Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI / KBOI) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Boise, United States of America
Boise Air Terminal
BOI/KBOI
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:59 local
- Active runway
- 10R
- METAR wind
- 270° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 10R - sunny side
- Sun
- 234° / 16°
D-ATIS · -3 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 1h 5m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KBOI flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Boise Air Terminal (BOI) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR270° @ 3 kt
13°C · 10+ sm · 1014 hPa
BKN120
Golden hour in 1h 5m
Runway alerts for Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at BOI, 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 10R - sunny side Runway 10R | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 10R · Dep 10R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10L | 115° | 10,000 ft | -2.7 kt | 1.3 kt | Closed |
| 28R | 295° | 10,000 ft | +2.7 kt | 1.3 kt | Standby |
| 10R | 115° | 9,763 ft | -2.7 kt | 1.3 kt | Both |
| 28L | 295° | 9,763 ft | +2.7 kt | 1.3 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Boise Air Terminal (KBOI)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.925 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.575 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 125.900 | Published |
| ATIS | 123.900 | Published |
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 Boise Air Terminal (BOI/KBOI)
Which runway is active at Boise Air Terminal (BOI/KBOI) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 10R. The METAR wind is 270° at 3 kt. 10R shows -2.7 kt headwind and 1.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 10L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Boise Air Terminal (BOI) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 105° azimuth and -3° elevation. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 10R, view bearing 85.8°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 221° and 24°. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 87/100 on a 85.8° 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 Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field?
The best time to plane spot at Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI/KBOI) 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.
What is the sun direction at KBOI spotting locations?
KBOI spotting locations sun direction: Short final 10R - sunny side (runway 10R) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 16:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Boise Air Terminal (BOI)?
Short final 10R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 10R 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 Boise Air Terminal (KBOI)?
Monitor Tower 118.1 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 123.9 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 118.1 MHz.
How do I know when Boise Air Terminal (BOI) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 270° at 3 kt, so 10R 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/KBOI#runway-alerts