Mohammed V International Airport (CMN / GMMN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Casablanca, Morocco
Mohammed V
CMN/GMMN
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 09:54 local
- Active runway
- 17L / 17R
- METAR wind
- 120° @ 8 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 17L - sunny side
- Sun
- 138° / 33°
Wind vector · +6 kt headwind
MVFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 7h 17m
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Best Mohammed V (CMN) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR120° @ 8 kt
20°C · 5 sm · 1022 hPa
SCT023 BKN100
Golden hour in 7h 17m
Runway alerts for Mohammed V 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 CMN, 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 17L - sunny side Runway 17L | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 10:00. Avoid 11:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 17R - sunny side Runway 17R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 17L / 17R · Dep 17L / 17R
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 13:00 shifts the wind to 350° at 13 kt, favoring 35R+35L in about 3.1 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17L | 164° | 12,205 ft | +5.8 kt | 5.6 kt | Both |
| 35R | 344° | 12,205 ft | -5.8 kt | 5.6 kt | Standby |
| 17R | 164° | 12,205 ft | +5.8 kt | 5.6 kt | Both |
| 35L | 344° | 12,205 ft | -5.8 kt | 5.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Mohammed V (GMMN)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.500 | Published |
| Approach | 119.900 | Published |
| Approach | 121.300 | Published |
| Departure | 125.325 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 128.525 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 126.300 | 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 Mohammed V (CMN/GMMN)
Which runway is active at Mohammed V (CMN/GMMN) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 09:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 17L+17R. The METAR wind is 120° at 8 kt. 17L shows +5.8 kt headwind and 5.6 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 116° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 17L - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 17L, view bearing 193.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 239° and 19°. Short final 17R - sunny side scores 82/100 on a 134.7° 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 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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 17L - sunny side (runway 17L) 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: 10:00. Avoid 11:00-16:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 17R - sunny side (runway 17R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 16:00-17:00. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Mohammed V (CMN)?
Short final 17L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 17L 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?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 13:00 shifts the wind to 350° at 13 kt, favoring 35R+35L in about 3.1 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/GMMN#runway-alerts