Austin, United States of America
Live METAR wind (VRB at 3 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 18L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Austin Bergstrom International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 10:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 18L. The METAR wind is variable at 3 kt. 18L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 10:53.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18R | 179° | 12,250 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36L | 359° | 12,250 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 179° | 9,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 36R | 359° | 9,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
AUS ATIS INFO Q 1453Z. VRB03KT 10SM FEW100 FEW200 SCT250 20/12 A3027 (THREE ZERO TWO SEVEN). ARRIVALS EXPECT ILS APCH RWY 18L. DEPARTING 18R. SIMULAPP. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. TWY T CLSD. TWY C CLSD BTN TWY, S AND TWY Z. PAPI RWY 18R, 18L, 36R, 36L OTS. RNAV Z AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO Q.
METAR KAUS 261453Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW100 FEW200 SCT250 20/12 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP245 T02000122 53014 $
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 3 kt
20°C · 10+ SM · 1025 hPa
FEW100 FEW200 SCT250
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 18L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 75/100
Short final 18L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 18L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 208.3°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00–09:00 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: Side light
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 Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS / KAUS): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 30.198, longitude -97.662, and the America/Chicago 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 18L - sunny side Runway 18L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 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 121.0 MHz. D-ATIS is 124.4 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 18L, 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, 10:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 18L. The METAR wind is variable at 3 kt. 18L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 81/100, 1234 m from runway 18L, view bearing 208.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 229° and 32°. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 77/100 on a 149.7° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS/KAUS) 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 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.
KAUS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 18L - sunny side (runway 18L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 18L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 18L 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 121.0 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 124.4 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 121.0 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 3 kt, so 18L 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/KAUS#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Austin Bergstrom International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.