Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM / KMEM) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Memphis, United States of America
Frederick W. Smith
MEM/KMEM
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 20:06 local
- Active runway
- 09
- METAR wind
- 100° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 09 - sunny side
- Sun
- 271° / -24°
D-ATIS · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
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Best Frederick W. Smith (MEM) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR100° @ 4 kt
21°C · 10+ sm · 1023 hPa
BKN220 OVC250
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Frederick W. Smith 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 MEM, 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. |
| Climb-out 27 - sunny side Runway 27 | 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 27
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18C | 179° | 11,120 ft | +0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 36C | 359° | 11,120 ft | -0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 179° | 9,320 ft | +0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 36L | 359° | 9,320 ft | -0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 179° | 9,000 ft | +0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 36R | 359° | 9,000 ft | -0.8 kt | 3.9 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 92° | 8,946 ft | +4.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Landing |
| 27 | 272° | 8,946 ft | -4.0 kt | 0.6 kt | Departure |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Frederick W. Smith (KMEM)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 119.100 | Published |
| Departure | 124.150 | Published |
| Ground | 121.650 | Published |
| Delivery | 125.200 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.750 | 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 Frederick W. Smith (MEM/KMEM)
Which runway is active at Frederick W. Smith (MEM/KMEM) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 09, departure 27. The METAR wind is 100° at 4 kt. 09 shows +4.0 kt headwind and 0.6 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Frederick W. Smith (MEM) in the morning vs. afternoon?
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 23°. 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Frederick W. Smith International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM/KMEM) 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, Climb-out 27 - 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 KMEM spotting locations?
KMEM 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. Climb-out 27 - sunny side (runway 27) 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 Frederick W. Smith (MEM)?
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 Frederick W. Smith (KMEM)?
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.
How do I know when Frederick W. Smith (MEM) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 100° at 4 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/KMEM#runway-alerts