Nashville, United States of America
Live METAR wind (330° at 5 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 02C+02R+02L, departure 20C), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Nashville International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 13:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 02C+02R+02L, departure 20C. The METAR wind is 330° at 5 kt. 02C shows +3.3 kt headwind and 3.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 31, 20L. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 13:32.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 133° | 11,030 ft | -4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 31 | 313° | 11,030 ft | +4.8 kt | 1.4 kt | Closed |
| 02C | 18° | 8,001 ft | +3.3 kt | 3.7 kt | Landing |
| 20C | 198° | 8,001 ft | -3.3 kt | 3.7 kt | Departure |
| 02R | 18° | 8,001 ft | +3.3 kt | 3.7 kt | Landing |
| 20L | 198° | 8,001 ft | -3.3 kt | 3.7 kt | Closed |
| 02L | 18° | 7,704 ft | +3.4 kt | 3.7 kt | Landing |
| 20R | 198° | 7,704 ft | -3.4 kt | 3.7 kt | Standby |
BNA ATIS INFO X 1753Z. 34005KT 10SM BKN250 23/07 A3037 (THREE ZERO THREE SEVEN) RMK AO2 SLP281 T02280072 10228 20083 58021. VISUAL APCHS RWY 20L IN USE. DEPG RWY 20C, RWY 20R. CLEARANCE FREQUENCY IS 126.05. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. RWY 31 CLSD. RY 20L ALS OTS, RY 2C SFL OTS. BIRD ACTIVITY IN VCY OF ARPT. AIR CARRIERS EXPECT 20R FOR DEPARTURE. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO X.
METAR KBNA 261753Z 33005KT 10SM BKN250 23/07 A3037 RMK AO2 SLP281 T02280072 10228 20083 58021
Live weather
VFR330° @ 5 kt
23°C · 10+ SM · 1029 hPa
BKN250
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 02C - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 91/100
Short final 02C - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 02C centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 47.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 15:00–16:00 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 02R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 91/100
Short final 02R - sunny side sits 1141 m from the 02C centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 47.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 15:00–16:00 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 navigationClimb-out 20C - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 87/100
Climb-out 20C - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 02C centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 47.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 15:00–16:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km beyond the far end of the departure runway, offset 280 m to the sunny side of the climb.
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 Nashville International Airport (BNA / KBNA): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 36.124, longitude -86.678, 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 02C - sunny side Runway 02C | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Short final 02R - sunny side Runway 02R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Climb-out 20C - sunny side Runway 20C | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 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 118.6 MHz. D-ATIS is 135.1 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 02C, 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, D-ATIS confirms landing 02C+02R+02L, departure 20C. The METAR wind is 330° at 5 kt. 02C shows +3.3 kt headwind and 3.7 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 31, 20L.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 10° elevation. Short final 02C - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 02C, view bearing 348.8°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 21°. Short final 02R - sunny side scores 95/100 on a 47.2° 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 Nashville International Airport (BNA/KBNA) 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 02C - sunny side, Short final 02R - sunny side, Climb-out 20C - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 3 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
KBNA spotting locations sun direction: Short final 02C - sunny side (runway 02C) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 02R - sunny side (runway 02R) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Climb-out 20C - sunny side (runway 20C) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 02C - sunny side is 1234 m from the 02C 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 118.6 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 120.6 MHz, ATIS 135.1 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.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 5 kt, so 02C 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/KBNA#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Nashville International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.