Raleigh-Durham International to Laurence G Hanscom Field RDU → BED
527 nautical miles (607 statute miles) northeast on a straight line, true course 039°, about 048° magnetic at the departure end (variation 9W). At 120 knots that is 3 h 25 min at the quickest height in today's winds (34,000 ft, a 34-knot tailwind), arriving about 9:11 am EDT (13:11 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: 11 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
- SIGMET E31E: thunderstorms (a convective SIGMET) up to 30,000 ft, until 6:55 am EDT (10:55 UTC). Over the route from 149 to 189 nm out.
as issued
WSUS31 KKCI 120855 MKCE WST 120855 CONVECTIVE SIGMET 31E VALID UNTIL 1055Z MD VA DC FROM 20NNE DCA-30WSW SBY-RIC-CSN-20NNE DCA AREA TS MOV LTL. TOPS TO FL300.
- AIRMET TANGO 2W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 28,000 ft to 41,000 ft. Over the route from 60 to 179 nm out.
- 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 last 418 nm of the route.
- AIRMET TANGO 3W: moderate turbulence above 18,000 ft from 24,000 ft to 33,000 ft. Over the last 338 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 RDU.
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 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 6 forecast points nearest it (RDU, RIC, ACY, JFK, BDL, BOS). 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 | 350° at 20 kt | +14 kt | 106 kt | 4 h 58 min | 10:44 am EDT (14:44 UTC) | |
| 5,500 ft | 350° at 18 kt | +11 kt | 109 kt | 4 h 50 min | 10:36 am EDT (14:36 UTC) | |
| 7,500 ft | 340° at 19 kt | +9 kt | 9 °C | 111 kt | 4 h 45 min | 10:31 am EDT (14:31 UTC) |
| 9,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +8 kt | 6 °C | 112 kt | 4 h 42 min | 10:28 am EDT (14:28 UTC) |
| 11,500 ft | 330° at 20 kt | +5 kt | 4 °C | 115 kt | 4 h 35 min | 10:21 am EDT (14:21 UTC) |
| 13,500 ft | 320° at 20 kt | +2 kt | 0 °C | 118 kt | 4 h 28 min | 10:14 am EDT (14:14 UTC) |
| 15,500 ft | 310° at 21 kt | −1 kt | -4 °C | 121 kt | 4 h 21 min | 10:07 am EDT (14:07 UTC) |
| 17,500 ft | 300° at 22 kt | −4 kt | -8 °C | 124 kt | 4 h 15 min | 10:01 am EDT (14:01 UTC) |
| 18,000 ft FL180 | 300° at 22 kt | −5 kt | -9 °C | 125 kt | 4 h 13 min | 9:59 am EDT (13:59 UTC) |
| 24,000 ft FL240 | 280° at 23 kt | −13 kt | -22 °C | 133 kt | 3 h 58 min | 9:44 am EDT (13:44 UTC) |
| 30,000 ft FL300 | 260° at 37 kt | −29 kt | -35 °C | 149 kt | 3 h 32 min | 9:18 am EDT (13:18 UTC) |
| 34,000 ft FL340 | 250° at 41 kt | −34 kt | -40 °C | 154 kt | 3 h 25 min | 9:11 am EDT (13:11 UTC) |
| 39,000 ft FL390 | 260° at 44 kt | −34 kt | -49 °C | 154 kt | 3 h 25 min | 9:11 am EDT (13:11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU | used from 0 nm out; 25 nm from the line | 330/30 | 340/24 12° | 330/26 7° | 320/30 3° | 330/39 -8° | 310/30 -20° | 300/33 -33° | 310/34 -39° | 310/41 -47° |
| RIC | used from 50 nm out; 46 nm from the line | 350/34 | 340/27 12° | 340/36 8° | 330/31 3° | 310/32 -9° | 320/34 -21° | 300/37 -34° | 290/37 -39° | 290/42 -46° |
| ACY | used from 199 nm out; 71 nm from the line | 350/12 | 340/12 11° | 340/12 6° | 340/13 2° | 270/10 -10° | 240/17 -23° | 230/46 -33° | 230/46 -40° | 240/46 -49° |
| JFK | used from 348 nm out; 7 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° |
| BDL | used from 398 nm out; 45 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° |
| BOS | used from 497 nm out; 23 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° |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDU Raleigh/Durham, NC | departure | no report just now | 435 ft | ||||
| HNZ Oxford, NC | 30 nm out, 9 nm northwest of the line | no report just now | 526 ft | ||||
| BKT Blackstone, VA | 80 nm out, 14 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 437 ft | ||||
| RIC Richmond, VA | 119 nm out, 8 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 167 ft | ||||
| CGE Cambridge, MD | 209 nm out, 2 nm west of the line | no report just now | 19 ft | ||||
| DOV Dover, DE | 249 nm out, 5 nm north of the line, tower | no report just now | 28 ft | ||||
| ACY Atlantic City, NJ | 289 nm out, 14 nm east of the line, tower | no report just now | 74 ft | ||||
| JFK New York, NY | 368 nm out, 7 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 13 ft | ||||
| FRG Farmingdale, NY | 388 nm out, 3 nm south of the line, tower | no report just now | 81 ft | ||||
| HVN New Haven, CT | 428 nm out, 3 nm west of the line, tower | no report just now | 12 ft | ||||
| ORH Worcester, MA | 497 nm out, 11 nm northwest of the line, tower | no report just now | 1,009 ft | ||||
| BED Bedford, MA | destination | no report just now | 132 ft |
The highest airport on this list sits at 1,009 ft; the ground between airports is higher still. Check the sectional chart for the terrain and the minimum safe heights along the line.
At BED when you get there the forecast at the estimated arrival, 9:11 am EDT (13:11 UTC)
BED has no terminal forecast; use the nearest airport that does.
Temporary flight restrictions on the line or within 25 nm of it
- 4/9383 WASHINGTON, DC., USA 20 nm from the route, 189 nm along the route · security · ZDC
- 6/8719 Greenwood, DE, Friday, October 16, 2026 through Saturday, October 17, 2026 UTC 0 nm from the route, 239 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Friday 16 October · ZDC
- 6/8886 Greenwood, DE, Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 0 nm from the route, 239 nm along the route · air shows/sports · starts Sunday 18 October · ZDC
- 5/2811 NEW YORK, NY, Monday, October 20, 2025 through Tuesday, October 20, 2026 Local 18 nm from the route, 368 nm along the route · security · until 20 October · ZNY
- 6/7153 North Sicuate, RI, Saturday, October 10, 2026 through Monday, October 12, 2026 UTC 13 nm from the route, 487 nm along the route · drones kept away from a public gathering · until 12 October · ZBW
- 6/8802 Foxborough, MA, Saturday, October 17, 2026 through Sunday, October 18, 2026 UTC 16 nm from the route, at the destination end · drones kept away from a public gathering · starts Saturday 17 October · ZBW
Daylight
Sunset at RDU 6:43 pm EDT (22:43 UTC), at BED 6:08 pm EDT (22:08 UTC) (civil twilight ends 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 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: Raleigh-Durham International, Laurence G Hanscom Field.