Harrisburg International to Lancaster Airport MDT → LNS
22 nautical miles (25 statute miles) east on a straight line, true course 101°, about 112° magnetic at the departure end (variation 11W). At 120 knots that is 9 min at the quickest height in today's winds (18,000 ft, a 19-knot tailwind), arriving about 8:26 am EDT (12:26 UTC). Right now MDT is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 10 knots; LNS is marginal VFR, wind from the northwest (320°) at 6 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: 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 whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the whole route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence below 18,000 ft (due to mountain wave) up to 6,000 ft. Near the route, at the departure end.
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, mist). Near the route, at the departure 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 MDT.
Pilot reports along the route within 50 nm of the line, last three hours, the serious ones first
- E75S at 15,000 ft, 38 nm south, 6:35 am EDT (10:35 UTC): moderate turbulence, remarks: dca arrival from 12,000 ft to 15,000 ft during the descent. At the destination end, 38 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
BWI UA /OV BAL060030/TM 1035/FL150/TP E75S/TB MOD/RM DCA ARRIVAL 120-150 DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through BWI
- Where
- 30 nm northeast (060°) of BAL
- Time
- 10:35 UTC
- Height
- at 15,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75S
- Turbulence
- moderate
- Remarks
- dca arrival from 12,000 ft to 15,000 ft during the descent
- SF50 at 2,500 ft, 17 nm south, 8:11 am EDT (12:11 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 17 nm south of the line.
as filed, and in English
MDT UA /OV THV/TM 1211/FL025/TP SF50/SK BASES025
- Report
- a routine report filed through MDT
- Where
- over THV
- Time
- 12:11 UTC
- Height
- at 2,500 ft
- Aircraft
- SF50
- Sky
- BASES025
- SR22 at 3,100 ft, 4 nm west, 7:40 am EDT (11:40 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 4 nm west of the line.
as filed, and in English
MDT UA /OV CXY/TM 1140/FL031/TP SR22/SK SCT016 BASES028-TOPS031
- Report
- a routine report filed through MDT
- Where
- over CXY
- Time
- 11:40 UTC
- Height
- at 3,100 ft
- Aircraft
- SR22
- Sky
- SCT016 BASES028-TOPS031
- B737 at 1,900 ft, 0 nm northeast, 7:23 am EDT (11:23 UTC): a routine report with nothing remarked on. At the departure end, 0 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
MDT UA /OV MDT/TM 1123/FL019/TP B737/SK BASES019
- Report
- a routine report filed through MDT
- Where
- over MDT
- Time
- 11:23 UTC
- Height
- at 1,900 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Sky
- BASES019
- B738 climbing, 41 nm southeast, 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): overcast above 1,200 ft. At the destination end, 41 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ILG UA /OV ILG/TM 1200/FLDURC/TP B738/SK OVC012
- Report
- a routine report filed through ILG
- Where
- over ILG
- Time
- 12:00 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 1,200 ft
- PC12 at 2,400 ft, 25 nm northeast, 7:26 am EDT (11:26 UTC): overcast above 2,400 ft, remarks: final runway 18. At the destination end, 25 nm northeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
RDG UA /OV 5 N RDG/TM 1126/FL024/TP PC12/SK OVC024/RM FINAL RWY 18
- Report
- a routine report filed through RDG
- Where
- 5 north rdg
- Time
- 11:26 UTC
- Height
- at 2,400 ft
- Aircraft
- PC12
- Sky
- overcast from 2,400 ft
- Remarks
- final runway 18
- B738 climbing, 41 nm southeast, 6:33 am EDT (10:33 UTC): remarks: during the climb runway 01 ilg bases 700 ft. At the destination end, 41 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ILG UA /OV KILG/TM 1033/FLDURC/TP B738/RM DURC RY01 ILG BASES 007
- Report
- a routine report filed through ILG
- Where
- over KILG
- Time
- 10:33 UTC
- Height
- during the climb
- Aircraft
- B738
- Remarks
- during the climb runway 01 ilg bases 700 ft
- B739 at 20,000 ft, 41 nm southeast, 6:05 am EDT (10:05 UTC): light rime icing, -10 °C. At the destination end, 41 nm southeast of the line.
as filed, and in English
ILG UA /OV DQO/TM 1005/FL200/TP B739/TA M10/IC LGT RIME
- Report
- a routine report filed through ILG
- Where
- over DQO
- Time
- 10:05 UTC
- Height
- at 20,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B739
- Temperature
- −10 °C
- Icing
- light rime
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 eastbound cruising heights for this course (VFR: odd thousands plus 500 ft; above 18,000 ft the forecast levels), with the wind averaged along the line from the 1 forecast point nearest it (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,500 ft | 010° at 21 kt | 0 | 120 kt | 11 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 020° at 23 kt | +3 kt | 117 kt | 11 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 010° at 21 kt | 0 | 10 °C | 120 kt | 11 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 360° at 20 kt | −4 kt | 7 °C | 124 kt | 11 min | 8:28 am EDT (12:28 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 350° at 22 kt | −7 kt | 3 °C | 127 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 340° at 23 kt | −11 kt | -1 °C | 131 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 330° at 23 kt | −14 kt | -6 °C | 134 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 320° at 24 kt | −18 kt | -10 °C | 138 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 320° at 24 kt | −19 kt | -11 °C | 139 kt | 9 min | 8:26 am EDT (12:26 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 330° at 25 kt | −16 kt | -22 °C | 136 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 330° at 27 kt | −18 kt | -37 °C | 138 kt | 10 min | 8:27 am EDT (12:27 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 310° at 28 kt | −24 kt | -42 °C | 144 kt | 9 min | 8:26 am EDT (12:26 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 290° at 30 kt | −30 kt | -50 °C | 150 kt | 9 min | 8:26 am EDT (12:26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVP | used from 0 nm out; 80 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MDT Harrisburg, PA | departure | marginal VFR Sky: a broken layer at 2,500 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 10 knots | 10+ mi | 2,500 ft | 310 ft | 7:56 am EDT (11:56 UTC) |
| LNS Lancaster, PA | destination | marginal VFR Sky: scattered clouds at 1,800 feet, overcast at 2,200 feet | from the northwest (320°) at 6 knots | 10+ mi | 2,200 ft | 402 ft | 7:53 am EDT (11:53 UTC) |
The highest airport on this list sits at 402 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At LNS when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 8:26 am EDT (12:26 UTC)
Wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet marginal VFR
The whole forecast for LNS
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet, overcast at 1,500 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 3,500 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet
The forecast for MDT, the departure
- From Mon 8:00 am EDT (12:00 UTC): wind from the north-northwest at 10 knots, visibility 6 miles, mist, scattered clouds at 1,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 10:00 am EDT (14:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 10 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 2,500 feet, overcast at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 2:00 pm EDT (18:00 UTC): wind from the northwest at 8 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 4,000 feet
- From Mon 5:00 pm EDT (21:00 UTC): wind from the west-northwest at 4 knots, visibility more than 6 miles, a broken layer at 10,000 feet
- From Tue 5:00 am EDT (09:00 UTC): wind calm, visibility more than 6 miles, scattered 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 MDT 6:32 pm EDT (22:32 UTC), at LNS 6:30 pm EDT (22:30 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:57 pm EDT (22:57 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: Harrisburg International, Lancaster Airport.