Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE / KCLE) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Cleveland, United States of America
Cleveland Hopkins
CLE/KCLE
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:44 local
- Active runway
- 06L
- METAR wind
- 30° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 06L - sunny side
- Sun
- 256° / -3°
D-ATIS · +7 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when KCLE flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR30° @ 7 kt
14°C · 10+ sm · 1026 hPa
BKN220
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Cleveland Hopkins 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 CLE, 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 06L - sunny side Runway 06L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 06L · Dep 06L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06R | 50° | 9,953 ft | +6.6 kt | 2.4 kt | Closed |
| 24L | 230° | 9,953 ft | -6.6 kt | 2.4 kt | Closed |
| 06L | 50° | 9,000 ft | +6.6 kt | 2.4 kt | Both |
| 24R | 230° | 9,000 ft | -6.6 kt | 2.4 kt | Standby |
| 10 | 93° | 6,018 ft | +3.2 kt | 6.2 kt | Standby |
| 28 | 273° | 6,018 ft | -3.2 kt | 6.2 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Cleveland Hopkins (KCLE)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.900 | Published |
| Approach | 119.625 | Published |
| Departure | 118.150 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 125.050 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.850 | 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 Cleveland Hopkins (CLE/KCLE)
Which runway is active at Cleveland Hopkins (CLE/KCLE) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 06L. The METAR wind is 30° at 7 kt. 06L shows +6.6 kt headwind and 2.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 06R, 24L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 0° elevation. Short final 06L - sunny side scores 66/100, 1233 m from runway 06L, view bearing 79.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 225° and 23°. Short final 06L - sunny side scores 89/100 on a 79.2° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE/KCLE) 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 06L - 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.
What is the sun direction at KCLE spotting locations?
KCLE spotting locations sun direction: Short final 06L - sunny side (runway 06L) 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 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 09:00-10:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Cleveland Hopkins (CLE)?
Short final 06L - sunny side is 1233 m from the 06L 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 Cleveland Hopkins (KCLE)?
Monitor Tower 120.9 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.625 MHz, ATIS 127.85 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 120.9 MHz.
How do I know when Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 30° at 7 kt, so 06L 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/KCLE#runway-alerts