Tucson International Airport (TUS / KTUS) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Tucson, United States of America
Tucson
TUS/KTUS
Updated Tue 27 Oct, 16:28 local
- Active runway
- 30
- METAR wind
- 360° @ 3 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 30 - sunny side
- Sun
- 245° / 13°
Wind vector · +2 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 38m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when KTUS flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Tucson (TUS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR360° @ 3 kt
29°C · 10+ sm · 1015 hPa
CLR
Golden hour in 38m
Runway alerts for Tucson 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 TUS, 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 30 - sunny side Runway 30 | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | CLEAN FRONT LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-14:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 30 · Dep 30
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 shifts the wind to 250° at 6 kt, favoring 22 in about 3.5 hours.
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 135° | 10,996 ft | -2.1 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
| 30 | 315° | 10,996 ft | +2.1 kt | 2.1 kt | Both |
| 04 | 45° | 7,000 ft | +2.1 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
| 22 | 225° | 7,000 ft | -2.1 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Tucson (KTUS)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 118.300 | Published |
| Approach | 121.375 | Assigned |
| Departure | 126.025 | Assigned |
| Ground | 124.400 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.650 | Published |
| ATIS | 123.800 | 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 Tucson (TUS/KTUS)
Which runway is active at Tucson (TUS/KTUS) right now?
As of Tue 27 Oct, 16:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 30. The METAR wind is 360° at 3 kt. 30 shows +2.1 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the right. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Tucson (TUS) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 117° azimuth and 16° elevation. Short final 30 - sunny side scores 94/100, 1233 m from runway 30, view bearing 285.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 241° and 19°. Short final 30 - sunny side scores 81/100 on a 344.3° 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 Tucson International Airport?
The best time to plane spot at Tucson International Airport (TUS/KTUS) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: Short final 30 - 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.
What is the sun direction at KTUS spotting locations?
KTUS spotting locations sun direction: Short final 30 - sunny side (runway 30) is CLEAN FRONT LIGHT in the morning, CLEAN FRONT LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 08:00-14:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Tucson (TUS)?
Short final 30 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 30 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 Tucson (KTUS)?
Monitor Tower 118.3 MHz, Ground 124.4 MHz, ATIS 123.8 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 118.3 MHz.
How do I know when Tucson (TUS) switches active runways?
TAF at Tue 27 Oct, 20:00 shifts the wind to 250° at 6 kt, favoring 22 in about 3.5 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/KTUS#runway-alerts