Calgary International Airport (YYC / CYYC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Calgary, Canada
Calgary
YYC/CYYC
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:46 local
- Active runway
- 35R / 35L
- METAR wind
- 10° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 35R - sunny side
- Sun
- 218° / 19°
Wind vector · +9 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 1h 47m
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Best Calgary (YYC) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR10° @ 9 kt
3°C · 9 sm · 1005 hPa
FEW016 BKN090 BKN250
Golden hour in 1h 47m
Runway alerts for Calgary 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 YYC, 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 35R - sunny side Runway 35R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 35L - sunny side Runway 35L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 35R / 35L · Dep 35R / 35L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17L | 180° | 14,000 ft | -8.9 kt | 1.6 kt | Standby |
| 35R | 0° | 14,000 ft | +8.9 kt | 1.6 kt | Both |
| 17R | 180° | 12,675 ft | -8.9 kt | 1.6 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 360° | 12,675 ft | +8.9 kt | 1.6 kt | Both |
| 11 | 120° | 8,000 ft | -3.0 kt | 8.5 kt | Standby |
| 29 | 300° | 8,000 ft | +3.0 kt | 8.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Calgary (CYYC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.400 | Published |
| Tower | 118.875 | Published |
| Approach | 123.850 | Published |
| Departure | 119.800 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Ground | 125.350 | Published |
| Delivery | 120.825 | Published |
| ATIS | 128.225 | 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 Calgary (YYC/CYYC)
Which runway is active at Calgary (YYC/CYYC) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 10° at 9 kt. 35R shows +8.9 kt headwind and 1.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Calgary (YYC) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and -4° elevation. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 35R, view bearing 330.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 221° and 17°. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 29.2° 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 Calgary International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Calgary International Airport (YYC/CYYC) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 35R - sunny side, Short final 35L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 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 CYYC spotting locations?
CYYC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35R - sunny side (runway 35R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 35L - sunny side (runway 35L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Calgary (YYC)?
Short final 35R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 35R 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 Calgary (CYYC)?
Monitor Tower 118.4 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 123.85 MHz, ATIS 128.225 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 Calgary (YYC) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 10° at 9 kt, so 35R 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/CYYC#runway-alerts