John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH / KCMH) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Columbus, United States of America
John Glenn Columbus
CMH/KCMH
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:53 local
- Active runway
- 10R / 28L / 28R
- METAR wind
- 90° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 10R - sunny side
- Sun
- 257° / -4°
D-ATIS · +3 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best John Glenn Columbus (CMH) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR90° @ 3 kt
19°C · 10+ sm · 1025 hPa
FEW140 SCT250
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for John Glenn Columbus 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 CMH, 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 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
| Short final 28L - sunny side Runway 28L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 10R / 28L / 28R · Dep 10R / 28L / 28R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10R | 94° | 10,114 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.2 kt | Both |
| 28L | 274° | 10,114 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.2 kt | Both |
| 10L | 94° | 8,000 ft | +3.0 kt | 0.2 kt | Standby |
| 28R | 274° | 8,000 ft | -3.0 kt | 0.2 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for John Glenn Columbus (KCMH)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 132.700 | Published |
| Approach | 120.275 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.125 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.300 | Published |
| ATIS | 124.600 | 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 John Glenn Columbus (CMH/KCMH)
Which runway is active at John Glenn Columbus (CMH/KCMH) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 10R+28L+28R. The METAR wind is 90° at 3 kt. 10R shows +3.0 kt headwind and 0.2 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at John Glenn Columbus (CMH) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 107° azimuth and 0° elevation. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 10R, view bearing 64.9°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 225° and 25°. Short final 10R - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 64.9° 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 John Glenn Columbus International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH/KCMH) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 28L - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 10R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 2 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 KCMH spotting locations?
KCMH spotting locations sun direction: Short final 10R - sunny side (runway 10R) 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. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 28L - sunny side (runway 28L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at John Glenn Columbus (CMH)?
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 John Glenn Columbus (KCMH)?
Monitor Tower 132.7 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 124.6 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 132.7 MHz.
How do I know when John Glenn Columbus (CMH) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 90° 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/KCMH#runway-alerts