Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE / FBSK) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Gaborone, Botswana
Sir Seretse Khama
GBE/FBSK
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 11:55 local
- Active runway
- 08
- METAR wind
- 150° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 08 - sunny side
- Sun
- 6° / 78°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 6h 2m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when FBSK flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Sir Seretse Khama (GBE) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR150° @ 7 kt
28°C · 10+ km · 1018 hPa
CAVOK
Golden hour in 6h 2m
Runway alerts for Sir Seretse Khama 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 GBE, 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 08 - sunny side Runway 08 | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 08 · Dep 08
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 62° | 13,123 ft | +0.2 kt | 7.0 kt | Both |
| 26 | 242° | 13,123 ft | -0.2 kt | 7.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Sir Seretse Khama (FBSK)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 128.200 | Published |
| Departure | 125.900 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.900 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 135.750 | Assigned |
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 Sir Seretse Khama (GBE/FBSK)
Which runway is active at Sir Seretse Khama (GBE/FBSK) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 08. The METAR wind is 150° at 7 kt. 08 shows +0.2 kt headwind and 7.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Sir Seretse Khama (GBE) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 90° azimuth and 32° elevation. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 73/100, 1234 m from runway 08, view bearing 32.4°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 270° and 32°. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 96/100 on a 90.9° 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 Sir Seretse Khama International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE/FBSK) 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 08 - sunny side. 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 FBSK spotting locations?
FBSK spotting locations sun direction: Short final 08 - sunny side (runway 08) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Sir Seretse Khama (GBE)?
Short final 08 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08 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 Sir Seretse Khama (FBSK)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 128.2 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Sir Seretse Khama (GBE) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 150° at 7 kt, so 08 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/FBSK#runway-alerts