Tenerife Sur Airport (TFS / GCTS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tenerife, Spain
Tenerife Sur
TFS/GCTS
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 09:54 local
- Active runway
- 07
- METAR wind
- 80° @ 13 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 07 - sunny side
- Sun
- 128° / 31°
Wind vector · +13 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 8h 1m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when GCTS flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Tenerife Sur (TFS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR80° @ 13 kt
26°C · 10+ km · 1019 hPa
FEW130
Golden hour in 8h 1m
Runway alerts for Tenerife Sur 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 TFS, 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 07 - sunny side Runway 07 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 07 · Dep 07
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07 | 69° | 10,499 ft | +12.7 kt | 2.6 kt | Both |
| 25 | 249° | 10,499 ft | -12.7 kt | 2.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tenerife Sur (GCTS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.000 | Published |
| Approach | 120.300 | Published |
| Departure | 126.725 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 129.925 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 118.675 | Published |
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 Tenerife Sur (TFS/GCTS)
Which runway is active at Tenerife Sur (TFS/GCTS) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 07. The METAR wind is 80° at 13 kt. 07 shows +12.7 kt headwind and 2.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tenerife Sur (TFS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 9° elevation. Short final 07 - sunny side scores 75/100, 1234 m from runway 07, view bearing 39.3°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 235° and 29°. Short final 07 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 39.3° 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 Tenerife Sur Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tenerife Sur Airport (TFS/GCTS) 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 07 - sunny side. 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 GCTS spotting locations?
GCTS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 07 - sunny side (runway 07) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tenerife Sur (TFS)?
Short final 07 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 07 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 Tenerife Sur (GCTS)?
Monitor Tower 119.0 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 120.3 MHz, ATIS 118.675 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 119.0 MHz.
How do I know when Tenerife Sur (TFS) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 80° at 13 kt, so 07 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/GCTS#runway-alerts