Bradley International to Des Moines International BDL → DSM
938 nautical miles (1,079 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 276°, about 290° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14W). At 120 knots that is 8 h 41 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 12-knot headwind), arriving about 3:17 pm CDT (20:17 UTC). Right now BDL is marginal VFR, wind from the north (010°) at 9 knots; DSM is VFR, wind from the south (190°) at 8 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: 3 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 first 559 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 289 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 50 to 279 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: 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 last 120 nm of the 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 08:00–15:00 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 11 forecast points nearest it (BDL, ALB, AVP, SYR, BUF, CLE, FWA, MKG, JOT, DBQ, DSM). 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 | 290° at 15 kt | +14 kt | 106 kt | 8 h 51 min | 3:27 pm CDT (20:27 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 300° at 14 kt | +12 kt | 13 °C | 108 kt | 8 h 41 min | 3:17 pm CDT (20:17 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 300° at 13 kt | +12 kt | 10 °C | 108 kt | 8 h 41 min | 3:17 pm CDT (20:17 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 300° at 16 kt | +15 kt | 6 °C | 105 kt | 8 h 56 min | 3:32 pm CDT (20:32 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 300° at 19 kt | +18 kt | 2 °C | 102 kt | 9 h 12 min | 3:48 pm CDT (20:48 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 300° at 21 kt | +19 kt | -2 °C | 101 kt | 9 h 17 min | 3:53 pm CDT (20:53 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 300° at 23 kt | +20 kt | -6 °C | 100 kt | 9 h 23 min | 3:59 pm CDT (20:59 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 24 kt | +21 kt | -9 °C | 99 kt | 9 h 28 min | 4:04 pm CDT (21:04 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 300° at 28 kt | +24 kt | -21 °C | 96 kt | 9 h 46 min | 4:22 pm CDT (21:22 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 300° at 35 kt | +31 kt | -36 °C | 89 kt | 10 h 32 min | 5:08 pm CDT (22:08 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 300° at 45 kt | +40 kt | -43 °C | 80 kt | 11 h 44 min | 6:20 pm CDT (23:20 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 55 kt | +46 kt | -51 °C | 74 kt | 12 h 41 min | 7:17 pm CDT (00:17 UTC) |
Based on data from the 12th at 06:00 UTC; valid on the 12th at 12:00 UTC for use 08:00 to 15:00 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; 25 nm from the line | 020/15 | 010/19 10° | 340/10 7° | 300/17 3° | 280/23 -10° | 250/35 -22° | 250/44 -38° | 250/55 -42° | 250/57 -51° |
| ALB | used from 50 nm out; 49 nm from the line | 340/22 | 340/19 9° | 320/16 7° | 330/16 2° | 330/19 -11° | 320/21 -23° | 320/25 -39° | 280/30 -44° | 270/41 -51° |
| AVP | used from 100 nm out; 47 nm from the line | 010/20 | 020/24 11° | 360/19 8° | 350/23 2° | 320/24 -11° | 330/25 -22° | 330/27 -37° | 310/28 -42° | 290/30 -50° |
| SYR | used from 150 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 330/17 | 320/14 9° | 350/18 8° | 350/26 2° | 340/25 -11° | 360/34 -22° | 350/43 -39° | 330/50 -46° | 350/50 -54° |
| BUF | used from 200 nm out; 64 nm from the line | 300/11 | 330/15 11° | 340/26 8° | 330/28 2° | 340/31 -10° | 340/32 -21° | 340/52 -37° | 340/59 -46° | 330/66 -53° |
| CLE | used from 349 nm out; 61 nm from the line | 310/7 | 350/20 14° | 340/16 9° | 320/21 2° | 320/32 -8° | 330/34 -20° | 330/45 -36° | 320/60 -45° | 320/64 -51° |
| FWA | used from 499 nm out; 80 nm from the line | 270/20 | 300/16 15° | 290/14 10° | 280/17 3° | 290/25 -7° | 280/30 -19° | 280/34 -35° | 290/48 -44° | 300/64 -52° |
| MKG | used from 549 nm out; 68 nm from the line | 260/28 | 260/18 15° | 250/16 9° | 260/22 4° | 280/31 -9° | 270/35 -21° | 270/44 -35° | 270/42 -45° | 290/61 -51° |
| JOT | used from 649 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 250/25 | 260/22 14° | 250/17 9° | 270/21 5° | 280/28 -8° | 280/36 -20° | 270/41 -35° | 280/57 -42° | 290/65 -50° |
| DBQ | used from 748 nm out; 44 nm from the line | 250/27 | 260/23 17° | 240/26 10° | 260/30 4° | 280/26 -9° | 280/36 -21° | 270/41 -36° | 280/52 -41° | 290/67 -48° |
| DSM | used from 848 nm out; 65 nm from the line | 250/47 | 260/25 20° | 240/19 11° | 240/31 5° | 250/26 -9° | 260/38 -20° | 260/47 -34° | 270/58 -37° | 270/61 -47° |
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 | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 700 feet, a broken layer at 1,500 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | 1,500 ft | 173 ft | 7:17 am EDT (11:17 UTC) |
| POU Poughkeepsie, NY | 50 nm out, 24 nm south of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the north (010°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 163 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| BGM Binghamton, NY | 150 nm out, 5 nm northeast of the line, tower | low IFR Sky: a broken layer at 200 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: mist | from the northwest (310°) at 6 knots | 5 mi | 200 ft | 1,635 ft | 11:08 UTC |
| ELM Elmira/Corning, NY | 190 nm out, 2 nm east of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 100 feet, overcast at 3,200 feet | from the west (280°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 3,200 ft | 955 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| ERI Erie, PA | 329 nm out, 10 nm southwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: overcast at 3,000 feet | variable at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 3,000 ft | 732 ft | 00:51 UTC |
| DET Detroit, MI | 459 nm out, 12 nm north of the line, tower | VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 900 feet | from the southwest (230°) at 6 knots | 9 mi | none | 624 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| DTW Detroit, MI | 479 nm out, 3 nm east of the line, tower | IFR Sky: a broken layer at 600 feet, a broken layer at 25,000 feet Weather: mist | from the south-southwest (200°) at 8 knots | 6 mi | 600 ft | 645 ft | 11:24 UTC |
| AZO Kalamazoo, MI | 569 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south (170°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | none | 873 ft | 10:53 UTC |
| ORD Chicago, IL | 678 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 25,000 feet | from the south-southwest (210°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 25,000 ft | 680 ft | 10:51 UTC |
| MLI Moline, IL | 798 nm out, 23 nm south of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 589 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| CID Cedar Rapids, IA | 848 nm out, 9 nm north of the line, tower | VFR | from the south (190°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | none | 869 ft | 10:52 UTC |
| DSM Des Moines, IA | destination | VFR Sky: a broken layer at 11,000 feet, a broken layer at 19,000 feet | from the south (190°) at 8 knots | 10+ mi | 11,000 ft | 957 ft | 5:54 am CDT (10:54 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,635 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At DSM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 3:17 pm CDT (20:17 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for DSM
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 9 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 am CDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 11:00 am CDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 12 knots, gusting to 19, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 9:00 pm CDT (02:00 UTC): wind from the west-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Tue 12:00 am CDT (05:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, clear skies
The forecast for BDL, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 600 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet
- From Mon 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the north at 5 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 feet
- From Tue 6:00 am EDT (10:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, light rain, overcast at 600 feet
- From Tue 12:00 pm EDT (16:00 UTC): wind from the south-southeast at 6 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,000 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 DSM 6:38 pm CDT (23:38 UTC) (civil twilight ends 7:06 pm CDT (00:06 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, Des Moines International.