Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA / FVFA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls
VFA/FVFA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 11:55 local
- Active runway
- 12
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 12 - sunny side
- Sun
- 14° / 84°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 5h 57m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when FVFA flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Victoria Falls (VFA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 7 kt
34°C · 10+ km · 1018 hPa
CAVOK
Golden hour in 5h 57m
Runway alerts for Victoria Falls 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 VFA, 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 12 - sunny side Runway 12 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 12 · Dep 12
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 110° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 30 | 290° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Victoria Falls (FVFA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 121.100 | Published |
| Approach | 121.100 | Published |
| Departure | 126.075 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.750 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.375 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.175 | 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 Victoria Falls (VFA/FVFA)
Which runway is active at Victoria Falls (VFA/FVFA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 10:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 12. The METAR wind is variable at 7 kt. 12 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Victoria Falls (VFA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 94° azimuth and 32° elevation. Short final 12 - sunny side scores 70/100, 1234 m from runway 12, view bearing 139.3°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 266° and 32°. Short final 12 - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 80.8° 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 Victoria Falls International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA/FVFA) 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 FVFA spotting locations?
FVFA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 12 - sunny side (runway 12) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Victoria Falls (VFA)?
Short final 12 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 12 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 Victoria Falls (FVFA)?
Monitor Tower 121.1 MHz, Approach 121.1 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 121.1 MHz.
How do I know when Victoria Falls (VFA) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 7 kt, so 12 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/FVFA#runway-alerts