Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF / KSDF) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Louisville, United States of America
Louisville Muhammad Ali
SDF/KSDF
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:50 local
- Active runway
- 17L
- METAR wind
- 280° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 17L - sunny side
- Sun
- 234° / 20°
D-ATIS · -1 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 1h 24m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KSDF flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR280° @ 3 kt
24°C · 10+ sm · 1024 hPa
FEW180 BKN250 BKN300
Golden hour in 1h 24m
Runway alerts for Louisville Muhammad Ali 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 SDF, 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 17L - sunny side Runway 17L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 17L · Dep 17L
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17R | 165° | 11,887 ft | -1.2 kt | 2.7 kt | Standby |
| 35L | 345° | 11,887 ft | +1.2 kt | 2.7 kt | Standby |
| 17L | 165° | 8,578 ft | -1.3 kt | 2.7 kt | Both |
| 35R | 345° | 8,578 ft | +1.3 kt | 2.7 kt | Standby |
| 11 | 111° | 7,251 ft | -2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
| 29 | 291° | 7,251 ft | +2.9 kt | 0.6 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Louisville Muhammad Ali (KSDF)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 124.200 | Published |
| Approach | 123.675 | Published |
| Departure | 123.675 | Published |
| Ground | 121.700 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.100 | Published |
| ATIS | 118.725 | 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 Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF/KSDF)
Which runway is active at Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF/KSDF) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, D-ATIS confirms landing and departure 17L. The METAR wind is 280° at 3 kt. 17L shows -1.3 kt headwind and 2.7 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 105° azimuth and -2° elevation. Short final 17L - sunny side scores 66/100, 1234 m from runway 17L, view bearing 194.2°, best as a midday spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 223° and 28°. Short final 17L - sunny side scores 78/100 on a 135.7° 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 Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF/KSDF) 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: 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 KSDF spotting locations?
KSDF spotting locations sun direction: Short final 17L - sunny side (runway 17L) is BACKLIT / GLARE in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF)?
Short final 17L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 17L 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 Louisville Muhammad Ali (KSDF)?
Monitor Tower 124.2 MHz, Ground 121.7 MHz, Approach 123.675 MHz, ATIS 118.725 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 124.2 MHz.
How do I know when Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 280° at 3 kt, so 17L 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/KSDF#runway-alerts