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, 18:04 local
- Active runway
- 18C / 18R / 18L
- METAR wind
- 130° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 18R - sunny side
- Sun
- 254° / 0°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 8 min
NightWant a Telegram ping when KMEM flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Frederick W. Smith (MEM) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR130° @ 3 kt
23°C · 10+ sm · 1022 hPa
BKN230 BKN250
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 8 min
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 18R - sunny side Runway 18R | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 18C - sunny side Runway 18C | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 18C / 18R / 18L · Dep 18C / 18R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18C | 179° | 11,120 ft | +2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Both |
| 36C | 359° | 11,120 ft | -2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 179° | 9,320 ft | +2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Both |
| 36L | 359° | 9,320 ft | -2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Standby |
| 18L | 179° | 9,000 ft | +2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Landing |
| 36R | 359° | 9,000 ft | -2.0 kt | 2.3 kt | Standby |
| 09 | 92° | 8,946 ft | +2.4 kt | 1.8 kt | Standby |
| 27 | 272° | 8,946 ft | -2.4 kt | 1.8 kt | Standby |
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: 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. 70-200mm f/2.8 zoomUniden 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, 18:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing 18C+18R+18L, departure 18C+18R. The METAR wind is 130° at 3 kt. 18C shows +2.0 kt headwind and 2.3 kt crosswind from the left. 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 18R - sunny side scores 82/100, 196 m from runway 09, view bearing 208.3°, best as a morning spot with a 70-200mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 23°. Short final 18C - sunny side scores 78/100 on a 149.7° 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: 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 KMEM spotting locations?
KMEM spotting locations sun direction: Short final 18R - sunny side (runway 18R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 70-200mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00-09:00. Avoid 13:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 18C - sunny side (runway 18C) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Frederick W. Smith (MEM)?
Short final 18R - sunny side is 196 m from the 09 centerline, so the lens is 70-200mm. 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 130° at 3 kt, so 18C 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