Birmingham, United States of America
Live METAR wind (VRB at 3 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 06), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 13:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 06. The METAR wind is variable at 3 kt. 06 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 13:28.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 | 55° | 12,007 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 24 | 235° | 12,007 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18 | 180° | 7,099 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36 | 360° | 7,099 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
METAR KBHM 261753Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW050 OVC250 23/10 A3035 RMK AO2 SLP272 T02280100 10233 20122 58019
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 3 kt
23°C · 10+ SM · 1028 hPa
FEW050 OVC250
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 06 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 95/100
Short final 06 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 06 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 25.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 14:00 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 Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM / KBHM): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 33.563, longitude -86.751, 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 06 - sunny side Runway 06 | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
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 119.9 MHz. D-ATIS is 119.4 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 06, 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, 13:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 06. The METAR wind is variable at 3 kt. 06 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 11° elevation. Short final 06 - sunny side scores 78/100, 1234 m from runway 06, view bearing 25.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 22°. Short final 06 - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 84.2° 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 Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM/KBHM) 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 06 - sunny side. 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.
KBHM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 06 - sunny side (runway 06) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 06 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 06 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 119.9 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 119.4 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 119.9 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 3 kt, so 06 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/KBHM#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.