Ndjili International Airport (FIH / FZAA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Kinshasa, Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Ndjili
FIH/FZAA
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 10:55 local
- Active runway
- 06
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 06 - sunny side
- Sun
- 126° / 76°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
MVFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 6h 28m
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Best Ndjili (FIH) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFRCALM
28°C · 3.7 sm · 1015 hPa
FEW018
Golden hour in 6h 28m
Runway alerts for Ndjili 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 FIH, 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 06 - sunny side Runway 06 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 06 · Dep 06
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 240° at 6 kt, favoring 24 in about 1.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 | 58° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 24 | 238° | 13,123 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Ndjili (FZAA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 119.700 | Published |
| Departure | 126.000 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.200 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 135.050 | 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 Ndjili (FIH/FZAA)
Which runway is active at Ndjili (FIH/FZAA) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 06. The METAR wind is calm. 06 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 Ndjili (FIH) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 102° azimuth and 34° elevation. Short final 06 - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 06, view bearing 28.8°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 258° and 26°. Short final 06 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 87.2° 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 Ndjili International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Ndjili International Airport (FIH/FZAA) 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 06 - 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 FZAA spotting locations?
FZAA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 06 - sunny side (runway 06) is SIDE LIGHT 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. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Ndjili (FIH)?
Short final 06 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 06 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 Ndjili (FZAA)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.7 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 Ndjili (FIH) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 240° at 6 kt, favoring 24 in about 1.1 hours. 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/FZAA#runway-alerts