Richmond International Airport (RIC / KRIC) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Richmond, United States of America
Richmond
RIC/KRIC
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:46 local
- Active runway
- 02
- METAR wind
- 40° @ 5 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 02 - sunny side
- Sun
- 259° / -6°
Wind vector · +4 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Sun below the useful photo window
NightWant a Telegram ping when KRIC flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Richmond (RIC) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR40° @ 5 kt
20°C · 10+ sm · 1026 hPa
CLR
Sun below the useful photo window
Runway alerts for Richmond 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 RIC, 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 02 - sunny side Runway 02 | 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. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 02 · Dep 02
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 148° | 9,003 ft | -1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 34 | 328° | 9,003 ft | +1.5 kt | 4.8 kt | Standby |
| 02 | 13° | 6,607 ft | +4.5 kt | 2.2 kt | Both |
| 20 | 193° | 6,607 ft | -4.5 kt | 2.2 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Richmond (KRIC)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 121.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.625 | Assigned |
| Departure | 125.875 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 127.550 | Published |
| ATIS | 119.150 | 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 Richmond (RIC/KRIC)
Which runway is active at Richmond (RIC/KRIC) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 02. The METAR wind is 40° at 5 kt. 02 shows +4.5 kt headwind and 2.2 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Richmond (RIC) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 110° azimuth and 5° elevation. Short final 02 - sunny side scores 86/100, 1234 m from runway 02, view bearing 344.2°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 231° and 23°. Short final 02 - sunny side scores 94/100 on a 42.6° 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 Richmond International Airport?
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: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: Short final 02 - sunny side. 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 KRIC spotting locations?
KRIC spotting locations sun direction: Short final 02 - sunny side (runway 02) 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.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Richmond (RIC)?
Short final 02 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 02 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 Richmond (KRIC)?
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.
How do I know when Richmond (RIC) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 40° at 5 kt, so 02 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