Cairo, Egypt
Live METAR wind (330° at 10 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 05C+05R+05L, departure 05R+05C), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Cairo International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 05C+05R+05L, departure 05R+05C. The METAR wind is 330° at 10 kt. 05C shows +2.6 kt headwind and 9.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 17:48.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05R | 49° | 13,124 ft | +1.9 kt | 9.8 kt | Landing + departure |
| 23L | 229° | 13,124 ft | -1.9 kt | 9.8 kt | Standby |
| 05C | 45° | 13,123 ft | +2.6 kt | 9.7 kt | Landing + departure |
| 23C | 225° | 13,123 ft | -2.6 kt | 9.7 kt | Standby |
| 05L | 49° | 10,827 ft | +1.9 kt | 9.8 kt | Landing |
| 23R | 229° | 10,827 ft | -1.9 kt | 9.8 kt | Standby |
METAR HECA 261430Z 33010KT CAVOK 26/11 Q1012 NOSIG
Live weather
VFR330° @ 10 kt
26°C · 10+ km (9999) · 1012 hPa
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Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
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.
Short final 05C - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 96/100
Short final 05C - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 05C centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 74.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 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.
Now: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 05R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 95/100
Short final 05R - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 05R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 78.4°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 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.
Now: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationKnow 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 to plane spot at Cairo International Airport (CAI / HECA): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 30.112, longitude 31.397, and the Africa/Cairo 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 Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 05C - sunny side Runway 05C | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 05R - sunny side Runway 05R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
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 118.1 MHz. D-ATIS is 122.6 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1233 m from 05C, 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 gearUniden Bearcat BC125AT
Handheld VHF airband scanner for tower and ATIS at the fence. Online streams run 30 seconds or more behind.
Search this gearFlightAware Pro Stick
USB ADS-B receiver if you want tail numbers on a laptop beside the photos.
Search this gearAs of Mon 26 Oct, 17:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 05C+05R+05L, departure 05R+05C. The METAR wind is 330° at 10 kt. 05C shows +2.6 kt headwind and 9.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 11° elevation. Short final 05C - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 05C, view bearing 15.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 26°. Short final 05C - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 74.2° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Cairo International Airport (CAI/HECA) 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 05C - sunny side, Short final 05R - 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.
HECA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05C - sunny side (runway 05C) 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 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 05R - sunny side (runway 05R) 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 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 05C - sunny side is 1233 m from the 05C 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.
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 119.05 MHz, ATIS 122.6 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 118.1 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 10 kt, so 05C 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/HECA#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Cairo International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.