Bradley International to Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field BDL → MSN
739 nautical miles (850 statute miles) west on a straight line, true course 281°, about 295° magnetic at the departure end (variation 14W). At 120 knots that is 6 h 47 min at the quickest height in today's winds (6,500 ft, a 11-knot headwind), arriving about 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC). Right now BDL is IFR, wind from the north (010°) at 12 knots; MSN is VFR, wind from the south (180°) at 5 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: 4 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, fog). Over the first 549 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 170 nm of the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 50 to 230 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 0 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
- CRJ9 at 2,000 ft, 45 nm north, 5:30 am EDT (09:30 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. 170 nm along the route, 45 nm north of the line.
as filed, and in English
SYR UA /OV 10S/TM 0930/FL020/TP CRJ9/SK B020-T060
- Report
- a routine report filed through SYR
- Where
- over 10S
- Time
- 09:30 UTC
- Height
- at 2,000 ft
- Aircraft
- CRJ9
- Sky
- B020-T060
- A21N at 35,000 ft, 2 nm northeast, 4:52 am EDT (08:52 UTC): light to moderate chop turbulence, remarks: zob. 230 nm along the route, 2 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ROC UA /OV GEE190015/TM 0852/FL350/TP A21N/TB LGHT-MOD CHOP/RM ZOB
- Report
- a routine report filed through ROC
- Where
- 15 nm south (190°) of GEE
- Time
- 08:52 UTC
- Height
- at 35,000 ft
- Aircraft
- A21N
- Turbulence
- lght-mod chop
- Remarks
- zob
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 7 forecast points nearest it (BDL, ALB, SYR, BUF, CLE, MKG, GRB). 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 | 300° at 13 kt | +13 kt | 107 kt | 6 h 54 min | 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC) | |
| 6,500 ft | 310° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 12 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 47 min | 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 320° at 13 kt | +11 kt | 9 °C | 109 kt | 6 h 47 min | 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 310° at 16 kt | +13 kt | 6 °C | 107 kt | 6 h 54 min | 11:39 am CDT (16:39 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 310° at 20 kt | +17 kt | 2 °C | 103 kt | 7 h 10 min | 11:55 am CDT (16:55 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 310° at 22 kt | +19 kt | -2 °C | 101 kt | 7 h 19 min | 12:04 pm CDT (17:04 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 310° at 24 kt | +20 kt | -7 °C | 100 kt | 7 h 23 min | 12:08 pm CDT (17:08 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 310° at 26 kt | +22 kt | -10 °C | 98 kt | 7 h 32 min | 12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 310° at 27 kt | +22 kt | -21 °C | 98 kt | 7 h 32 min | 12:17 pm CDT (17:17 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 310° at 36 kt | +30 kt | -37 °C | 90 kt | 8 h 13 min | 12:58 pm CDT (17:58 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 43 kt | +38 kt | -45 °C | 82 kt | 9 h 01 min | 1:46 pm CDT (18:46 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 310° at 53 kt | +44 kt | -52 °C | 76 kt | 9 h 43 min | 2:28 pm CDT (19:28 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; 42 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° |
| SYR | used from 100 nm out; 56 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; 52 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 350 nm out; 94 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° |
| MKG | used from 499 nm out; 79 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° |
| GRB | used from 699 nm out; 87 nm from the line | 250/32 | 250/22 17° | 240/18 8° | 280/21 6° | 280/34 -11° | 280/35 -21° | 280/39 -37° | 270/52 -45° | 290/60 -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 1,000 feet | from the north (010°) at 12 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 173 ft | 4:51 am EDT (08:51 UTC) |
| GBR Great Barrington, MA | 30 nm out, 9 nm north of the line | no report just now | 739 ft | ||||
| OIC Norwich, NY | 130 nm out, 15 nm north of the line | IFR Sky: scattered clouds at 300 feet, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,400 feet Weather: light drizzle, mist | from the north (350°) at 6 knots | 2.5 mi | 1,400 ft | 1,024 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| ITH Ithaca, NY | 170 nm out, 4 nm north of the line, tower | IFR Sky: overcast at 600 feet | from the north (350°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 600 ft | 1,099 ft | 09:30 UTC |
| BUF Buffalo, NY | 270 nm out, 17 nm north of the line, tower | marginal VFR Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet, a few clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 2,500 feet | from the west-southwest (250°) at 3 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 726 ft | 09:40 UTC |
| PHN Port Huron, MI | 439 nm out, 2 nm south of the line | IFR Sky: overcast at 700 feet | from the south (190°) at 4 knots | 10+ mi | 700 ft | 650 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| FNT Flint, MI | 489 nm out, 5 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the south-southwest (210°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 782 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| GRR Grand Rapids, MI | 569 nm out, 12 nm south of the line, tower | marginal VFR Weather: mist | from the south-southeast (160°) at 5 knots | 5 mi | none | 793 ft | 08:53 UTC |
| MKG Muskegon, MI | 599 nm out, 6 nm northwest of the line, tower | reported, no category | from the south (180°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | none | 628 ft | 08:55 UTC |
| MWC Milwaukee, WI | 679 nm out, 3 nm southwest of the line, tower | VFR | from the southwest (230°) at 9 knots | 10+ mi | none | 744 ft | 09:35 UTC |
| MSN Madison, WI | destination | VFR | from the south (180°) at 5 knots | 10+ mi | none | 886 ft | 3:53 am CDT (08:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,099 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At MSN when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 11:32 am CDT (16:32 UTC)
Wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet VFR
The whole forecast for MSN
- From Mon 1:00 am CDT (06:00 UTC): wind from the south at 7 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a broken layer at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 7:00 am CDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
- From Mon 8:00 pm CDT (01:00 UTC): wind from the south-southwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, low-level wind shear, a few clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for BDL, the departure
- From Mon 4:00 am EDT (08:00 UTC): wind from the north at 9 knots, visibility 6 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
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 MSN 6:19 pm CDT (23:19 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:48 pm CDT (23:48 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, Dane County Rgnl/Truax Field.