Tucson, AZ | departure | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 7,000 feet | from the south-southeast (150°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 7,000 ft | 2,643 ft | 3:53 am MST (10:53 UTC) |
| SAD Safford, AZ | 80 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 3,178 ft | 10:51 UTC |
| ONM Socorro, NM | 230 nm out, 23 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 4,875 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| ABQ Albuquerque, NM | 280 nm out, 20 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 feet | calm | 10+ mi | none | 5,354 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| CAO Clayton, NM | 469 nm out, 4 nm southwest of the line | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 17 knots, gusting to 23 | 10+ mi | none | 4,969 ft | 10:55 UTC |
| GCK Garden City, KS | 609 nm out, 17 nm northwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (220°) at 20 knots, gusting to 33 | 10+ mi | none | 2,890 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| GBD Great Bend, KS | 699 nm out, 5 nm southeast of the line | VFR | from the south (190°) at 13 knots | 10+ mi | none | 1,886 ft | 10:56 UTC |
| SLN Salina, KS | 759 nm out, 9 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 15 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | none | 1,288 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| STJ St Joseph, MO | 899 nm out, 15 nm southeast of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 826 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 1128 nm out, 8 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| RFD Chicago/Rockford, IL | 1198 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the southeast (140°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 742 ft | 10:54 UTC |
| UGN Chicago/Waukegan, IL | destination | VFR | from the west-southwest (240°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | none | 728 ft | 5:51 am CDT (10:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 5,354 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At UGN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:53 pm CDT (17:53 UTC)
UGN has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
The forecast for TUS, the departure
- From Sun 11:00 pm MST (06:00 UTC): wind from the southwest at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 8,000 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am MST (08:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am MST (17:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 14 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm MST (03:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 6,000 feet
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 TUS 5:53 pm MST (00:53 UTC), at UGN 6:14 pm CDT (23:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Tucson International, Waukegan Ntl Airport.