Bethlehem Airport

FABM

Bethlehem, ZA

Last Updated
Jun 9, 06:50Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Stale 19 hours ago
06:50Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
9°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 4°C
3 kt
60°
10+ km
Visibility
9,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

SPECI FABM 090650Z 06003KT 9999 FEW020 BKN090 09/04 Q1026

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 5,561 ft
FEW 2,000 ft AGL
BKN 9,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
7,561 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
9,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
14,561 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Bethlehem Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 9,000 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility. Note: This observation is 19.1 hours old and conditions may have changed.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the east-northeast (60°) at 3 knots.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 9000 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 9°C (48°F) with a dewpoint of 4°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

24-Hour Weather Evolution

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Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
ABM
11 ✈️
29
13 ✈️
31

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 11/29
Active: 11
3,855 ft 49 ft ASP 96°
1.9 kt 2.3 kt
50° angle
✈️ 13/31
Active: 13
4,301 ft 150 ft GRS 108°
1.0 kt 2.8 kt
70° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - FABM

343 observations | Sep 2025 - Jun 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
88.9%
MVFR
7.9%
IFR
2%
LIFR
1.2%

Bethlehem Airport enjoys predominantly VFR conditions, with visual flight rules prevailing 88.9% of the time. Prevailing winds are from the E averaging 5.6 knots. Temperatures typically range between 1°C and 29°C with an average of 16.7°C. The best months for VFR flying are June, February, October.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: E (90°)
Average Speed: 5.6 kt
Maximum Recorded: 26 kt
Calm Winds: 7.9%
Direction Distribution:
E
21.3%
N
2.6%
S
12.8%
W
15.5%
NE
7.6%
NW
4.4%
SE
6.7%
SW
21.3%

Temperature Range

Average: 16.7°C
Range: 1°C to 29°C
1°C 29°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 2.4%

Best Months for VFR

June February October

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 11/29
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 3.5 kt
Runway 13/31
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.1 kt

Statistics computed from 343 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Bethlehem Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: FABM
Type: small airport
Status: active
Elevation: 5,561 ft MSL

Location

City: Bethlehem
Country: ZA
Latitude: -28.248400°
Longitude: 28.336100°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT-2

Runway Information

Runway 11/29
Length: 3,855 ft
Width: 49 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 13/31
Length: 4,301 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: GRS
ILS: No

About Bethlehem Airport

Bethlehem Airport (FABM) is located in Bethlehem, ZA at an elevation of 5,561 feet MSL, making density altitude a consideration for performance planning. The airport has 2 runways (11/29, 13/31), with the longest at 4,301 feet.

Weather Profile

Based on 343 weather observations, FABM experiences excellent VFR conditions 88.9% of the time, making it one of the more weather-reliable airports in its region.

Wind Patterns & Runway Selection

Prevailing winds at FABM come from the E (90°) with an average speed of 5.6 knots and recorded gusts up to 26 knots. Runway 11/29 offers the lowest average crosswind component at 3.5 knots, making it the preferred choice in typical wind conditions.

Seasonal Considerations

The best months for VFR operations are June, February, October, when clear skies are most prevalent. Temperatures at the field range from 1°C (34°F) to 29°C (84°F), averaging 16.7°C (62°F). Altimeter settings typically range from 10.14 to 10.31 inHg (343-349 hPa).

Data Sources: Airport data from OurAirports.com. Weather statistics derived from 343 official METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jun 2026). Pilots should always verify current conditions through official channels before flight.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.