Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ / DIAP) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Félix-Houphouët-Boigny
ABJ/DIAP
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 10:00 local
- Active runway
- 21
- METAR wind
- 240° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 21 - sunny side
- Sun
- 121° / 55°
Wind vector · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 7h 30m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when DIAP flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR240° @ 9 kt
29°C · 10+ km · 1015 hPa
SCT011
Golden hour in 7h 30m
Runway alerts for Félix-Houphouët-Boigny 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 ABJ, 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 21 - sunny side Runway 21 | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 21 · Dep 21
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | 23° | 9,843 ft | -7.2 kt | 5.4 kt | Standby |
| 21 | 203° | 9,843 ft | +7.2 kt | 5.4 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (DIAP)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.050 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.300 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.875 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.700 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.600 | 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 Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ/DIAP)
Which runway is active at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ/DIAP) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 21. The METAR wind is 240° at 9 kt. 21 shows +7.2 kt headwind and 5.4 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 28° elevation. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 21, view bearing 232.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 253° and 28°. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 173.8° 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 Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport (ABJ/DIAP) 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: 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 DIAP spotting locations?
DIAP spotting locations sun direction: Short final 21 - sunny side (runway 21) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 07:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ)?
Short final 21 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 21 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 Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (DIAP)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, ATIS 126.6 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Félix-Houphouët-Boigny (ABJ) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 240° at 9 kt, so 21 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/DIAP#runway-alerts