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Casablanca, Morocco

Mohammed V International Airport (CMN / GMMN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Live METAR wind (330° at 10 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 35R+35L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Mohammed V International Airport.

METAR/TAF WIND VECTOR PREDICTION$3/mo runway-shift alerts

Which runway is active at Mohammed V (CMN) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 330° at 10 kt. 35R shows +9.7 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 14:49.

EndTrue hdgLengthHeadwindCrosswindRole
17L164°12,205 ft-9.7 kt2.4 ktStandby
35R344°12,205 ft+9.7 kt2.4 ktLanding + departure
17R164°12,205 ft-9.7 kt2.4 ktStandby
35L344°12,205 ft+9.7 kt2.4 ktLanding + departure

METAR GMMN 261430Z 33010KT CAVOK 30/15 Q1018 NOSIG

CLEAN FRONT LIGHT

Live weather

VFR

330° @ 10 kt

30°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1018 hPa

-

Front-lit sector

Backlight / glare cone

Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks

Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.

Mon 26 Oct, 14:49Az 225° · El 31°Golden hour in 2h 23m
+0h local

Best Mohammed V (CMN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Every pin below carries original geometry: meters to the nearest runway centerline, the compass bearing toward the aircraft, the morning or afternoon that puts the sun behind that view, and a lens picked only from that distance.

  1. Short final 35R - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 90/100

    Short final 35R - sunny side sits 1210 m from the 35L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 13.2°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 13:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.

    Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.

    1210 m to centerline
    13.2° view bearing
    Best sun: Midday 13:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Frontlit

    Google Maps navigation
  2. Short final 35L - sunny side

    Calculated perimeter

    Score 90/100

    Short final 35L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 35L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 13.2°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 13:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.

    Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km from the landing threshold and 280 m off the centerline, on the sunny side. Confirm the fence is between you and the runway before you stop.

    1234 m to centerline
    13.2° view bearing
    Best sun: Midday 13:00
    150-600mm

    Now: Frontlit

    Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip

Know a public fence, mound, or lens that works for a specific threshold? Send it in. Tips are reviewed before they show on the map.

Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot

Best time to plane spot at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN / GMMN): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 33.367, longitude -7.590, and the Africa/Casablanca clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.

Spotting LocationMorning (07:00-11:00)Midday (11:00-14:00)Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00)JetPhotos / Camera Note

Short final 35R - sunny side

Runway 35R

SIDE LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

Short final 35L - sunny side

Runway 35L

SIDE LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Mohammed V (GMMN)

Zero-Delay Fence Audio

Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more, which is enough to miss the runway change and be on the wrong side of the field. Tower is 118.5 MHz. D-ATIS is 126.3 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1210 m from 35L, bring a 150-600mm lens.

  • Sony FE 200-600mm

    Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.

    Search this gear
  • Uniden Bearcat BC125AT

    Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.

    Search this gear
  • FlightAware Pro Stick

    USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.

    Search this gear

Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Mohammed V (CMN/GMMN)

Which runway is active at Mohammed V (CMN/GMMN) right now?

As of Mon 26 Oct, 14:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 35R+35L. The METAR wind is 330° at 10 kt. 35R shows +9.7 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Mohammed V (CMN) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 115° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 92/100, 1234 m from runway 35R, view bearing 314.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 19°. Short final 35R - sunny side scores 87/100 on a 13.2° 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 Mohammed V International Airport?

The best time to plane spot at Mohammed V International Airport (CMN/GMMN) 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 35R - sunny side, Short final 35L - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 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 GMMN spotting locations?

GMMN spotting locations sun direction: Short final 35R - sunny side (runway 35R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 35L - sunny side (runway 35L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 11:00-17:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Mohammed V (CMN)?

Short final 35R - sunny side is 1210 m from the 35L 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 Mohammed V (GMMN)?

Monitor Tower 118.5 MHz, Approach 119.9 MHz, ATIS 126.3 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 118.5 MHz.

How do I know when Mohammed V (CMN) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 10 kt, so 35R 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/GMMN#runway-alerts

Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo

Get a Telegram ping when Mohammed V International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.

$3/mo · Instant Telegram ping 60 min before a forecast wind shift flips the active runway, plus golden-hour reminders.

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