San Antonio, United States of America
Live METAR wind (60° at 4 kt), predicted landing/departure runways (landing and departure 04), hourly sun-angle backlight map, and top photo spots for San Antonio International Airport.
As of Mon 26 Oct, 10:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 04. The METAR wind is 60° at 4 kt. 04 shows +3.8 kt headwind and 1.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 13R, 31L. Updated Mon 26 Oct, 10:43.
| End | True hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04 | 41° | 8,505 ft | +3.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Landing + departure |
| 22 | 221° | 8,505 ft | -3.8 kt | 1.3 kt | Standby |
| 13R | 132° | 8,502 ft | +1.2 kt | 3.8 kt | Closed |
| 31L | 312° | 8,502 ft | -1.2 kt | 3.8 kt | Closed |
| 13L | 132° | 5,519 ft | +1.2 kt | 3.8 kt | Standby |
| 31R | 312° | 5,519 ft | -1.2 kt | 3.8 kt | Standby |
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 120° at 7 kt, favoring 13L in about 1.3 hours.
SAT ATIS INFO E 1451Z. 05004KT 10SM FEW060 SCT110 BKN250 20/12 A3026 (THREE ZERO TWO SIX) RMK AO2 SLP230 T02000122 53009. VISUAL APCH RWY 04 IN USE. DEPG RWY 4. NOTICE TO AIRMEN. RWYS 13R, 31L CLSD. ILS RWY 13R OTS. BIRD ACTIVITY VICINITY ARPT. ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT RUNWAY ENTRANCE LIGHTS OPERATIONAL EVALUATION IN PROGRESS. RUNWAY ENTRANCE LIGHTS MAY BE OFFLINE INTERMITTENTLY THROUGOUT THE EVALUATION DO NOT CROSS ILLUMINATED RED LIGHTS AT TAXIWAY INTERSECTIONS. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO E.
METAR KSAT 261451Z 06004KT 10SM FEW060 SCT110 BKN250 20/12 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP230 T02000122 53009
Live weather
VFR60° @ 4 kt
20°C · 10+ SM · 1025 hPa
FEW060 SCT110 BKN250
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 04 - sunny side
Calculated perimeter
Score 85/100
Short final 04 - sunny side sits 1234 m from the 04 centerline. Looking toward the aircraft the bearing is 11.7°. That view is front-lit around midday (best 14:00 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: Side light
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 San Antonio International Airport (SAT / KSAT): sun direction for every spotting location, scored from latitude 29.534, longitude -98.470, and the America/Chicago 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 04 - sunny side Runway 04 | SIDE LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 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 119.8 MHz. D-ATIS is 118.9 MHz. A handheld VHF airband scanner (Uniden Bearcat BC125AT) at the fence hears the call as it is made. At 1234 m from 04, 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, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 04. The METAR wind is 60° at 4 kt. 04 shows +3.8 kt headwind and 1.3 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: 13R, 31L.
At 08:00 local the sun is at 106° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 80/100, 1234 m from runway 04, view bearing 11.7°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 229° and 33°. Short final 04 - sunny side scores 92/100 on a 70.2° 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 San Antonio International Airport (SAT/KSAT) 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 04 - 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.
KSAT spotting locations sun direction: Short final 04 - sunny side (runway 04) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 12:00-18:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
Short final 04 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 04 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 119.8 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 118.9 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 119.8 MHz.
TAF at Mon 26 Oct, 12:00 shifts the wind to 120° at 7 kt, favoring 13L in about 1.3 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/KSAT#runway-alerts
Get a Telegram ping when San Antonio International Airport changes landing or departure runway. One airport or a short list.