Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA / GMME) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Rabat, Morocco
Rabat-Salé
RBA/GMME
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 09:54 local
- Active runway
- 21
- METAR wind
- 160° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 21 - sunny side
- Sun
- 139° / 33°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
IFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 7h 12m
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Best Rabat-Salé (RBA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
IFR160° @ 4 kt
19°C · 2.5 sm · 1022 hPa
BKN008 BKN120
Golden hour in 7h 12m
Runway alerts for Rabat-Salé 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 RBA, 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 21 - sunny side Runway 21 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-08:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 21 · Dep 21
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 340° at 6 kt, favoring 03 in about 2.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | 33° | 11,483 ft | -2.4 kt | 3.2 kt | Standby |
| 21 | 213° | 11,483 ft | +2.4 kt | 3.2 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Rabat-Salé (GMME)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 118.900 | Published |
| Departure | 124.400 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.600 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 135.250 | 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 Rabat-Salé (RBA/GMME)
Which runway is active at Rabat-Salé (RBA/GMME) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 21. The METAR wind is 160° at 4 kt. 21 shows +2.4 kt headwind and 3.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Rabat-Salé (RBA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 86/100, 1234 m from runway 21, view bearing 242.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 18°. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 72/100 on a 183.8° 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 Rabat-Salé Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA/GMME) 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 GMME spotting locations?
GMME spotting locations sun direction: Short final 21 - sunny side (runway 21) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-08:00 local. Avoid 14:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Rabat-Salé (RBA)?
Short final 21 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 21 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 Rabat-Salé (GMME)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Approach 118.9 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 Rabat-Salé (RBA) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 340° at 6 kt, favoring 03 in about 2.1 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/GMME#runway-alerts