Richmond, United States of America
Live METAR wind (300° at 3 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 34), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for Richmond International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 10:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 34. The METAR wind is 300° at 3 kt. 34 shows +2.7 kt headwind and 1.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 10:50.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 148° | 9,003 ft | -2.7 kt | 1.4 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 328° | 9,003 ft | +2.7 kt | 1.4 kt | Landing + departure |
| 02 | 13° | 6,607 ft | +0.9 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
| 20 | 193° | 6,607 ft | -0.9 kt | 2.9 kt | Standby |
METAR KRIC 261354Z 30003KT 10SM CLR 14/11 A3039 RMK AO2 SLP295 T01390106
Live weather
VFR300° @ 3 kt
14°C · 10+ SM · 1029 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 34 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 91/100
Short final 34 - sunny side sits 1233 m from the 34 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 298.5°. That view is front-lit in the morning (best 08:00–09:00 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 Richmond International Airport (RIC / KRIC): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 37.505, longitude -77.320, 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 34 - sunny side Runway 34 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-13:00 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 121.1 MHz. D-ATIS is 119.15 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1233 m from 34, 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, 10:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 34. The METAR wind is 300° at 3 kt. 34 shows +2.7 kt headwind and 1.4 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 34 - sunny side scores 94/100, 1233 m from runway 34, view bearing 298.5°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 24°. Short final 34 - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 357.0° 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 Richmond International Airport (RIC/KRIC) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 34 - 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.
KRIC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 34 - sunny side (runway 34) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, SIDE LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-13:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 34 - sunny side is 1233 m from the 34 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 121.1 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 119.15 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 121.1 MHz.
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 300° at 3 kt, so 34 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/KRIC#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when Richmond International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.