New Orleans, United States of America
Live METAR wind (70° at 10 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing 11+02, departure 02), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 11+02, departure 02. The METAR wind is 70° at 10 kt. 11 shows +8.1 kt headwind and 5.9 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 16:33.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 106° | 10,104 ft | +8.1 kt | 5.9 kt | Landing |
| 29 | 286° | 10,104 ft | -8.1 kt | 5.9 kt | Standby |
| 02 | 15° | 7,002 ft | +5.7 kt | 8.2 kt | Landing + departure |
| 20 | 195° | 7,002 ft | -5.7 kt | 8.2 kt | Standby |
MSY ATIS INFO B 2053Z. 07010KT 10SM FEW040 BKN250 25/14 A3017 (THREE ZERO ONE SEVEN). TRSSH AWDAD OLEDD AND ARR FM N THRU SW EXP RNAV RY 11. MNSTR AND ARR FM NE THRU SE EXP RNAV RY 2. DEPG RY 2. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. TWY, S CLSD BTWN TWY, G AND RWY 11, TWY, S CLSD BTWN TWY, E AND RWY 11. RY 29 ALS OTS, RY 11 SFL OTS, RWY 20, 29 PAPI OUT OF SERVICE, ILS RWY 11 OUT OF SERVICE. RWY 29 LOC DME OUT OF SERVICE. RWY 29 GS OUT OF SERVICE. TRSSH AND MNSTR ARR EXPECT DESCEND VIA RY TRANSITIONS.WARNING RUNWAY 11/29 HAS BEEN SHORTENED AT RUNWAY 29 APPROACH END, EIGHT THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FEET AVAILABLE.RUNWAY 29 RNAV GPS Y LNAV MDA MINIMUMS ONLY.RUNWAY 29 RNAV RNP Z APPROACH NOT AVAILABLE. BIRD ACTIVITY VICINITY ARPT. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO B.
METAR KMSY 262053Z 07010KT 10SM FEW040 BKN250 25/14 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP220 T02500139 56022 $
Live weather
VFR70° @ 10 kt
25°C · 10+ SM · 1022 hPa
FEW040 BKN250
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 11 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 93/100
Short final 11 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 11 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 76.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 17:00–18:00 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: Frontlit
Google Maps navigationShort final 02 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 93/100
Short final 02 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 02 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 44.2°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 15:00–16:00 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: 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.
Best time to plane spot at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY / KMSY): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 29.993, longitude -90.265, and the America/Chicago clock plus each spot's view bearing. Morning is 07:00-11:00, midday is 11:00-14:00, and afternoon / golden hour is 14:00-18:00. CLEAN FRONT LIGHT means the sun sits behind the camera. BACKLIT / GLARE means the sun is in the lens. HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT is overhead midday light.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Short final 11 - sunny side Runway 11 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Short final 02 - sunny side Runway 02 | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
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 119.5 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.55 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 11, 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, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 11+02, departure 02. The METAR wind is 70° at 10 kt. 11 shows +8.1 kt headwind and 5.9 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 9° elevation. Short final 02 - sunny side scores 85/100, 1234 m from runway 02, view bearing 345.8°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 235° and 27°. Short final 02 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 44.2° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY/KMSY) 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 11 - sunny side, Short final 02 - 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.
KMSY spotting locations sun direction: Short final 11 - sunny side (runway 11) 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 15:00-18:00 local. Avoid 08:00-09:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 02 - sunny side (runway 02) 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 13:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 11 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 11 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 119.5 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 127.55 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 119.5 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 70° at 10 kt, so 11 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/KMSY#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.