Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO / KGSO) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Greensboro, United States of America
Piedmont Triad
GSO/KGSO
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 19:11 local
- Active runway
- 05R / 05L
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 05R - sunny side
- Sun
- 261° / -9°
D-ATIS · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Piedmont Triad (GSO) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 4 kt
18°C · 10+ sm · 1026 hPa
CLR
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Piedmont Triad 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 GSO, 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 05R - sunny side Runway 05R | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 05L - sunny side Runway 05L | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 05R / 05L · Dep 05R / 05L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05R | 46° | 10,001 ft | +4.0 kt | 0.4 kt | Both |
| 23L | 226° | 10,001 ft | -4.0 kt | 0.4 kt | Standby |
| 05L | 46° | 9,000 ft | +4.0 kt | 0.4 kt | Both |
| 23R | 226° | 9,000 ft | -4.0 kt | 0.4 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 135° | 6,380 ft | -0.4 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 32 | 315° | 6,380 ft | +0.4 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Piedmont Triad (KGSO)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.100 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.050 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.750 | Published |
| ATIS | 128.550 | 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 Piedmont Triad (GSO/KGSO)
Which runway is active at Piedmont Triad (GSO/KGSO) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 05R+05L. The METAR wind is 40° at 4 kt. 05R shows +4.0 kt headwind and 0.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Piedmont Triad (GSO) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 109° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 05R - sunny side scores 79/100, 1234 m from runway 05R, view bearing 16.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 229° and 26°. Short final 05R - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 75.2° 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 Piedmont Triad International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO/KGSO) 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 05R - sunny side, Short final 05L - 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 KGSO spotting locations?
KGSO spotting locations sun direction: Short final 05R - sunny side (runway 05R) 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 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 05L - sunny side (runway 05L) 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 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Piedmont Triad (GSO)?
Short final 05R - sunny side is 1233 m from the 05R 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 Piedmont Triad (KGSO)?
Monitor Tower 119.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 128.55 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 119.1 MHz.
How do I know when Piedmont Triad (GSO) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 40° at 4 kt, so 05R 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/KGSO#runway-alerts