Ontario, United States of America
Live METAR wind (calm), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 08L+08R), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Ontario International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 08L+08R. The METAR wind is calm. 08L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: 26L. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 11:36.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08L | 90° | 12,197 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 26R | 270° | 12,197 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Standby |
| 08R | 90° | 10,200 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Landing + departure |
| 26L | 270° | 10,200 ft | +0.0 kt | 0.0 kt | Closed |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 250° at 10 kt, favoring 26R in about 2.4 hours.
ONT ATIS INFO G 1753Z. 00000KT 10SM CLR 22/08 A3009 (THREE ZERO ZERO NINER) RMK AO2 SLP178 T02220083 10222 20144 50004. ILS AND VIS APR IN USE, RY26L & RY26R. LNDG AND DEPG RY 26L AND RY 26R. NOTAMS... TWY G CLSD. RY 26L IM OTS, RY 26R ALS OTS. PAEW ADJ RUNWAY 26R RSA NEAR THE APPROACH END. USE CAUTION FOR NUMEROUS BIRDS OBSERVED IN VICINITY OF ONT. UAS IN THE VICINITY OF ONT AOB 200. PILOTS READBACK RWY ASSIGNMENTS AND HOLD SHORT INSTRUCTIONS. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO G.
METAR KONT 261753Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 22/08 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP178 T02220083 10222 20144 50004
Live weather
VFRCALM
22°C · 10+ SM · 1019 hPa
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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 08R - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 83/100
Short final 08R - sunny side sits 742 m from the 08L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 60.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 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: Side light
Google Maps navigationShort final 08L - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 81/100
Short final 08L - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 08L centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 60.7°. That view is front-lit in the afternoon (best 16:00–17:00 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: Side light
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 Ontario International Airport (ONT / KONT): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 34.056, longitude -117.601, and the America/Los_Angeles 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 08R - sunny side Runway 08R | 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. |
Short final 08L - sunny side Runway 08L | 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. |
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 120.6 MHz. D-ATIS is 124.25 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 742 m from 08L, 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, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 08L+08R. The METAR wind is calm. 08L is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: 26L.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 113° azimuth and 10° elevation. Short final 08R - sunny side scores 74/100, 742 m from runway 08L, view bearing 60.7°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 236° and 23°. Short final 08R - sunny side scores 97/100 on a 60.7° 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.
The best time to plane spot at Ontario International Airport (ONT/KONT) 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 08R - sunny side, Short final 08L - 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.
KONT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 08R - sunny side (runway 08R) 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. Short final 08L - sunny side (runway 08L) 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.
Short final 08R - sunny side is 742 m from the 08L 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 120.6 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 124.25 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 120.6 MHz.
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 14:00 shifts the wind to 250° at 10 kt, favoring 26R in about 2.4 hours. 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/KONT#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Ontario International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.