Tulsa International Airport (TUL / KTUL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tulsa, United States of America
Tulsa
TUL/KTUL
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 18:30 local
- Active runway
- 18L / 18R
- METAR wind
- 170° @ 9 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 18L - sunny side
- Sun
- 254° / 0°
Wind vector · +9 kt headwind
VFR
Night
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 4 min
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Best Tulsa (TUL) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR170° @ 9 kt
26°C · 10+ sm · 1019 hPa
BKN130
Evening golden hour now, sunset in 4 min
Runway alerts for Tulsa 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 TUL, 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 18L - sunny side Runway 18L | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
| Short final 18R - sunny side Runway 18R | BACKLIT / GLARE | BACKLIT / GLARE | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 18L / 18R · Dep 18L / 18R
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18L | 183° | 10,000 ft | +8.8 kt | 2.0 kt | Both |
| 36R | 3° | 10,000 ft | -8.8 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
| 08 | 89° | 7,376 ft | +1.5 kt | 8.9 kt | Standby |
| 26 | 269° | 7,376 ft | -1.5 kt | 8.9 kt | Standby |
| 18R | 183° | 6,101 ft | +8.8 kt | 2.0 kt | Both |
| 36L | 3° | 6,101 ft | -8.8 kt | 2.0 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tulsa (KTUL)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.700 | Published |
| Approach | 120.650 | Assigned |
| Departure | 124.400 | Assigned |
| Ground | 121.900 | Published |
| Delivery | 134.050 | Published |
| ATIS | 124.900 | 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 Tulsa (TUL/KTUL)
Which runway is active at Tulsa (TUL/KTUL) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 18:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 18L+18R. The METAR wind is 170° at 9 kt. 18L shows +8.8 kt headwind and 2.0 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tulsa (TUL) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 108° azimuth and 3° elevation. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 82/100, 1234 m from runway 18L, view bearing 212.4°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 228° and 26°. Short final 18L - sunny side scores 76/100 on a 153.8° 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 Tulsa International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tulsa International Airport (TUL/KTUL) 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 2 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 KTUL spotting locations?
KTUL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 18L - sunny side (runway 18L) 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: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 18R - sunny side (runway 18R) 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: 17:00-18:00. Avoid 09:00-14:00 harsh backlit contrast.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tulsa (TUL)?
Short final 18L - sunny side is 1234 m from the 18L 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 Tulsa (KTUL)?
Monitor Tower 118.7 MHz, Ground 121.9 MHz, ATIS 124.9 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 118.7 MHz.
How do I know when Tulsa (TUL) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 170° at 9 kt, so 18L 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/KTUL#runway-alerts