Chicago O'Hare Airport News and Weather

Alleged Chinese undergraduate student who said he had an aircraft photo hobby accused of espionage at O’Hare; security images captured a Chinese national snapping pictures of aircraft at the airport (Chuck Goudie/NBC Chicago). Weiheng Zeng, a 24-year-old Chinese national and undergraduate student at Canada's University of Waterloo, was taken into federal custody, facing accusations of participating in a Chinese intelligence-led reconnaissance operation targeting major North American logistics hubs. Weiheng Zeng initially claimed he was a passionate "plane spotter" chasing a rare aircraft, but later admitted he was recruited and paid by a handler he believed worked for Chinese state security for an unknown project. All content, videos and links mentioned are for information only, and are not necessarily endorsed or specifically recommended by AirportsChicago.com for your specific condition or situation.

Rideshare drivers that are following the rules say they are losing work and money to others that illegally idle and wait on the expressway shoulder (Marissa Sulek/CBS Chicago). Uber drivers are illegally idling on the shoulder of the Kennedy Expressway in an "Emergency Parking Only" area, and Uber drivers who follow the rules and wait in a designated Ride Sharing lot are losing out in the queue, and are losing money. All drivers who wait in the emergency parking areas on the shoulders can be fined $100, but enforcement is weak. Jahanzaib Mawani, who appears to drive in the Uber Black SUV tier, follows the rules and uses the designated ridesharing lot. He explained the predicament to CBS Chicago reporter Marissa Sulek. All content, videos and links mentioned are for information only, and are not necessarily endorsed or specifically recommended by AirportsChicago.com for your specific condition or situation.

No aviation concerns this morning (Monday, February 19, 2024).  A weak pressure gradient over the area will support very light winds through the period, generally from a southerly direction but somewhat variable early this morning. Once a prevailing direction does develop, trends should evolve from SSW early, eventually to SSE by late afternoon. It may also be worth mentioning that an odd little pocket of lower cigs and vsbys moved onshore from Lake Michigan overnight into far northeast IL and spread into portions of southern WI. At 12 UTC JVL was reporting OVC001 and 1/8 SM. There are hints that a little residual tail of this feature stretches into Cook County northwest of the ORD TAF radius. It does not appear to be expanding, but aircraft operating in that area may encounter very localized lower cigs/vsbys in otherwise widespread VFR conditions. - Lenning/NWS Chicago TAF = Terminal Aerodrome Forecast CIGS = ceilings VSBYS = visibilities JVL = Southern Wisconsin Regional KJVL

China Southern Cargo (CSN 434) departing O'Hare for  from Istanbul northbound over Arlington Heights at just over 5,000 feet about 3:00 p.m. and scheduled to land at Shangahai (PVG) at 5:38 p.m. Thursday, July 13, 2023. Boeing 777-F1B

Turkish Cargo (THY 6275) arriving from Istanbul westbound over northern Arlington Heights at just over 5,000 feet about 11:50 p.m. and scheduled to land at O'Hare  at 12:24 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Boeing 777-FF2

Korean Air Cargo (KAL 261) arriving from Anchorage southwestbound over northern Arlington Heights about 11:50 p.m. and scheduled to land at O'Hare  at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Boeing 747-8B5F

UAL Flight 2400 arriving from Boston westbound over Arlington Heights at 11:55 p.m. and scheduled to land at O'Hare  at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Boeing 757-224