O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB / FAOR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Johannesburg, South Africa
Johannesburg
JNB/FAOR
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 22:04 local
- Active runway
- 21R / 21L
- METAR wind
- 170° @ 11 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 21R - sunny side
- Sun
- 217° / -43°
Wind vector · +10 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Johannesburg (JNB) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR170° @ 11 kt
18°C · 10+ km · 1023 hPa
CAVOK
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for O.R. Tambo 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 JNB, 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 21R - sunny side Runway 21R | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 13:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 21L - sunny side Runway 21L | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 13:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 21R / 21L · Dep 21R / 21L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03L | 14° | 14,495 ft | -10.0 kt | 4.5 kt | Standby |
| 21R | 194° | 14,495 ft | +10.0 kt | 4.5 kt | Both |
| 03R | 14° | 11,155 ft | -10.0 kt | 4.5 kt | Standby |
| 21L | 194° | 11,155 ft | +10.0 kt | 4.5 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Johannesburg (FAOR)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Tower | 118.600 | Published |
| Approach | 123.700 | Published |
| Approach | 124.500 | Published |
| Departure | 126.750 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.700 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.200 | 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 Johannesburg (JNB/FAOR)
Which runway is active at Johannesburg (JNB/FAOR) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 22:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 21R+21L. The METAR wind is 170° at 11 kt. 21R shows +10.0 kt headwind and 4.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Johannesburg (JNB) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 88° azimuth and 34° elevation. Short final 21R - sunny side scores 87/100, 1234 m from runway 21R, view bearing 223.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 270° and 30°. Short final 21R - sunny side scores 82/100 on a 164.8° 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 O.R. Tambo International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB/FAOR) 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 2 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 FAOR spotting locations?
FAOR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 21R - sunny side (runway 21R) 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: 13:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 21L - sunny side (runway 21L) 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: 13:00. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Johannesburg (JNB)?
Short final 21R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 21R 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 Johannesburg (FAOR)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 123.7 MHz, ATIS 126.2 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 Johannesburg (JNB) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 170° at 11 kt, so 21R 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/FAOR#runway-alerts