Colorado Springs, United States of America
Live METAR wind (270° at 5 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 30), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 30. The METAR wind is 270° at 5 kt. 30 shows +3.5 kt headwind and 3.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 09:42.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17L | 180° | 13,500 ft | +0.0 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 35R | 0° | 13,500 ft | +0.0 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 17R | 180° | 11,022 ft | +0.0 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 0° | 11,022 ft | -0.0 kt | 5.0 kt | Standby |
| 12 | 135° | 8,272 ft | -3.5 kt | 3.5 kt | Standby |
| 30 | 315° | 8,272 ft | +3.5 kt | 3.5 kt | Landing + departure |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 160° at 10 kt, favoring 17L+17R in about 2.3 hours.
METAR KCOS 261454Z 27005KT 10SM FEW005 SCT025 SCT250 06/04 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP241 T00610039 53012 $
Live weather
VFR270° @ 5 kt
6°C · 10+ SM · 1025 hPa
FEW005 SCT025 SCT250
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 30 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 93/100
Short final 30 - sunny side sits 267 m from the 17L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 285.8°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00 local) with a 100-400mm 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 City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS / KCOS): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 38.806, longitude -104.701, and the America/Denver 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 30 - sunny side Runway 30 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-12:00 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 125.0 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 267 m from 17L, bring a 100-400mm lens.
Canon RF 100-500mm
From 250 m to 450 m off the centerline, 100-400mm (or this 100-500mm zoom) keeps the airframe tight.
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, 09:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 30. The METAR wind is 270° at 5 kt. 30 shows +3.5 kt headwind and 3.5 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 30 - sunny side scores 97/100, 267 m from runway 17L, view bearing 285.8°, best as a morning spot with a 100-400mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 232° and 21°. Short final 30 - sunny side scores 85/100 on a 344.3° 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 City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS/KCOS) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 30 - sunny side. 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.
KCOS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 30 - sunny side (runway 30) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-12:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 30 - sunny side is 267 m from the 17L centerline, so the lens is 100-400mm. 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, Approach 118.5 MHz, ATIS 125.0 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.
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 160° at 10 kt, favoring 17L+17R in about 2.3 hours. 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/KCOS#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.