King Shaka International Airport (DUR / FALE) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Durban, South Africa
King Shaka
DUR/FALE
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 11:56 local
- Active runway
- 24
- METAR wind
- 180° @ 8 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 24 - sunny side
- Sun
- 346° / 73°
Wind vector · +6 kt headwind
MVFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 5h 46m
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Best King Shaka (DUR) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR180° @ 8 kt
20°C · 5 sm · 1016 hPa
SCT008 BKN014 BKN038
Golden hour in 5h 46m
Runway alerts for King Shaka 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 DUR, 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 24 - sunny side Runway 24 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 11:00-12:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 24 · Dep 24
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 | 37° | 12,139 ft | -6.4 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 24 | 217° | 12,139 ft | +6.4 kt | 4.8 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for King Shaka (FALE)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Assigned |
| Approach | 125.750 | Published |
| Departure | 126.800 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 129.200 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 127.000 | 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 King Shaka (DUR/FALE)
Which runway is active at King Shaka (DUR/FALE) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 24. The METAR wind is 180° at 8 kt. 24 shows +6.4 kt headwind and 4.8 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at King Shaka (DUR) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 84° azimuth and 37° elevation. Short final 24 - sunny side scores 93/100, 1233 m from runway 24, view bearing 246.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 271° and 28°. Short final 24 - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 187.8° 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 King Shaka International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at King Shaka International Airport (DUR/FALE) 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 1 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 FALE spotting locations?
FALE spotting locations sun direction: Short final 24 - sunny side (runway 24) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 11:00-12:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at King Shaka (DUR)?
Short final 24 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 24 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 King Shaka (FALE)?
Monitor Approach 125.75 MHz, ATIS 127.0 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 the tower.
How do I know when King Shaka (DUR) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 180° at 8 kt, so 24 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/FALE#runway-alerts