Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR / HTDA) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, United Republic of
Julius Nyerere
DAR/HTDA
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 00:05 local
- Active runway
- 14
- METAR wind
- 160° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 14 - sunny side
- Sun
- 181° / -70°
Wind vector · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sunrise in 5h 53m
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Best Julius Nyerere (DAR) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR160° @ 4 kt
23°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
FEW013
Sunrise in 5h 53m
Runway alerts for Julius Nyerere 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 DAR, 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 14 - sunny side Runway 14 | BACKLIT / GLARE | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 14 · Dep 14
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | 45° | 9,843 ft | -1.7 kt | 3.6 kt | Standby |
| 23 | 225° | 9,843 ft | +1.7 kt | 3.6 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 135° | 3,280 ft | +3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Both |
| 32 | 315° | 3,280 ft | -3.6 kt | 1.7 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Julius Nyerere (HTDA)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 119.600 | Published |
| Departure | 126.425 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.650 | Assigned |
| Delivery | 129.025 | Assigned |
| ATIS | 134.325 | 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 Julius Nyerere (DAR/HTDA)
Which runway is active at Julius Nyerere (DAR/HTDA) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 14. The METAR wind is 160° at 4 kt. 14 shows +3.6 kt headwind and 1.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Julius Nyerere (DAR) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 101° azimuth and 29° elevation. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 74/100, 1234 m from runway 14, view bearing 164.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 259° and 32°. Short final 14 - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 105.8° 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 Julius Nyerere International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR/HTDA) 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 14 - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 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 HTDA spotting locations?
HTDA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 14 - sunny side (runway 14) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. Avoid 07:00-12:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Julius Nyerere (DAR)?
Short final 14 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 14 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 Julius Nyerere (HTDA)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Approach 119.6 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Julius Nyerere (DAR) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 160° at 4 kt, so 14 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/HTDA#runway-alerts