Maputo Airport (MPM / FQMA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Maputo, Mozambique
Maputo
MPM/FQMA
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 01:47 local
- Active runway
- 23
- METAR wind
- 200° @ 17 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 23 - sunny side
- Sun
- 136° / -39°
Wind vector · +17 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 3h 18m
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Best Maputo (MPM) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR200° @ 17 kt
21°C · 10+ km · 1016 hPa
SCT020 FEW030
Sunrise in 3h 18m
Runway alerts for Maputo 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 MPM, 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 23 - sunny side Runway 23 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 23 · Dep 23
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 29° | 12,008 ft | -16.8 kt | 2.7 kt | Standby |
| 23 | 209° | 12,008 ft | +16.8 kt | 2.7 kt | Both |
| 10 | 86° | 5,577 ft | -6.9 kt | 15.5 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 266° | 5,577 ft | +6.9 kt | 15.5 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Maputo (FQMA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 121.300 | Published |
| Departure | 125.625 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.625 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.725 | 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 Maputo (MPM/FQMA)
Which runway is active at Maputo (MPM/FQMA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 01:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 23. The METAR wind is 200° at 17 kt. 23 shows +16.8 kt headwind and 2.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Maputo (MPM) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 86° azimuth and 38° elevation. Short final 23 - sunny side scores 91/100, 1234 m from runway 23, view bearing 238.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 268° and 27°. Short final 23 - sunny side scores 78/100 on a 179.8° 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 Maputo Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Maputo Airport (MPM/FQMA) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 23 - sunny side. 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 FQMA spotting locations?
FQMA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 23 - sunny side (runway 23) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Maputo (MPM)?
Short final 23 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 23 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 Maputo (FQMA)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 121.3 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 Maputo (MPM) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 200° at 17 kt, so 23 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/FQMA#runway-alerts