Which runway is active at Pittsburgh (PIT/KPIT) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 32. The METAR wind is 290° at 7 kt. 32 shows +6.3 kt headwind and 3.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 10L.
Pittsburgh, United States of America
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT / KPIT) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Live METAR wind (290° at 7 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 32), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Pittsburgh International Airport.
D-ATIS CONFIRMED$3/mo runway-shift alerts
Which runway is active at Pittsburgh (PIT) right now?
As of Mon 26 Oct, 17:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 32. The METAR wind is 290° at 7 kt. 32 shows +6.3 kt headwind and 3.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: 10L. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 17:39.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10R | 92° | 11,500 ft | -6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 28L | 272° | 11,500 ft | +6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 10C | 92° | 10,775 ft | -6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 28C | 272° | 10,775 ft | +6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 10L | 92° | 10,502 ft | -6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Closed |
| 28R | 272° | 10,502 ft | +6.7 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
| 14 | 136° | 8,101 ft | -6.3 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
| 32 | 316° | 8,101 ft | +6.3 kt | 3.1 kt | Landing + departure |
D-ATIS B · landing and departure 32
PIT ARR INFO B 2051Z. 30007KT 10SM SCT250 21/07 A3027 (THREE ZERO TWO SEVEN) RMK AO2 SLP257 T02060067 56013. ARRIVALS EXPECT ILS RWY 32. GROUND CONTROL NORTH AND SOUTH COMBINED ON FREQ 121.9. NOTAMS... RWY 10L CLSD. TWYS CLSD, B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B7, AA BTN RWY, 28R AND A . MAIN TERMINAL RAMP IS UNCONTROLLED DO NOT CALL FOR PUSHBACK. BIRD ACTVTY VCNTY PIT. READ BACK RWY HOLD SHORT INSTXNS. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO B.
METAR KPIT 262051Z 29007KT 10SM SCT250 21/07 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP257 T02060067 56013
SIDE/CROSS LIGHT
Live weather
VFR290° @ 7 kt
21°C · 10+ SM · 1025 hPa
SCT250
Front-lit sector
Backlight / glare cone
Sun ray · amber pins are landmarks
Green pins are calculated. Blue pins are OpenStreetMap parks and viewpoints.
Mon 26 Oct, 17:39Az 246° · El 8°Golden hour in 10m
+0h local
Best Pittsburgh (PIT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
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 32 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 81/100
Short final 32 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 32 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 345.7°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 12:00–13:00 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.
1234 m to centerline345.7° view bearingBest sun: Midday 12:00–13:00150-600mmNow: Side light
Google Maps navigation
Suggest a local spot / fence tip
Know 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 of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot
Best time to plane spot at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT / KPIT): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 40.492, longitude -80.233, and the America/New_York 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 32 - sunny side Runway 32 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Pittsburgh (KPIT)
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 119.1 MHz. D-ATIS is 127.25 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 32, 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 gear
Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Pittsburgh (PIT/KPIT)
Where is the best place to plane spot at Pittsburgh (PIT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 2° elevation. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 96/100, 1233 m from runway 32, view bearing 287.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 227° and 23°. Short final 32 - sunny side scores 84/100 on a 345.7° 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.
What is the best time to plane spot at Pittsburgh International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT/KPIT) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 32 - sunny side. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. 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 KPIT spotting locations?
KPIT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 32 - sunny side (runway 32) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 09:00-16:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Pittsburgh (PIT)?
Short final 32 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 32 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 Pittsburgh (KPIT)?
Monitor Tower 119.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, Approach 120.875 MHz, ATIS 127.25 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 119.1 MHz.
How do I know when Pittsburgh (PIT) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 290° at 7 kt, so 32 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/KPIT#runway-alerts
Telegram Runway-Shift Alerts · $3/mo
Get a Telegram ping when Pittsburgh International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.