Manchester, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Live METAR wind (200° at 11 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 23L+23R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Manchester Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 20:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 23L+23R. The METAR wind is 200° at 11 kt. 23L shows +9.4 kt headwind and 5.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 20:47.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05R | 51° | 10,007 ft | -9.4 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 23L | 231° | 10,007 ft | +9.4 kt | 5.7 kt | Landing + departure |
| 05L | 51° | 10,000 ft | -9.4 kt | 5.7 kt | Standby |
| 23R | 231° | 10,000 ft | +9.4 kt | 5.7 kt | Landing + departure |
METAR EGCC 262020Z AUTO 20011G21KT 170V230 9999 OVC034 16/12 Q0999
Live weather
VFR200° @ 11 kt G21
16°C · 10+ km (9999) · 999 hPa
OVC034
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.
Short final 23L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 68/100
Short final 23L - sunny side sits 122 m from the 23R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 201.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00 local) with a 70-200mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationShort final 23R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 66/100
Short final 23R - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 23R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 201.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.
Now: Night / Low light
Google Maps navigationKnow a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.
Best time to plane spot at Manchester Airport (MAN / EGCC): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 53.349, longitude -2.280, and the Europe/London clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 23L - sunny side Runway 23L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 11:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 23R - sunny side Runway 23R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 11:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Zero-Delay Fence Audio
Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.625 MHz. D-ATIS is 128.175 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 122 m from 23R, bring a 70-200mm lens.
70-200mm f/2.8 zoom
Inside 250 m a 70-200mm lens fills a narrow-body without cropping the wing.
Search this gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 20:20 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 23L+23R. The METAR wind is 200° at 11 kt. 23L shows +9.4 kt headwind and 5.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 123° azimuth and 8° elevation. Short final 23L - sunny side scores 90/100, 683 m from runway 23R, view bearing 260.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 6°. Short final 23L - sunny side scores 71/100 on a 201.8° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Manchester Airport (MAN/EGCC) 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 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.
EGCC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 23L - sunny side (runway 23L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 11:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 23R - sunny side (runway 23R) 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: 08:00. Avoid 11:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 23L - sunny side is 122 m from the 23R centerline, so the lens is 70-200mm. 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.
Monitor Tower 118.625 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, Approach 135.0 MHz, ATIS 128.175 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 118.625 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 200° at 11 kt, so 23L 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/EGCC#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Manchester Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.