Moi International Airport (MBA / HKMO) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Mombasa, Kenya
Moi
MBA/HKMO
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 03:41 local
- Active runway
- 21
- METAR wind
- 220° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 21 - sunny side
- Sun
- 108° / -34°
Wind vector · +3 kt headwind
MVFR
Night
Sunrise in 2h 18m
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Best Moi (MBA) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
MVFR220° @ 3 kt
25°C · 10+ km · 1012 hPa
BKN018
Sunrise in 2h 18m
Runway alerts for Moi 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 MBA, 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 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 21 · Dep 21
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 09:00 shifts the wind to 150° at 10 kt, favoring 15 in about 5.3 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | 29° | 10,991 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 21 | 209° | 10,991 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Both |
| 15 | 150° | 4,473 ft | +1.0 kt | 2.8 kt | Standby |
| 33 | 330° | 4,473 ft | -1.0 kt | 2.8 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Moi (HKMO)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.600 | Published |
| Approach | 120.300 | Published |
| Departure | 125.975 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.600 | Published |
| Delivery | 128.275 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 133.475 | 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 Moi (MBA/HKMO)
Which runway is active at Moi (MBA/HKMO) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 03:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 21. The METAR wind is 220° at 3 kt. 21 shows +2.9 kt headwind and 0.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Moi (MBA) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 103° azimuth and 29° elevation. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 87/100, 1234 m from runway 21, view bearing 238.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 257° and 32°. Short final 21 - sunny side scores 76/100 on a 179.8° 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 Moi International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Moi International Airport (MBA/HKMO) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 21 - sunny side. 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 HKMO spotting locations?
HKMO spotting locations sun direction: Short final 21 - sunny side (runway 21) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-11:00 local. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Moi (MBA)?
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 Moi (HKMO)?
Monitor Tower 118.6 MHz, Ground 121.6 MHz, Approach 120.3 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 118.6 MHz.
How do I know when Moi (MBA) switches active runways?
TAF at Wed 28 Oct, 09:00 shifts the wind to 150° at 10 kt, favoring 15 in about 5.3 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/HKMO#runway-alerts