Laurence G Hanscom Field to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International BED → BHM
904 nautical miles (1,040 statute miles) southwest on a straight line, true course 239°, about 255° magnetic at the departure end (variation 16W). At 120 knots that is 7 h at the quickest height in today's winds (8,500 ft, a 9-knot tailwind), arriving about 1:37 pm CDT (18:37 UTC). 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: 1 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 834 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the first 487 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Over the route from 328 to 616 nm out.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Over the route from 387 to 775 nm out.
- AIRMET TANGO 5W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) from 29,000 ft to 40,000 ft. Near the route, 546 nm along the route.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, mist, fog). Near the route, at the destination end.
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 BED.
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 (BOS, BDL, JFK, AVP, PSB, EKN, ROA, TRI, TYS, HSV, BHM). 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 | 340° at 20 kt | −7 kt | 11 °C | 127 kt | 7 h 07 min | 1:44 pm CDT (18:44 UTC) |
| 6,500 ft | 350° at 21 kt | −8 kt | 12 °C | 128 kt | 7 h 04 min | 1:41 pm CDT (18:41 UTC) |
| 8,500 ft | 350° at 23 kt | −9 kt | 9 °C | 129 kt | 7 h | 1:37 pm CDT (18:37 UTC) |
| 10,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | −8 kt | 6 °C | 128 kt | 7 h 04 min | 1:41 pm CDT (18:41 UTC) |
| 12,500 ft | 340° at 24 kt | −6 kt | 3 °C | 126 kt | 7 h 10 min | 1:47 pm CDT (18:47 UTC) |
| 14,500 ft | 330° at 26 kt | −4 kt | -1 °C | 124 kt | 7 h 17 min | 1:54 pm CDT (18:54 UTC) |
| 16,500 ft | 330° at 27 kt | −3 kt | -5 °C | 123 kt | 7 h 21 min | 1:58 pm CDT (18:58 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 330° at 29 kt | −2 kt | -8 °C | 122 kt | 7 h 25 min | 2:02 pm CDT (19:02 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 29 kt | −1 kt | -20 °C | 121 kt | 7 h 28 min | 2:05 pm CDT (19:05 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 320° at 37 kt | −1 kt | -35 °C | 121 kt | 7 h 28 min | 2:05 pm CDT (19:05 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 320° at 43 kt | +5 kt | -41 °C | 115 kt | 7 h 52 min | 2:29 pm CDT (19:29 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 300° at 34 kt | +13 kt | -50 °C | 107 kt | 8 h 27 min | 3:04 pm CDT (20:04 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOS | used from 0 nm out; 34 nm from the line | 020/10 | 360/20 10° | 340/19 7° | 290/21 2° | 270/35 -9° | 260/42 -22° | 250/55 -38° | 240/75 -43° | 250/72 -51° |
| BDL | used from 50 nm out; 7 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° |
| JFK | used from 99 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 020/25 | 290/9 12° | 300/12 7° | 320/14 3° | 290/17 -10° | 240/27 -21° | 240/44 -36° | 240/53 -41° | 240/51 -50° |
| AVP | used from 199 nm out; 54 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° |
| PSB | used from 298 nm out; 90 nm from the line | 020/21 12° | 360/28 7° | 360/29 1° | 350/33 -10° | 350/42 -22° | 350/49 -37° | 340/63 -43° | 350/39 -52° | |
| EKN | used from 348 nm out; 82 nm from the line | 330/20 10° | 350/29 7° | 340/32 2° | 340/44 -8° | 350/50 -21° | 350/63 -35° | 340/69 -40° | 330/42 -50° | |
| ROA | used from 447 nm out; 45 nm from the line | 310/32 | 340/32 14° | 350/25 9° | 340/24 3° | 340/42 -8° | 340/52 -20° | 350/62 -34° | 350/64 -39° | 310/44 -48° |
| TRI | used from 546 nm out; 57 nm from the line | 340/25 11° | 350/37 9° | 350/34 6° | 340/39 -7° | 340/43 -19° | 340/55 -32° | 330/58 -42° | 320/37 -50° | |
| TYS | used from 695 nm out; 18 nm from the line | 330/16 | 350/32 14° | 350/37 9° | 340/30 5° | 330/28 -6° | 340/36 -19° | 330/40 -33° | 330/51 -41° | 330/36 -51° |
| HSV | used from 794 nm out; 66 nm from the line | 300/20 | 310/14 16° | 310/18 10° | 310/15 4° | 320/19 -5° | 290/16 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 320/47 -41° | 330/42 -50° |
| BHM | used from 844 nm out; 35 nm from the line | 310/19 | 310/15 16° | 320/19 11° | 330/15 5° | 330/23 -5° | 320/14 -18° | 320/36 -32° | 330/44 -40° | 340/36 -51° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BED Bedford, MA | departure | no report just now | 132 ft | ||||
| ORH Worcester, MA | 30 nm out, 3 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,009 ft | ||||
| DXR Danbury, CT | 119 nm out, 4 nm southeast of the line, tower | no report just now | 456 ft | ||||
| LNS Lancaster, PA | 268 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 402 ft | ||||
| FDK Frederick, MD | 328 nm out, 4 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 308 ft | ||||
| FRR Front Royal, VA | 377 nm out, 5 nm south of the line | no report just now | 703 ft | ||||
| LWB Lewisburg, WV | 497 nm out, 7 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 2,301 ft | ||||
| TRI Bristol/Johnson/Kingsport, TN | 626 nm out, 2 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,518 ft | ||||
| TYS Knoxville, TN | 715 nm out, 16 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 986 ft | ||||
| CHA Chattanooga, TN | 785 nm out, 18 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 682 ft | ||||
| GAD Gadsden, AL | 864 nm out, 3 nm southeast of the line | no report just now | 569 ft | ||||
| BHM Birmingham, AL | destination | no report just now | 650 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 2,301 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BHM when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 1:37 pm CDT (18:37 UTC)
BHM has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 6/8802 Foxborough, MA, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 19 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZBW
- 6/7153 North Sicuate, RI, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 22 nm from the route, at the departure end · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZBW
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 22 nm from the route, 159 nm along the route · security · until 20 October · ZNY
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 24 nm from the route, 338 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8600 Sterling, VA, Monday, October 12, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 Local 17 nm from the route, 338 nm along the route · a VIP movement · today · ZDC
Daylight
Sunset at BED 6:08 pm EDT (22:08 UTC), at BHM 6:17 pm CDT (23:17 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:42 pm CDT (23:42 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: Laurence G Hanscom Field, Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International.