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:

Departing Chicago Midway (KMDW), especially westbound from specific runways, involves complex "wrong way" procedures that initially direct pilots away from their course at low altitudes over the city.
The "Midway Three Departure" demands constant vectoring and multiple turns to navigate congested airspace, posing considerations for safety (e.g., emergency landings, lost comms) and requiring pilots to maintain speed flexibility amidst faster commercial traffic.
Despite these initial challenges and scenic but demanding maneuvering, pilots are eventually cleared to their desired altitude and direct route once west of Midway and clear of the busy airspace.

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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.