Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR / KMHR) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Sacramento, United States of America
Sacramento Mather
MHR/KMHR
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:49 local
- Active runway
- 04R
- METAR wind
- VRB @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 04R - sunny side
- Sun
- 241° / 14°
Wind vector · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 46m
Sweet spotWant a Telegram ping when KMHR flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Sacramento Mather (MHR) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFRVRB @ 3 kt
19°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
CLR
Golden hour in 46m
Runway alerts for Sacramento Mather 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 MHR, 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 04R - sunny side Runway 04R | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 04R · Dep 04R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04R | 54° | 11,301 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Both |
| 22L | 234° | 11,301 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 04L | 54° | 6,081 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 22R | 234° | 6,081 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Sacramento Mather (KMHR)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 120.650 | Published |
| Approach | 120.550 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.100 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.850 | Published |
| Delivery | 121.850 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.325 | 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 Sacramento Mather (MHR/KMHR)
Which runway is active at Sacramento Mather (MHR/KMHR) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:35 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 04R. The METAR wind is variable at 3 kt. 04R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Sacramento Mather (MHR) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 111° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 04R - sunny side scores 78/100, 1234 m from runway 04R, view bearing 24.3°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 22°. Short final 04R - sunny side scores 91/100 on a 24.3° 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 Sacramento Mather Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Sacramento Mather Airport (MHR/KMHR) 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 04R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 1 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 KMHR spotting locations?
KMHR spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04R - sunny side (runway 04R) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Sacramento Mather (MHR)?
Short final 04R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 04R 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 Sacramento Mather (KMHR)?
Monitor Tower 120.65 MHz, Ground 121.85 MHz, ATIS 118.325 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 120.65 MHz.
How do I know when Sacramento Mather (MHR) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 3 kt, so 04R 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/KMHR#runway-alerts