Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX / KPHX) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Phoenix, United States of America
Phoenix
PHX/KPHX
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 15:02 local
- Active runway
- 08 / 07R
- METAR wind
- 190° @ 7 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 08 - sunny side
- Sun
- 228° / 29°
D-ATIS · -1 kt headwind
VFR
Sweet spot
Golden hour in 2h 6m
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Best Phoenix (PHX) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR190° @ 7 kt
30°C · 10+ sm · 1013 hPa
CLR
Golden hour in 2h 6m
Runway alerts for Phoenix Sky Harbor 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 PHX, 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 08 - sunny side Runway 08 | 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. |
| Short final 07R - sunny side Runway 07R | 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. |
| Climb-out 07L - sunny side Runway 07L | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | BACKLIT / GLARE | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-10:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 08 / 07R · Dep 07L
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 shifts the wind to 270° at 5 kt, favoring 26+25R in about 3.0 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08 | 90° | 11,489 ft | -1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Landing |
| 26 | 270° | 11,489 ft | +1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Standby |
| 07L | 90° | 10,300 ft | -1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Departure |
| 25R | 270° | 10,300 ft | +1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Standby |
| 07R | 90° | 7,800 ft | -1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Landing |
| 25L | 270° | 7,800 ft | +1.2 kt | 6.9 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Phoenix (KPHX)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Tower | 120.900 | Published |
| Approach | 120.675 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.125 | Assigned |
| Ground | 119.750 | Published |
| Ground | 132.550 | Published |
| Delivery | 118.100 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.575 | 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 Phoenix (PHX/KPHX)
Which runway is active at Phoenix (PHX/KPHX) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 15:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing 08+07R, departure 07L. The METAR wind is 190° at 7 kt. 08 shows -1.2 kt headwind and 6.9 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Phoenix (PHX) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 14° elevation. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 72/100, 1234 m from runway 08, view bearing 60.8°, best as a afternoon spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 240° and 19°. Short final 08 - sunny side scores 96/100 on a 60.8° 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 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX/KPHX) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Climb-out 07L - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 08 - sunny side, Short final 07R - sunny side. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 0 of 3 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 KPHX spotting locations?
KPHX spotting locations sun direction: Short final 08 - sunny side (runway 08) 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 07R - sunny side (runway 07R) 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. Climb-out 07L - sunny side (runway 07L) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-10:00 local. Avoid 15:00-18:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Phoenix (PHX)?
Short final 08 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 08 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 Phoenix (KPHX)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 119.75 MHz, ATIS 127.575 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 118.7 MHz.
How do I know when Phoenix (PHX) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 shifts the wind to 270° at 5 kt, favoring 26+25R in about 3.0 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/KPHX#runway-alerts