Memphis, United States of America
Live METAR wind (130° at 4 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 09, departure 18C+18L), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Frederick W. Smith International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 08:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09, departure 18C+18L. The METAR wind is 130° at 4 kt. 09 shows +3.2 kt headwind and 2.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 18R, 36L. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 08:42.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18C | 179° | 11,120 ft | +2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Departure |
| 36C | 359° | 11,120 ft | -2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 179° | 9,320 ft | +2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Closed |
| 36L | 359° | 9,320 ft | -2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Closed |
| 18L | 179° | 9,000 ft | +2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Departure |
| 36R | 359° | 9,000 ft | -2.6 kt | 3.0 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 92° | 8,946 ft | +3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Landing |
| 27 | 272° | 8,946 ft | -3.2 kt | 2.5 kt | Standby |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 10:00 shifts the wind to 130° at 6 kt, favoring 18C+18L in about 1.3 hours.
MEM ATIS INFO L 1254Z. 13004KT 10SM OVC250 14/08 A3036 (THREE ZERO THREE SIX) RMK AO2 SLP278 T01440083. SIMUL VISUAL APCHS IN USE RY 18L, 27. DEPG RWYS 18L, 18C. 18L. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. RWY 18R, 36L CLSD. TWY N CLSD BTN TWY, P AND TWY R, TWY R CLSD BTN TWY, R2 AND TWY N, TWY H CLSD BTN TWY, R2 AND TWY N, TWY M CLSD. ILS RWY 9 OTS, LLWAS OTS. RWY 36L DME OTS. BIRD ACTIVITY RPTD IN THE VC OF THE ARPT. READBACK ALL RWY HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS. CONSOLIDATED WAKE TURBULENCE . STANDARDS IN EFFECT. 222' CRANE IS DOWN. UNAUTH LASER ILLUMINATION EVENT. AT 1145Z , 4NM SW OF MEM AIRPORT, GREEN LASER. AT GATES 18, 20, 22, 23, 40 CTC GC FOR PUSHBACK. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO L.
METAR KMEM 261254Z 13004KT 10SM OVC250 14/08 A3036 RMK AO2 SLP278 T01440083 $
Live weather
VFR130° @ 4 kt
14°C · 10+ SM · 1028 hPa
OVC250
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 72/100
Short final 09 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 09 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 62.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 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 18C - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 42/100
Climb-out 18C - sunny side sits 1196 m from the 36R centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 339.1°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 11:00 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.
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 118.3 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.75 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 09, bring a 150-600mm lens.
Sony FE 200-600mm
Beyond 450 m you want 150-600mm. A 200-600mm zoom still frames a heavy jet on a long final.
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, 08:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09, departure 18C+18L. The METAR wind is 130° at 4 kt. 09 shows +3.2 kt headwind and 2.5 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 18R, 36L.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 8° elevation. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 71/100, 1234 m from runway 09, view bearing 62.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 24°. Short final 09 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 62.7° 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.
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.
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 121.65 MHz, Approach 119.1 MHz, ATIS 127.75 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.
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 10:00 shifts the wind to 130° at 6 kt, favoring 18C+18L in about 1.3 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/KMEM#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Frederick W. Smith International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.