Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG / KCVG) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Cincinnati / Covington, United States of America
Cincinnati Northern Kentucky
CVG/KCVG
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:45 local
- Active runway
- 09
- METAR wind
- CALM
- Best spot
- Short final 09 - sunny side
- Sun
- 254° / -1°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 0 min
NightWant a Telegram ping when KCVG flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRCALM
22°C · 10+ sm · 1024 hPa
BKN250
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 0 min
Runway alerts for Cincinnati Northern Kentucky 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 CVG, 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 09 - sunny side Runway 09 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 09 · Dep 09
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | 90° | 12,001 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 27 | 270° | 12,001 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18C | 180° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36C | 360° | 11,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 180° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 36R | 360° | 10,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 180° | 8,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
| 36L | 0° | 8,000 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (KCVG)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Tower | 118.975 | Published |
| Approach | 119.700 | Published |
| Departure | 126.650 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.175 | Published |
| ATIS | 134.375 | Published |
| ATIS | 135.300 | 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 Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG/KCVG)
Which runway is active at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG/KCVG) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 09. The METAR wind is calm. 09 is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: 18R, 36L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and -1° elevation. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 09, view bearing 60.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 224° and 26°. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 60.7° 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 Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG/KCVG) 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 09 - 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 KCVG spotting locations?
KCVG spotting locations sun direction: Short final 09 - sunny side (runway 09) 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 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG)?
Short final 09 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 09 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 Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (KCVG)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 119.7 MHz, ATIS 134.375 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Cincinnati Northern Kentucky (CVG) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near calm, so 09 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/KCVG#runway-alerts