Bradley International to Lehigh Valley International BDL → ABE
146 nautical miles (168 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 239°, about 253° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14W). At 120 knots that is 1 h 17 min at the quickest height in today's winds (4,500 ft, a 6-knot headwind), arriving about 12:22 am EDT (04:22 UTC), after sunset at the destination. Right now BDL is IFR, wind from the north (360°) at 12 knots; ABE is marginal VFR, wind from the northeast (050°) at 12 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: 22 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 3E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist). Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 21,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft up to 13,000 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 BDL.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
Not fetched just now.
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 (BDL, JFK, AVP). 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 | 260° at 7 kt | +6 kt | 114 kt | 1 h 17 min | 12:22 am EDT (04:22 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 280° at 17 kt | +13 kt | 12 °C | 107 kt | 1 h 22 min | 12:27 am EDT (04:27 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 260° at 22 kt | +20 kt | 9 °C | 100 kt | 1 h 28 min | 12:33 am EDT (04:33 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 250° at 26 kt | +25 kt | 6 °C | 95 kt | 1 h 32 min | 12:37 am EDT (04:37 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 250° at 29 kt | +29 kt | 3 °C | 91 kt | 1 h 36 min | 12:41 am EDT (04:41 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 250° at 31 kt | +30 kt | -2 °C | 90 kt | 1 h 37 min | 12:42 am EDT (04:42 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 250° at 33 kt | +32 kt | -7 °C | 88 kt | 1 h 40 min | 12:45 am EDT (04:45 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 250° at 34 kt | +34 kt | -11 °C | 86 kt | 1 h 42 min | 12:47 am EDT (04:47 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 240° at 41 kt | +41 kt | -21 °C | 79 kt | 1 h 51 min | 12:56 am EDT (04:56 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 230° at 72 kt | +72 kt | -33 °C | 48 kt | 3 h 02 min | 2:07 am EDT (06:07 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 230° at 86 kt | +85 kt | -41 °C | 35 kt | 4 h 10 min | 3:15 am EDT (07:15 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 230° at 75 kt | +74 kt | -51 °C | 46 kt | 3 h 10 min | 2:15 am EDT (06:15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDL | used from 0 nm out; 24 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° |
| JFK | used from 49 nm out; 42 nm from the line | 250/18 | 250/23 14° | 240/33 9° | 240/33 4° | 240/38 -10° | 240/45 -21° | 230/86 -32° | 230/102 -40° | 230/84 -51° |
| AVP | used from 98 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 150/5 | 350/13 12° | 270/20 8° | 260/17 4° | 260/25 -11° | 240/31 -22° | 240/54 -35° | 230/61 -41° | 240/55 -49° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDL Windsor Locks, CT | departure | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, overcast at 1,900 feet Weather: light rain | from the north (360°) at 12 knots | 9 mi | 600 ft | 173 ft | 10:51 pm EDT (02:51 UTC) |
| OXC Oxford, CT | 29 nm out, 13 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet Weather: light rain | from the north-northeast (030°) at 10 knots, gusting to 19 | 9 mi | 600 ft | 730 ft | 02:56 UTC |
| DXR Danbury, CT | 49 nm out, 11 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet Weather: light rain, mist | from the north-northeast (030°) at 6 knots | 2.5 mi | 700 ft | 456 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| CDW Caldwell, NJ | 98 nm out, 17 nm southeast of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 900 feet, a broken layer at 1,300 feet, overcast at 1,800 feet | from the northeast (040°) at 6 knots | 7 mi | 900 ft | 172 ft | 02:53 UTC |
| ABE Allentown, PA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 800 feet, overcast at 1,700 feet | from the northeast (050°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 1,700 ft | 393 ft | 11:00 pm EDT (03:00 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 730 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At ABE when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 12:22 am EDT (04:22 UTC)
Wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The whole forecast for ABE
- From Sun 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 8 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 1:00 am EDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 5 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 500 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am EDT (15:00 UTC): wind from the north at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 2,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 5,000 feet
- From Mon 6:00 pm EDT (22:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for BDL, the departure
- From Sun 8:00 pm EDT (00:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, rain, mist, a few clouds at 800 feet, a broken layer at 1,200 feet and more above
- From Sun 9:00 pm EDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 5 knots, visibility 2 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 12:00 am EDT (04:00 UTC): wind from the north-northeast at 7 knots, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- From Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility 4 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet
- 30% chance between Mon 2:00 am EDT (06:00 UTC) and 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): visibility 2 miles, light rain showers, mist, overcast at 100 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am EDT (13:00 UTC): wind from the north at 6 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 north-northwest at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 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 BDL 6:14 pm EDT (22:14 UTC), at ABE 6:26 pm EDT (22:26 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:53 pm EDT (22:53 UTC)). At 120 knots the arrival at ABE is before sunrise there (7:09 am EDT (11:09 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: Bradley International, Lehigh Valley International.