Nantucket Memorial to Bradley International ACK → BDL
125 nautical miles (144 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 290°, about 304° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 06 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 5:23 am EDT (09:23 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now ACK is low IFR, wind from the north-northeast (030°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20; BDL is IFR, wind from the north (350°) at 9 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: 2 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
- SIGMET E27E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 35,000 ft, moving from the southwest at 20 knots, until 5:55 am EDT (09:55 UTC). Over the first 29 nm of the route.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120755 MKCE WST 120755 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 27E VALID UNTIL 0955Z MA RI NY AND MA RI DE NJ NY MD CT CSTL WTRS FROM 60NE ACK-90ESE ACK-200SSE HTO-160SE SIE-HTO-60NE ACK AREA EMBD TS MOV FROM 24020KT. TOPS TO FL350. REF INTL SIGMET LIMA SERIES.
- AIRMET SIERRA 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist, fog). Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 4W: 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 first 10 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the whole route.
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 ACK.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
No pilot reports within 50 nautical miles of the line in the last three hours.
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 3 forecast points nearest it (ACK, BOS, BDL). 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 | 220° at 14 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 1 h 06 min | 5:23 am EDT (09:23 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 260° at 24 kt | +20 kt | 13 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 15 min | 5:32 am EDT (09:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 270° at 28 kt | +26 kt | 10 °C | 94 kt | 1 h 20 min | 5:37 am EDT (09:37 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 270° at 31 kt | +29 kt | 6 °C | 91 kt | 1 h 22 min | 5:39 am EDT (09:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 260° at 35 kt | +31 kt | 2 °C | 89 kt | 1 h 24 min | 5:41 am EDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 39 kt | +31 kt | -2 °C | 89 kt | 1 h 24 min | 5:41 am EDT (09:41 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 42 kt | +32 kt | -6 °C | 88 kt | 1 h 25 min | 5:42 am EDT (09:42 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 45 kt | +33 kt | -9 °C | 87 kt | 1 h 26 min | 5:43 am EDT (09:43 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 230° at 54 kt | +27 kt | -19 °C | 93 kt | 1 h 21 min | 5:38 am EDT (09:38 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 75 kt | +42 kt | -32 °C | 78 kt | 1 h 36 min | 5:53 am EDT (09:53 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 240° at 90 kt | +56 kt | -41 °C | 64 kt | 1 h 57 min | 6:14 am EDT (10:14 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 240° at 92 kt | +57 kt | -53 °C | 63 kt | 1 h 59 min | 6:16 am EDT (10:16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACK | used from 0 nm out; 24 nm from the line | 230/29 | 270/37 16° | 270/38 10° | 270/40 4° | 240/46 -8° | 230/52 -17° | 240/74 -31° | 240/83 -41° | 240/91 -53° |
| BOS | used from 48 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 110/20 | 200/26 12° | 280/24 8° | 260/29 3° | 250/47 -10° | 230/59 -19° | 230/74 -33° | 240/95 -41° | 240/96 -53° |
| BDL | used from 96 nm out; 14 nm from the line | 120/24 | 290/23 12° | 280/21 8° | 250/36 3° | 250/41 -11° | 230/48 -21° | 230/78 -32° | 230/96 -41° | 230/86 -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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACK Nantucket, MA | departure | low IFR Sky: overcast at 200 feet Weather: mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 10 knots, gusting to 20 | 4 mi | 200 ft | 46 ft | 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC) |
| MVY Vineyard Haven, MA | 29 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the north-northeast (020°) at 12 knots, gusting to 22 | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 66 ft | 07:53 UTC |
| OQU North Kingstown, RI | 67 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the north (360°) at 15 knots | 600 ft | 18 ft | 07:55 UTC | |
| IJD Willimantic, CT | 96 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,200 feet, overcast at 3,100 feet | from the north (360°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | 3,100 ft | 246 ft | 08:06 UTC |
| BDL Windsor Locks, CT | destination | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the north (350°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 173 ft | 3:51 am EDT (07:51 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 246 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BDL when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 5:23 am EDT (09:23 UTC)
Wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for BDL
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 15,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 1,500 feet
The forecast for ACK, the departure
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the east at 16 knots, gusting to 23, visibility 3 miles, rain, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 13 knots, gusting to 18, visibility 2 miles, mist, overcast at 300 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 15 knots, gusting to 22, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 800 feet
- From Mon 4:00 pm EDT (20:00 UTC): wind from the north at 13 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 3 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 5,000 feet
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/7153 North Sicuate, RI, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 6 nm from the route, 77 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZBW
Daylight
Sunset at ACK 6:04 pm EDT (22:04 UTC), at BDL 6:14 pm EDT (22:14 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm EDT (22:42 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at BDL is before sunrise there (6:59 am EDT (10:59 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: Nantucket Memorial, Bradley International.