Spotter

Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS / LFLL) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor

Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône, France

Lyon Saint-Exupéry

LYS/LFLL

Updated Wed 28 Oct, 00:44 local

Active runway
17R / 17L

Wind vector · +0 kt headwind

METAR wind
VRB @ 2 kt

MVFR

Best spot
Short final 17R - sunny side

Night

Sun
9° / -57°

Sunrise in 6h 30m

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Best Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle

Live weather

MVFR

VRB @ 2 kt

13°C · 10+ km · 1023 hPa

BKN028

Wed 28 Oct, 00:44 localAz 9° · El -57°Night

Sunrise in 6h 30m

+0h

Runway alerts for Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport

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Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies

Lighting schedule

Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at LYS, scored from each spot's view bearing.

Spotting LocationMorning (07:00-11:00)Midday (11:00-14:00)Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00)JetPhotos / Camera Note
Short final 17R - sunny side

Runway 17R

BACKLIT / GLAREBACKLIT / GLARESIDE LIGHTRecommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 17:00. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast.
Short final 17L - sunny side

Runway 17L

SIDE LIGHTBACKLIT / GLAREBACKLIT / GLARERecommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast.
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Frequently asked questions about plane spotting at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS/LFLL)

Which runway is active at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS/LFLL) right now?

As of Wed 28 Oct, 00:30 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 17R+17L. The METAR wind is variable at 2 kt. 17R is the long-runway pick because the wind is calm or variable. Closed runways: none listed.

Where is the best place to plane spot at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) in the morning vs. afternoon?

At 08:00 local the sun is at 116° azimuth and 7° elevation. Short final 17L - sunny side scores 78/100, 1234 m from runway 17L, view bearing 204.3°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 234° and 14°. Short final 17R - sunny side scores 79/100 on a 145.7° 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 Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport?

The best time to plane spot at Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS/LFLL) 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 LFLL spotting locations?

LFLL spotting locations sun direction: Short final 17R - sunny side (runway 17R) 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. Avoid 08:00-13:00 harsh backlit contrast. Short final 17L - sunny side (runway 17L) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, BACKLIT / GLARE at midday, and BACKLIT / GLARE in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Best local hours for crisp fuselage illumination: 08:00. Avoid 12:00-17:00 harsh backlit contrast.

What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS)?

Short final 17R - sunny side is 1234 m from the 17R 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 Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LFLL)?

Monitor Tower 120.45 MHz, Ground 121.825 MHz, ATIS 126.175 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 120.45 MHz.

How do I know when Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) switches active runways?

No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near variable at 2 kt, so 17R 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/LFLL#runway-alerts