General Mitchell International Airport (MKE / KMKE) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Milwaukee, United States of America
General Mitchell
MKE/KMKE
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 19:18 local
- Active runway
- 01L / 19R
- METAR wind
- 160° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 01L - sunny side
- Sun
- 268° / -17°
D-ATIS · -4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when KMKE flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best General Mitchell (MKE) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR160° @ 4 kt
14°C · 9 sm · 1022 hPa
BKN160 OVC190
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for General Mitchell 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 MKE, 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 01L - sunny side Runway 01L | 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. |
| Short final 19R - sunny side Runway 19R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 01L / 19R · Dep 19R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01L | 7° | 9,990 ft | -3.6 kt | 1.8 kt | Landing |
| 19R | 187° | 9,990 ft | +3.6 kt | 1.8 kt | Both |
| 07R | 72° | 8,300 ft | +0.1 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 25L | 252° | 8,300 ft | -0.1 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 13 | 132° | 5,537 ft | +3.5 kt | 1.9 kt | Standby |
| 31 | 312° | 5,537 ft | -3.5 kt | 1.9 kt | Standby |
| 07L | 71° | 4,797 ft | +0.1 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 25R | 251° | 4,797 ft | -0.1 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 01R | 7° | 4,182 ft | -3.6 kt | 1.8 kt | Closed |
| 19L | 187° | 4,182 ft | +3.6 kt | 1.8 kt | Closed |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for General Mitchell (KMKE)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.100 | Published |
| Approach | 118.000 | Published |
| Departure | 119.650 | Published |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 120.800 | Published |
| ATIS | 126.400 | 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 General Mitchell (MKE/KMKE)
Which runway is active at General Mitchell (MKE/KMKE) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 19:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 01L+19R, departure 19R. The METAR wind is 160° at 4 kt. 01L shows -3.6 kt headwind and 1.8 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 01R, 19L.
Where is the best place to plane spot at General Mitchell (MKE) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 114° azimuth and 6° elevation. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 76/100, 1234 m from runway 01L, view bearing 36.2°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 233° and 17°. Short final 01L - sunny side scores 93/100 on a 36.2° 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 General Mitchell International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at General Mitchell International Airport (MKE/KMKE) 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 01L - 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 KMKE spotting locations?
KMKE spotting locations sun direction: Short final 01L - sunny side (runway 01L) 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. Short final 19R - sunny side (runway 19R) 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 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at General Mitchell (MKE)?
Short final 01L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 01L 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 General Mitchell (KMKE)?
Monitor Tower 119.1 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Approach 118.0 MHz, ATIS 126.4 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 119.1 MHz.
How do I know when General Mitchell (MKE) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 160° at 4 kt, so 01L 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/KMKE#runway-alerts