Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT / KPIT) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Pittsburgh, United States of America
Pittsburgh
PIT/KPIT
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:44 local
- Active runway
- 32
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 4 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 32 - sunny side
- Sun
- 257° / -4°
D-ATIS · +0 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when KPIT flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Pittsburgh (PIT) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 4 kt
19°C · 10+ sm · 1026 hPa
FEW150 BKN250
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Pittsburgh 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 PIT, 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 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 32 · Dep 32
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10R | 92° | 11,500 ft | +2.5 kt | 3.2 kt | Standby |
| 28L | 272° | 11,500 ft | -2.5 kt | 3.2 kt | Standby |
| 10C | 92° | 10,775 ft | +2.5 kt | 3.2 kt | Standby |
| 28C | 272° | 10,775 ft | -2.5 kt | 3.2 kt | Standby |
| 10L | 92° | 10,502 ft | +2.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Standby |
| 28R | 272° | 10,502 ft | -2.5 kt | 3.1 kt | Closed |
| 14 | 136° | 8,101 ft | -0.4 kt | 4.0 kt | Standby |
| 32 | 316° | 8,101 ft | +0.4 kt | 4.0 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Pittsburgh (KPIT)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 119.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.875 | Published |
| Departure | 118.650 | Published |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.750 | Published |
| ATIS | 127.250 | 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 Pittsburgh (PIT/KPIT)
Which runway is active at Pittsburgh (PIT/KPIT) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 32. The METAR wind is 40° at 4 kt. 32 shows +0.4 kt headwind and 4.0 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 28R.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Pittsburgh (PIT) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 109° 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 40° at 4 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