Spotter

Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT / KFAT) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Fresno, United States of America

Fresno Yosemite

FAT/KFAT

Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:09 local

Active runway
29R / 29L

Wind vector · +3 kt headwind

METAR wind
330° @ 3 kt

VFR

Best spot
Short final 29L - sunny side

Side-lit

Sun
222° / 30°

Golden hour in 2h 23m

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Best Fresno Yosemite (FAT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Live weather

VFR

330° @ 3 kt

22°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa

FEW170 BKN220

Tue 27 Oct, 15:09 localAz 222° · El 30°Side-lit

Golden hour in 2h 23m

+0h

Runway alerts for Fresno Yosemite International Airport

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Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies

Lighting schedule

Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at FAT, scored from each spot's view bearing.

Spotting LocationMorning (07:00-11:00)Midday (11:00-14:00)Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00)JetPhotos / Camera Note
Short final 29L - sunny side

Runway 29L

CLEAN FRONT LIGHTCLEAN FRONT LIGHTSIDE LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 29R - sunny side

Runway 29R

CLEAN FRONT LIGHTSIDE LIGHTSIDE LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
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Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Fresno Yosemite (FAT/KFAT)

Which runway is active at Fresno Yosemite (FAT/KFAT) right now?

As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 29R+29L. The METAR wind is 330° at 3 kt. 29R shows +2.7 kt headwind and 1.2 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Fresno Yosemite (FAT) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 112° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 29R - sunny side scores 93/100, 1233 m from runway 29R, view bearing 276.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 22°. Short final 29L - sunny side scores 81/100 on a 334.3° 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.

What is the best time to plane spot at Fresno Yosemite International Airport?

The best time to plane spot at Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT/KFAT) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 29L - sunny side, Short final 29R - 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 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 KFAT spotting locations?

KFAT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 29L - sunny side (runway 29L) 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 08:00-15:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 29R - sunny side (runway 29R) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-11:00 local. Avoid 17:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Fresno Yosemite (FAT)?

Short final 29L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 29L 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 Fresno Yosemite (KFAT)?

Monitor Tower 118.2 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, ATIS 121.35 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 118.2 MHz.

How do I know when Fresno Yosemite (FAT) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 330° at 3 kt, so 29R 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/KFAT#runway-alerts