Houston, United States of America
Live METAR wind (110° at 9 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 09+08R+08L, departure 15L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09+08R+08L, departure 15L. The METAR wind is 110° at 9 kt. 09 shows +8.5 kt headwind and 3.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 12:07.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15L | 152° | 12,001 ft | +6.7 kt | 6.0 kt | Departure |
| 33R | 332° | 12,001 ft | -6.7 kt | 6.0 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 90° | 10,000 ft | +8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Landing |
| 27 | 270° | 10,000 ft | -8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
| 15R | 152° | 10,000 ft | +6.7 kt | 6.0 kt | Standby |
| 33L | 332° | 10,000 ft | -6.7 kt | 6.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 9,402 ft | +8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Landing |
| 26L | 270° | 9,402 ft | -8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
| 08L | 90° | 9,000 ft | +8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Landing |
| 26R | 270° | 9,000 ft | -8.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
IAH ATIS INFO W 1653Z. 11009KT 10SM FEW035 BKN250 26/17 A3024 (THREE ZERO TWO FOUR). ARRIVALS EXPECT ILS OR RNAV Y RY 8R, ILS OR RNAV Y RY 8L, ILS OR RNAV Y RY 9. SIMUL APPROACHES IN USE. DEPG RY 15L, RY 15R, RY 9. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. UNITED RAMP CONTROL IN EFFECT. HAZD WX INFO FOR IAH AREA AVBL FM FSS. BIRD ACTIVITY VICINITY ARPT. LAHSO RY8R. TWY EA CLSD. NOTAM ATIS IN USE ON FREQUENCY 126.225. SIMULTANEOUS PARALLEL DEPARTURES ARE IN EFFECT PILOTS MUST ENSURE CORRECT DIRECTION OF INITIAL TURN. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO W.
METAR KIAH 261653Z 11009KT 10SM FEW035 BKN250 26/17 A3024 RMK AO2 SLP240 T02560167
Live weather
VFR110° @ 9 kt
26°C · 10+ SM · 1024 hPa
FEW035 BKN250
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 09 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 82/100
Short final 09 - sunny side sits 294 m from the 15L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 60.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–18:00 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: Side light
Google Maps navigationShort final 08R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 82/100
Short final 08R - sunny side sits 677 m from the 15R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 60.6°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–18:00 local) with a 150-600mm 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: Side light
Google Maps navigationClimb-out 15L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 54/100
Climb-out 15L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 33R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 352.2°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 12:00–13:00 local) with a 150-600mm lens.
Calculated public-side point about 1.2 km beyond the far end of the departure runway, offset 280 m to the sunny side of the climb.
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 George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH / KIAH): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 29.984, longitude -95.341, and the America/Chicago 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 09 - sunny side Runway 09 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Short final 08R - sunny side Runway 08R | 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. |
Climb-out 15L - sunny side Runway 15L | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 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 120.725 MHz. D-ATIS is 124.05 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 294 m from 15L, 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, 12:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09+08R+08L, departure 15L. The METAR wind is 110° at 9 kt. 09 shows +8.5 kt headwind and 3.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 73/100, 294 m from runway 15L, view bearing 60.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 100-400mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 30°. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 96/100 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.
The best time to plane spot at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH/KIAH) 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, Short final 08R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 3 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
KIAH 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 100-400mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 14:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. Short final 08R - sunny side (runway 08R) 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. Climb-out 15L - sunny side (runway 15L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 10:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 09 - sunny side is 294 m from the 15L 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 120.725 MHz, Ground 118.575 MHz, Approach 120.05 MHz, ATIS 124.05 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 120.725 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 110° at 9 kt, 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/KIAH#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when George Bush Intercontinental Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.