Banjul International Airport (BJL / GBYD) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Banjul (Yundum), Gambia
Banjul
BJL/GBYD
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 09:54 local
- Active runway
- 14
- METAR wind
- 160° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 14 - sunny side
- Sun
- 119° / 39°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 19m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when GBYD flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Banjul (BJL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR160° @ 4 kt
29°C · 5.6 sm · 1013 hPa
SCT011
Golden hour in 8h 19m
Runway alerts for Banjul 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 BJL, 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 14 - sunny side Runway 14 | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 14 · Dep 14
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 131° | 11,811 ft | +3.5 kt | 1.9 kt | Both |
| 32 | 311° | 11,811 ft | -3.5 kt | 1.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Banjul (GBYD)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 121.300 | Published |
| Departure | 124.450 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.950 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 132.100 | 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 Banjul (BJL/GBYD)
Which runway is active at Banjul (BJL/GBYD) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 14. The METAR wind is 160° at 4 kt. 14 shows +3.5 kt headwind and 1.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Banjul (BJL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 13° elevation. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 72/100, 1234 m from runway 14, view bearing 160.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 243° and 36°. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 88/100 on a 101.7° 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 Banjul International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Banjul International Airport (BJL/GBYD) 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 0 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 GBYD spotting locations?
GBYD spotting locations sun direction: Short final 14 - sunny side (runway 14) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 11:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Banjul (BJL)?
Short final 14 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 14 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 Banjul (GBYD)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.9 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Banjul (BJL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 160° at 4 kt, so 14 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/GBYD#runway-alerts