Chicagos Scenic Route

Pilots around Lake Michigan know theres a popular route down the lakeshore with the Chicago skyline just off the wingtip. This offers fantastic views of downtown Chicago and is a practical way to transit from eastern Wisconsin to anywhere southeast of Windy City. You might even have a reason to stop at Chicago Midway and get a really close look at that famous skyline.

Elaine Kauh

Monday, January 08, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The "Midway Three Departure" from Chicago Midway (KMDW), particularly for westbound flights from runways 4L/R, initially directs aircraft east over downtown Chicago at low altitudes, flying away from their intended course.
This complex departure involves extensive maneuvering, multiple turns, and prolonged low-altitude flight (1400-2400 ft) to ensure separation from O'Hare's airspace before finally allowing westbound progression.
Pilots encounter concerns such as limited emergency landing options over the dense urban area, potential challenges during lost communication in IMC, and the necessity of managing speed to integrate with faster commercial traffic.

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Pilots around Lake Michigan know there’s a popular route down the lakeshore with the Chicago skyline just off the wingtip. This offers fantastic views of downtown Chicago and is a practical way to transit from eastern Wisconsin to anywhere southeast of Windy City. You might even have a reason to stop at Chicago Midway and get areallyclose look at that famous skyline.

Filing out of KMDW is pretty standard for big-city airspace. You figure out where ATC is sending the departures and brief the expected procedure—there are two at Midway. The Midway Three Departure is simple in its makeup, but has some interesting twists and turns.