Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ / CYHZ) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Halifax, Canada
Halifax
YHZ/CYHZ
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 07:02 local
- Active runway
- 32
- METAR wind
- 330° @ 12 kt G20
- Best spot
- Short final 32 - sunny side
- Sun
- 100° / -8°
Wind vector · +11 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 44m
NightWant a Telegram ping when CYHZ flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Halifax (YHZ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR330° @ 12 kt G20
4°C · 10+ sm · 1016 hPa
SKC
Sunrise in 44m
Runway alerts for Halifax / Stanfield International Airport
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at YHZ, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 32 - sunny side Runway 32 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 32 · Dep 32
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 35° | 10,500 ft | +5.1 kt | 10.9 kt | Standby |
| 23 | 215° | 10,500 ft | -5.1 kt | 10.9 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 126° | 7,700 ft | -11.0 kt | 4.9 kt | Standby |
| 32 | 306° | 7,700 ft | +11.0 kt | 4.9 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Halifax (CYHZ)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.400 | Published |
| Approach | 120.250 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.600 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 123.950 | Published |
| ATIS | 121.000 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Halifax (YHZ/CYHZ)
Which runway is active at Halifax (YHZ/CYHZ) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 06:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 32. The METAR wind is 330° at 12 kt. 32 shows +11.0 kt headwind and 4.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Halifax (YHZ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 2° elevation. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 93/100, 1233 m from runway 32, view bearing 276.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 227° and 19°. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 82/100 on a 335.3° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Halifax / Stanfield International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Halifax / Stanfield International Airport (YHZ/CYHZ) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 32 - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 1 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at CYHZ spotting locations?
CYHZ spotting locations sun direction: Short final 32 - sunny side (runway 32) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Halifax (YHZ)?
Short final 32 - sunny side is 1233 m from the 32 centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Halifax (CYHZ)?
Monitor Tower 118.4 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 121.0 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 118.4 MHz.
How do I know when Halifax (YHZ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 12 kt, so 32 remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/CYHZ#runway-alerts